The online phenomenon known as Minecraft has been highlighted as a method of getting more children interested in museums and galleries.

Adam Clarke of The Common People offered ways in which Minecraft – a sandbox indie game which allows players to build constructions out of textured cubes in a 3D generated world – could be used to educate children and simultaneously get them interested in museums and galleries worldwide.

A forefront creator within the online Minecraft community, Clarke has instigated numerous groundbreaking Minecraft projects and is widely involved in the use of Minecraft within cultural, heritage and educational settings.

With Minecraft particularly popular among kids, Clarke suggested using Minecraft to expose and teach the younger generation about museums, artefacts, science and archaeology. Among the innovations created by Clarke in the game, one of the most outstanding is Tatecraft – a project shortlisted for the Tate Britain IK prize which celebrates talent in the digital industry. Tatecraft saw the Tate Britain recreated in-game, with players able to literally enter the works of art and explore the streets and see “behind” the art.

“It’s an adventure in art and culture, not learning in the traditional sense, but kids are making these connections from gameplay,” said Clarke speaking at MuseumNext 2014.

“If you look to the side there are a lot of opportunities to turn games like Minecraft into learning.”

The fact that objects created in Minecraft can be 3D printed in the real world, bringing virtual creations to life, also benefits learning institutions such as science museums in an effort to attract more children to the attractions.

For more on Adam Clarke’s work, click here.