The founders of the National Videogame Museum are confident the Frisco facility will outlast the current coronavirus pandemic that has shut its doors to visitors. Co-founder John Hardie said he and his business partners learned fiscal responsibility during their years as a traveling museum.

“We've been very careful with our money,” said Hardie, who also serves as the museum’s director. “We're not going anywhere. We’ll weather the storm, and we'll be here.”

While Hardie acknowledges that it has “hurt” financially to have the museum’s doors closed for more than a month, he said he has turned down inquiries about how supporters can help the facility.

“If you want to give money to somebody, give it toward first responders and COVID-19 relief funds and things like that,” Hardie said. “The biggest thing you can do to support us is make sure you stay healthy so that when we do open, you come back and see us. [And] maybe you buy something in the gift shop.”

During the closure, Hardie said museum staff have been organizing the facility’s warehouse and posting daily on social media.


“[We’re] just trying to share stuff [and] get people who are interested in video games to learn more about some of the weird and unusual stuff that we have in the archives,” he said.

To celebrate its fourth anniversary in Frisco on April 2, the museum did a big giveaway of different games and related items through its Facebook page.

“What would be better than to give away stuff to people who are stuck at home?” Hardie said. “We got the prizes out to people within days, and several of them have already posted and tagged us on social media.”

Hardie said the giveaways were a good way to keep the museum in the public’s minds for when places are allowed to reopen. However, he acknowledged the museum’s many playable game controllers and interactive displays may not be people’s first choice for spending. To help entice visitors when the time comes, he said the museum is considering some kind of promotion.


“For a lot of people, this is a real burden financially,” Hardie said. “So when the doors do open again, they may not have the money to take the family out.”

For those that do have the money to help, Hardie urged people to support local businesses and restaurants however they can.

“There are great places like the Frisco Diner and things like that that are small family-run businesses,” he said. “We’ve really got to keep them going. I urge everybody to do what you can to support them.”