A child of the 1960s, I’ve long been a fan of pinball. I’ve remained intrigued by the game and its history all through my adult life as well. Last spring, I decided to celebrate my interest in and love of pinball by visiting some of the pinball museums, arcades, and other locations that honor this iconic game.
Before I share my specific experiences at different venues, I provide a bit of historical information about pinball. This helps to explain why I’ve been enamored by the game for so long.
In many ways, pinball can trace its origins back to the court of French King Henry XIV and the Palace of Versailles. It was here that the early precursors of what would become 20th century pinball machines were created and enjoyed.
Pinball was enjoyed in Europe and the United States during the early part of the 20th century, although it oftentimes was condemned as being a game of chance. During that era, a pinball machine didn’t have paddles, which allowed a player some degree of control over the ball. Paddles really became a part of pinball machines in the late 1940s.
In the 1930s, pinball was outlawed in many place in the United States, including major cities like New York. Indeed, the Mayor of the Big Apple was hugely aggressive in enforcing the ban on pinball. He destroyed machines in much the same way the feds chopped up liquor barrels during probation. The legal ban on pinball really didn’t officially end in most cities until the 1970s.
Pinball Hall of Fame
Las Vegas, Nevada
As a resident of Vegas, I had an easy first stop on my personal pinball tour: the Pinball Hall of Fame. For those of you not residents of Vegas, the Pinball Hall of Fame is located very near the Strip.
The Pinball Hall of Fame features more than 200 different vintage games, the vast majority being pinball machines. The Pinball Hall of Fame is the brainchild of a man named Tim Arnold. He operated a number of arcades in Michigan in the 1970s, 1980s. and 1990s. These venues featured pinball machines.
Enjoying success, Arnold chose to retire from the arcade business, made his way to Law Vegas, and ultimately opened the Pinball Hall of Fame in 2009. He donates the profits from the Pinball Hall of Fame to charity.
The Museum of Pinball
Banning, California
From the Pinball Hall of Fame in Vegas, I traveled to The Museum of Pinball in Banning, California. The Museum of Pinball maintains that it is the largest pinball arcades on the planet. It is something to behold.
The Museum of Pinball is situated in a building that was once a warehouse used as part of aerospace and defense manufacturing. The Museum of Pinball was created by John Weeks, a former arcade owner. He started collecting pinball machines in 2004. The museum is now home to over 600 pinball machines. The oldest pinball machine on site dates back to the 1840s and comes complete with bowling-like pins.
The museum is open at different times of the year for competitions and events. I was able to visit the museum during a competition. Otherwise, The Museum of Pinball is not currently open for drop-in visits.
Pacific Pinball Museum
Alameda, California
The Pacific Pinball Museum houses over 90 vintage and fully playable pinball machines in its hands-on displays. The museum also has a significantly large collection of over 400 other pinball machines which are not generally made available to the public at this time.
The Pacific Pinball Museum was the next step on my pinball journey. I spent the greater part of the day exploring the museum and playing different machines on display.
Seattle Pinball Museum
Seattle, Washington
From the Pacific Pinball Museum it was off to Seattle, Washington, and the Seattle Pinball Museum, the final stop on my tour before heading back to Las Vegas. The Seattle Pinball Museum is located in Seattle’s Chinatown. The museum features 54 classic pinball machines. These vintage pinball machines were collected by a married couple with a long term of pinball.
Some of the machines were built in the early 1960s. All of the machines at the museum are playable. I was able to try most of them out, which was a real treat.
The Seattle Pinball Museum charges an admission fee of $13. With that said, you absolutely nothing to play any or all of the available machines in the museum. The admission fee and free plays was a tremendously good deal.
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Jessica Kane is a writer for The Pinball Company, the best online source for new, used, and refurbished pinball machines, arcade cabinets, and more!
