From an historical perspective, pinball has always been more than just a game. It’s a scrapbook of American tradition and folklore, a looking glass of culture, a pleasure-filled journey winding its way through the marriage of art and technology. Over the decades it has captured—in lights and action—every relevant strata and change in our society from fashions to fighting, headlines to Hollywood, and national pastimes to international wars. Pinball occupies a niche all its own.

There are all kinds of museums, most following a rather standard approach by creating displays in a walk-stop-look environment. The National Pinball Museum’s vision is to go beyond the traditional museum model to create a touch-play-learn environment that is at once educational, interactive, and exciting. In this way, we hope to awaken both the sweetest memories of those who grew up in the pinball heyday and trigger the interests of a younger generation. We'll inspire them to look beyond the buzzers and the bells and discover the art and technology that lies within.

Founded in 1998, The National Pinball Museum (NPM) preserves, maintains and promotes the heritage of pinball through exhibits and programs designed to advance the public’s knowledge and appreciation of pinball; provide youth and adults with the mechanical, electrical, technical and artistic training to fully restore and preserve pinball machines; and bring the art and the pastime of pinball the recognition it deserves.

We intend to build a truly working museum that will offer:

• Hands-on demonstrations & lectures
• Practical and sophisticated workshops dealing with restoration, fabrication, cabinetry, visual arts concepts & techniques, and both electro-mechanical and computer-based theory and application
• A resource library of periodicals, books, magazines, and schematics.

NPM’s vision extends beyond the walls of the museums with interactive community outreach programs:

• On-loan traveling exhibits for schools and organizations around the country
• Illuminated Backglass exhibits for display in galleries, colleges, and other museums.
• In concert with these efforts, we will provide education and materials about the history, art and mechanics of pinball, as well as opportunities to enter and enliven the world of pinball ownership.

Help us fulfill our mission by making a donation, becoming a corporate sponsor, or visiting the museum >>