Expo village, Centraal Museum, NicolaiChurch, Louis Hartlooper Complex

Utrecht is the fourth largest city of the Netherlands with a population of over 0.25 million people. It has a rich history that goes back to the beginning of our calendar. The old city center with its canals and cellars by the wharves, ancient churches, and of course the Dom tower, gives the city a distinctive character.

Utrecht is not only a city full of history and character, it is also a center of learning and profiles itself as a hub for talent and knowledge. Utrecht has the highest educated labor force in the Netherlands.

The venues of the NLGD Festival of Games are located in the city center of Utrecht. Keynotes and parallel sessions will be held in the Nicolai church, a church dating from the 12th century. The name of the church refers to the central location, on the intersection of several waterways.

Parallel sessions will also be held at two other locations. Next to the church is the Centraal Museum, which was founded in 1838. This makes it the oldest municipal museum in the Netherlands. The museum has a large and varied collection of art. The Centraal Museum is housed in a former medieval convent and has four different auditoriums. Next to the square on which both the Museum and church are located, is the Louis Hartlooper Complex. This used to be a police station and is now a movie and culture center. Furthermore, the NLGD Foundation builds its own expo village in front of the Nicolai church.

The program and the venues combined have made the Festival of Games a unique experience.