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Explorers are a unique unit to the Modern Age in Civilization 7, used to collect artifacts from dig sites and research antiquity artifacts at museums and universities. To complete a Culture victory in the Modern Age, you’ll need to collect 15 artifacts as you race against the other players. You’ll also need to slot said artifacts into museums and great work slots in wonders to achieve the victory.
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Explorers have a few different mechanics to cover, including research to unlock more artifacts and the civic tree required to progress through the different artifacts.
Unlocking Explorers
If you’re aiming for a cultural victory in the Modern Age or just want to stockpile some great works for bonus culture and happiness, Explorers can be unlocked by researching the Natural History civic, which is one of the first you get access to.
Once you’ve researched it, you will now be able to create your first Explorers.
There may be some dig sites nearby that you can grab right away, but alternatively, you may have to do some research on a University or Museum tile. These are highlighted on your map by the magnifying glass.
Continents And Research
Depending on the size of the map, the world will be broken up into a variety of continents. Each of these continents has a limited number of dig sites that can be accessed by every player on the map, which means each dig site is a race.
Before you can access dig sites on other continents, you will need to conduct research in Museums and Universities on that continent.
This makes up the basis of the cultural victory: can you produce Explorers quickly enough, and display their great works in Museums and Wonders with great work slots? Or will someone else beat you to the World Fair, the world wonder building that ends the game for cultural victory?
Hegemony Research
If you’re heading for a cultural victory, then you will need to make a beeline for the Hegemony civic as this provides Explorers access to further research on continents, and as a result, extra artifacts on each continent.
The best path for cultural victory via the civic tree is Natural History, into Social Question, into Political Theory, into Nationalism, and finally Hegemony.
Alternatively, you could grab Social Question first for that extra culture boost from specialists and hope to race through the civic tree. You might miss out on some early artifacts, however.
Great Work Slots
Great Work Slots are available via the great work screen. Museums provide three slots for a great work. If you want to achieve a cultural victory, you may need to build some of the wonders that provide great work slots, such as the Palacio de Bellas Artes, especially if you don’t have enough towns or cities with museums.
Best Wonders For A Cultural Victory
- Palacio de Bellas Artes adds 2 happiness per Great Work in your empire, and provides three additional slots for artifacts.
- Hermitage provides an additional 10 percent culture in cities that are displaying a great work, and has three additional slots for artifacts.
Grand Strategy
Turn-Based Strategy
4X
- Released
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February 11, 2025
- ESRB
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t
- Genres
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