The debate over the relevance of computer games will probably run longer than a Bioware RPG, but one thing is for certain; the industry is inching closer and closer to mainstream acceptance as an art form.

So much so, that US Smithsonian agrees.

Starting March 16, 2012, the Smithsonian American Art Museum plans to stage an exhibit titled “The Art of Video Games,” featuring game footage, video interviews, classic systems and selected games for visitors’ enjoyment.

It claims to be “the first to examine comprehensively the evolution of games as an artistic medium.”

The exhibit also features “Get Lamp,” a documentary about classic text adventures, offering fans a glimpse at the history and culture surrounding the field’s earliest smash hits.

In an excellent piece on CNN, Scott Steinberg of the Game Theory web show examines the cultural effects of games and how the Smithsonian exhibit falls short of being the homage most hardcore gamers will have hoped for.

Speaking in the CNN piece, Bob Bates, founder of Legend Entertainment says that the art form is still in its’ infancy.

“Classic TV shows got taped over to save a few bucks. Movie prints deteriorated in vaults and no one cared for a long time,” he said. “If we survive as an art form, at some point someone is going to look back at the early days and say, ‘Why didn’t anyone preserve all that material?’ ”

Whatever happens, 2012 in the Smithsonian will be an intriguing time.