Table & Outdoor Games
The Museum's collection of table and outdoor games includes marbles, a game played in ancient Egypt and Subbuteo, a football game, invented in the mid 20th century.
Marbles
People in ancient Egypt and pre-Christian Rome played marbles and the game has been played in England for at least four hundred years. There are three basic types of outdoor marble games: circle games, chase games and hole games.
Dominoes
Dominoes were probably invented by the Chinese several hundred years ago. They were introduced into Europe through Italy in the mid-18th century. By the end of the 18th century dominoes had arrived in England where people took to the game with enthusiasm and have played it ever since.
Spillikins
Spillikins or Spellicans has been played all over the world for centuries and is thought to have originated in China. The game has different names in different countries. In the UK it is often known as Pick-Up Sticks while in Europe it is generally known as Mikado.
Subbuteo
Subbuteo was invented in England by Peter Adolph in 1947. It was based on an earlier table football game from the 1920s called New Footy. After the World Cup in 1966, Subbuteo turned into a worldwide craze and new factories producing the little men opened up throughout Europe.
