Game On!

Free with museum admission

This August, discover how the Romans spent their spare time on Hadrian’s Wall. Game On! is our month-long celebration of Roman gaming, running throughout the museum. We invite visitors of every age to explore the games and gaming pieces of the Roman Army.

Play Like a Roman: 17th & 24th August

We’ve 3D-scanned a Roman gaming board from the Vindolanda Trust collection, and on 17th & 24th August you can play on a full-size replica. Come and learn Ludus Latrunculorum, a tactical board game that Roman troops played to pass the time between campaigns. Drop in and give it a go!

Throughout the month, you can also pick up a free trail at the admissions desk and explore our galleries in a whole new way.

Family Trail (ages 5–12)

Perfect for our younger recruits, this free, family-friendly trail sends kids on a mission through the museum to hunt down gaming counters, dice and game boards hidden throughout our collection. Along the way they’ll discover how Roman soldiers whiled away the hours off duty and pick up some Latin vocabulary to try out on the journey home.

Explorer Trail (ages 12+)

Don’t think this is just for the kids. Our 12+ trail is a set of playing cards that sends you hunting through the museum to track down everything you’d need to build your own Roman gaming set. Each card gives you a clue to find the object, then asks you to look closer: how many sides does it have? What material is it made from, and why? What would it have been used for? You’ll also get the chance to sketch what you find and test your thinking against the real archaeology. It’s a great way for adults to get more from a family visit, or to explore solo.

Developed with the University of Reading
This trail has been produced with support from the University of Reading, drawing on their ongoing research into Roman gaming, to make sure every clue and fact is grounded in the latest archaeological thinking.

Archaeological Evidence

Both trails link directly to some of our most exciting recent discoveries. Head to our Recent Finds case to see evidence of Roman gaming unearthed at Magna Fort, including a cow scapula that was carved up to make gaming counters.

During our current excavation season, we’ve had even more evidence of Roman gaming. Check out the stories from the trenches in our Dig Diaries:

• A die cut from antler uncovered during Period 3 of the 2026 dig season.
• A tiny bone die found during Period 8.