ALT Mansions of Happiness Board games of today can trace their origins to Mansions of Happiness. First published in the United States in the 1840s, this was the first true board game in America. (Salem: S. B. Ives. Boston: D.P. Ives & Co. 1864.)

ALT Old Maid and Old Bachelor “In curating the exhibit, something that stood out is how many of these 100+ years old games we still play today — the design, themes, craftsmanship and gameplay have stood the test of time,” says Sierra Laddusaw, co-curator of the exhibit. And while many of us are familiar with Old Maid, the lesser-known Old Bachelor levels the playing field. (New York: McLoughlin Bros. 1892.)

ALT Panama Souvenir Playing Cards The emerging idea of childhood, children’s rights movements, and an emphasis on children’s education coincided with improvements in printing technology, most notably chromolithography, which enabled large-scale manufacturing of games and toys with a ready-made consumer audience. (P: Gold Edges. Cincinnati: The U.S. Playing Card Company. 1910. | Columbian Souvenir Playing Cards. Chicago: G.W. Clark. 1893.)

ALT Magnetic Fish Pond For many, gameplay dynamics are the defining feature of an exciting game. Play can start as early as game setup. Magnetic Fish Pond’s instructions begin with how to build the pond. (New York: McLoughlin Bros. 1891.)