Kings, Queens & Castles

The World Chess Hall of Fame is pleased to present Kings, Queens & Castles, an innovative exhibition which brings the chessboard to life and provides an engaging introduction to individual chess pieces and game strategy.

Exhibit Overview

Commissioned by the World Chess Hall of Fame, the exhibition was developed in partnership with The Magic House, St. Louis Children’s Museum. Following its debut at the World Chess Hall of Fame, it will travel to select Children’s Museums nationally.

Enter the medieval world of Kings, Queens & Castles, an interactive family exhibit that brings the game of chess to life.

Explore a castle, become your favorite chess piece on a life-size board, and create your own crown, all while learning about one of the world’s oldest and best loved games. The World Chess Hall of Fame (WCHOF) is pleased to present Kings, Queens & Castles, an innovative exhibition that brings the chessboard to life and provides an engaging introduction to individual chess pieces and game strategy. Commissioned by the World Chess Hall of Fame, this exhibition was developed in partnership with The Magic House, St. Louis Children’s Museum.

For the first time, the WCHOF is presenting an exhibition solely focused on children and chess. With a giant medieval castle, slides, life-size chessboard, large-scale chess pieces, and chess-playing and art-making stations, children of all ages and chess-playing ability will be able to experience the ancient game in a brand new way. A variety of rich programming opportunities will take place over the course of the exhibition, including toddler programming, Family Days, field trips, an interactive app, and a photo booth. Our award-winning gift store, Q Boutique, contains gifts and toys curated for children with custom apparel, activity books, craft projects, and chess sets.

With our mission to build awareness for the cultural and artistic significance of chess, the WCHOF along with the Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis looks forward to celebrating this important game and fostering a new generation of chess enthusiasts.

Welcome chess friends, old and new!

—Shannon Bailey, Chief Curator, World Chess Hall of Fame

About the Game

Chess is an inspiration for artists.

Some artists create paintings, sculptures, and other works based upon the game. Others create beautiful chess sets meant for display rather than play. These works are preserved in museums and collections around the world.

Chess is the oldest skill game in the world.

Chess has been played throughout the world for centuries. In medieval Europe, the chess pieces were given the names we use today. They reflect life at that time with kings, queens, rooks (castles), knights, bishops, and pawns (peasants or foot soldiers).

Chess is a game that develops important 21st-century learning skills.

Research shows that chess improves children’s critical thinking and problem solving skills. It also improves attention, visual memory, and spatial reasoning.

Chess is a game that children can play as well as adults.

There are hundreds of thousands of chess clubs in schools and youth organizations across the world. Each year many young student chess players compete in tournaments.