Nintendo’s museum in Uji, Kyoto, only opened its doors on October 2, 2024, creating excitement worldwide. As a reservation-only destination, it celebrates Nintendo’s legendary history, showcasing exclusive content that fans have been eagerly awaiting.
Yet, despite the high demand and exclusivity, it seems some visitors can’t follow simple rules, as several incidents of rule-breaking have already come to light.
Photo Leaks and Museum Misconduct
According to reports from Nintendo Every, visitors have not only taken prohibited photos but also shared these images across social media, showcasing prototype Nintendo hardware that was meant to stay behind closed doors.
Though the original post was eventually removed, the content had already spread far, gathering nearly 10,000 likes and over 1,000 reposts. By that point, the photos had gone viral, and as we all know, there’s no putting that genie back in the bottle.
Adding to the misbehavior, some visitors were reportedly unplugging the cables from Super Nintendo game controllers, allegedly to “see if the games were running on an emulator.”
It’s the sort of curiosity that would be better suited to an online forum — not the very museum celebrating Nintendo’s decades-long history.
Why Simple Rules Matter (and Why We Can’t Have Nice Things)
This behavior puts the entire experience at risk for everyone. Taking photos might seem like a harmless act, but when it comes to exclusive or sensitive exhibits, there’s a reason for these no-photo policies.
Nintendo, which likely has signs posted throughout prohibited areas, asks for simple respect of these boundaries. Breaking those rules disrupts the experience for others and risks Nintendo enforcing even stricter access or security measures.
The Future of the Nintendo Museum Experience
While we can only hope that these are isolated incidents, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Nintendo boost its security at the museum.
Some fans have even suggested that they have staff dressed as Nintendo mascots to gently, but firmly, enforce the rules. After all, who wouldn’t think twice if they were escorted out by Mario or Birdo?
Nintendo has been around long enough to know how to protect its legacy, and it’s clear they’re dedicated to providing fans with a unique, safe, and respectful space to learn about the brand’s iconic history.
Let’s just hope future visitors remember to do the same.