Kroch Library's historical exhibition takes a look at the 'Games We Play'

This vintage Monopoly set is one of many antique games on display in the Kroch Library exhibit, "Pastimes and Paradigms: Games We Play." The public is invited to an opening reception today, Feb. 5, from 4:30 to 6 p.m. Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections

The winter exhibition from Cornell's Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections investigates the evolution of games from the early 19th century to the present day. "Pastimes and Paradigms: Games We Play" is on view in the Hirshland Gallery in Kroch Library through March 26.

The public is invited to an opening reception for the exhibition today, Feb. 5, from 4:30 to 6 p.m.

"Pastimes and Paradigms" includes a wide variety of antique and contemporary games, as well as rare books on rules, strategies and recreation. Featured items include a Civil War game; suffrage games that garnered support in the battle for women's votes; a vintage Monopoly game (winning the board game was the subject of Cornell President Jeffrey Lehman's first book); gambling punchboards; early 19th-century geographical board games; and a selection of games inspired by television programming. Although they differ in design and presentation, all the games share one message: The game is the medium.

Far from being frivolous, games have always had distinct cultural purposes. Games have been an important pastime for adults and children alike, providing intellectual challenges and entertaining practice in analysis and strategy. Their popularity during the 19th century grew as the concept of leisure gained strength, particularly among the middle class. As the notion of childhood became more defined, children were encouraged to indulge in games and other forms of play as a means of improving their general education.

In the 20th and 21st centuries, games have continued to serve as models of social control. Particularly popular have been games of finance, which have supported and strengthened the drive for economic success and have underlined its importance in modern American culture. Games were often thought to improve work ethics, provide moral instruction and even instill social and cultural values. On the other hand, games also have promoted cultural, racial and gender stereotypes. And while they promise to develop particular skills, such as the crafting of strategy (as in chess), manual dexterity, deductive reasoning and memory for detail, games also may teach more-controversial lessons by focusing on gambling and risk-taking.

While people might think of games as charming historical artifacts, they also are telling reflections of social values and mores. "Pastimes and Paradigms" celebrates Cornell Library's expanding collection of antique and contemporary games -- cultural artifacts that reveal a great deal about the people and cultures that produced them.

An online version of the exhibition is available at http://rmc.library.cornell.edu/games. The Hirshland Gallery is located on level B of the Kroch Library and is open Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., and Saturday, 1-5 p.m.