From November 4, 2023 through February 25, 2024, Storyworld turns the spotlight on The Legend of Zelda, the Nintendo game series that has been immensely popular since the 1980s. To this day, millions of gamers immerse themselves in the fascinating world of the heroic swordsman Link, the great villain Ganon and, of course, Princess Zelda. In the museum's Spotlight Room, discover the story behind the Zelda games and see how one Japanese boy's outdoor adventures transformed into one of the world's most influential games.

A true legend in the gaming world
On Feb. 21, 1986, The Legend of Zelda was released in Japan on Nintendo's Famicom (Family Computer). Zelda grew out of the ideas, experiences and fantasies of Shigeru Miyamoto, who is considered the spiritual father of the series. Almost every Zelda game innovated in one way or another. The first game (1986) proved that great open world games were possible, and later Ocarina of Time (1998) became a forerunner in 3D gaming. Consequently, many gamers consider the Zelda games to be the best game series to date.

Zelda, Link, Ganon, Gorons and Zoras
The Zelda games revolve around the young hero Link (the playable character), Princess Zelda and Ganon(dorf), the king of the Gerudo and a pig-like monster. With Link, the player explores the world, solves puzzles in large dungeons and collects more and more equipment to eventually save the princess and defeat Ganon. Most of the games in the series are set in and around the kingdom of Hyrule, a fantasy world inspired by the Western European Middle Ages. Hyrule is filled with elf-like Hylians, Gorons rolling around in the mountains and Zoras, water creatures swimming through the lakes.

Storyworld Spotlight: The Legend of Zelda
In the Spotlight exhibit, discover more about the origins and development of the game: from The Legend of Zelda (1986) to the recent Tears of the Kingdom (2023). You can also admire artwork from the series over the past three decades: from images from the first, pixelated volumes to wall-sized illustrations created for most recent games. You will also see interviews with the creators and replicas of weapons and other items from the games. To complement the exhibition, public activities include a Zelda sword 3D printing workshop and a lecture by Willem Hilhorst of Beeld & Geluid on the special link between Zelda and the Netherlands.

Storyworld can be found on the sixth floor of Forum Groningen. A ticket to Storyworld gives free admission to the mini-exhibition in the Spotlight area.

Tickets