Time Explorer

Objective

The British Museum sought to engage young visitors (9-14 years) with ancient history and artifact conservation through an interactive digital experience. The game served as an educational tool to deepen understanding of the museum's collections while extending visitor engagement beyond physical visits.

Solution

Time Explorer is an isometric action-puzzle game where players assume the role of young curators traveling back in time to rescue precious artifacts from natural disasters. The game features three historically themed levels—Ancient Rome, Aztec Mexico, and Imperial China—with objects sourced from the British Museum's actual collections. Players progress through the Great Court hub, select characters, solve environmental puzzles, and compete on online leaderboards. The game was designed with historical accuracy as a core principle to reinforce educational value.

Results

The project was discussed at the Museums and the Web 2011 conference where it received recognition as a Best of the Web selection in the Education category.