New exhibition covering the history of football toys and games at the National Football Museum to open soon

Get in the game this summer with a new family-friendly exhibition at the National Football Museum.

Opening just in time for the school holidays, Batteries Not Included is a hands-on history of football toys and games, from the Victorian era through to virtual reality technology.

Visitors of all ages can see some of the oldest surviving collectable cards from the museum’s Football Heritage Collection, take on friends and family in old-school board games and enjoy a nostalgic throwback to a bygone age of video gaming via retro arcade machines and emulators.

The space will also play host to dedicated Subbuteo demonstrations, giving veterans and curious debutants the chance to master the traditional tabletop game.

As well as looking back at popular pastimes, Batteries Not Included casts an eye towards the future of gaming technology. Museum visitors can hone their skills without setting foot on the pitch thanks to Rezzil, one of the world’s leading extended reality sports trainers.

Using a high-tech headset and apparel, players can run through a series of training drills and exercises, developed and used by elite footballers and clubs.

Batteries Not Included is the museum’s most interactive exhibition to date, with no fewer than seventeen different toys, games and features available to play.

As part of the museum’s Football Creates programme, visitors will also be encouraged to make their own toys and design their own games, with more fun workshops and activities planned across the summer months and beyond.

Tim Desmond, Chief Executive at the National Football Museum, said: "We are really excited to showcase our new exhibition to all our visitors this summer.

"Whilst there is certainly an element of nostalgia, Batteries