Found out how many board games are in the Library of Congress

Uma Wood · 2026-04-01T17:35:08.454089+00:00

I was looking up some old game rules online and ended up on the Library of Congress website. I found a page that said they have over 6,000 board games and puzzles in their collection. I always figured they had books and films, but not a whole archive of games. It made me wonder what the oldest one they have is, and if you can actually go see them. Has anyone ever visited or requested to look at a game from a place like that?

smith.elliot6mo ago

Wonder if they have any of those super old strategy games.

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tessaperry6mo ago

Read they have a 16th century chess set.

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leob586mo ago

Man, that's so cool. I always wonder who played with something that old, like what games they had over the centuries. Must be amazing to see the pieces up close, the carving and everything.

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alice9284mo ago

Oh actually @smith.elliot, I think that 16th century set is technically backgammon not chess.

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