Museum (2019) Board Game – Board Game Guys

Museum is a card game that was released in 2019 by Holy Grail Games. It is designed by Eric Dubus and Olivier Melison, with artwork done by Vincent Dutrait. The game is centered around the theme of collecting and curating artwork for your museum collection.

Game Components of Museum

Main board

Four continent decks (Europe, America/Pacific, Africa/Middle East, Asia)

Headline card deck

Favour card deck

Expert deck

Personal museum boards for each player

Patron cards

Object cards with values and domain icons

Prestige Points

Public Opinion cards

Expert boards and tokens

Gallery Layout scoring zones

How To Setup Museum

To set up the game, place the main board in the center of the table. Draw two face-up cards from each of the four continent decks and place them on the main board. Each player receives a personal museum board, a starting hand of one card from each continent deck, one Favour card, and a Patron card. The Expert deck is placed off to the side with the top three cards displayed face-up.

Gameplay Mechanics and Game Objective

Mechanics

Set Collection: Players collect object cards to form sets based on civilizations and domains.

Area Placement: Players place collected cards in their museum to score points.

Resource Management: Players manage their hand and discard pile to afford new cards.

Variable Player Powers: Patron cards and Expert cards provide unique abilities.

Game Objective

The objective is to score the most points by collecting and placing object cards in your museum.

Points are scored through civilizations (matching colors), domains (matching icons with unique colors), and fulfilling Patron card requirements.

Players can also score bonus points for filling specific areas in their gallery layout.

Player Experience

Playing **Museum** involves a blend of strategic planning and tactical execution. Each turn consists of an exploration phase where players choose object cards, and an action phase where they can either furbish their museum or perform an inventory. The game requires players to balance their collections, manage resources, and react to the moves of other players.

Pros

Engaging Art: The game features historically accurate and unique artwork by Vincent Dutrait.

Simple Rules: The game has fairly simple rules but offers deep strategic gameplay.

Variable Setup: Public Opinion cards and different Patron cards ensure each game is unique.

Multiple Scoring Paths: Players have various ways to score points, making the game appealing to different playstyles.

Cons

Action Card Balance: Some special action cards seem more powerful than others, which can create imbalance.

Interference from Other Players: Players’ special scoring cards can be offset by other players’ collections, adding a layer of unpredictability.

Personal Thoughts on Museum

**Museum** is an excellent choice for fans of set collection and area placement games. It is suitable for players who enjoy medium-weight games with a mix of strategy and tactical decisions. The game’s beautiful artwork and varied gameplay make it appealing to both casual and experienced gamers. However, it may not be ideal for those seeking extremely complex rules or high player interaction, as the gameplay, while engaging, remains relatively accessible.

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