Attraction of the Week: The Pinball Hall of Fame in Vegas

I love checking out quirky and retro places all over the country. My list of unique attractions keeps getting bigger the more places I travel and live. Vegas is no exception and after one too many visits to the Bellagio fountain show, I wanted to check out something different. Fortunately, there is a lot to explore here away from the tourist clutter.

Pinball became popular during the Great Depression as a cheap form of entertainment. It eventually reached its’ heyday in the 1970’s and 80’s when electronic machines and themed games came out. Most of the best machines were created during this period. You can read more about the interesting history of pinball in this article. I learned a lot of interesting facts – like did you know that pinball was banned for a period of time?

For anyone who loves retro attractions, I recommend going back in time with an afternoon of nostalgic youthful fun playing classic pinball machines from the 1950’s up until the 1990’s. As soon as you walk into the massive 10,000 square foot space dedicated solely to pinball, a feeling of nostalgia will overcome you. As someone who wishes I could step back into time and visit an old-fashioned arcade in the 80’s, a visit to the Pinball Hall of Fame was a dream come true. This is as old school as it gets it now ultra modern Vegas! I’ve visited a few of these arcades around the country but this is by far the most interesting of the bunch.

Fun for all ages & non gamblers!

Sure, all the bright lights and high tech entertainment of The Strip are exciting. However, sometimes we all need a little break to recover from all the stimulation. This is where unique attractions like this pinball museum come in. It’s about a 10 minute drive off The Strip, however, so worth it for anyone who is a fan of old-fashioned retro gaming. It’s a great activity choice for anyone who doesn’t like gambling as well as anyone under age 21. Not to mention, it’s way cheaper to spend a few hours here instead of racking up hundreds of dollars at a slot or blackjack table.

Asides from a plethora of old time pinball machines, you will also find a few classic arcade games, air hockey, and those beloved stuffed animal loaded claw machines that are so hard to win! I really love that feeling of being transported to the past when every restaurant and gas station had an arcade and claw machine! I find these claw machines so difficult (and rarely win) but it’s fun to play for nostalgia sake.

In my opinion, in today’s high tech world, we could all use some more old-fashioned fun! This offbeat attraction offers an interesting, exciting, and budget friendly alternative to the casinos. It’s a welcome opportunity to explore one of the numerous exciting activities located off The Strip. Most tourists come and go never leaving the main drag but there is a lot to see if you decide to venture off. For anyone seeking a non gaming activity, this is one of the best-of-the-best.

Update: This museum moved into a new bigger 25,000 square foot facility. The new location is right on The Strip across from the Welcome to Las Vegas sign/Mandalay Bay. While it’s more convenient, it’s also more touristy now.

Budget friendly fun for all!

One might expect prices to be jacked up here like the rest of the city, however, quite the contrary. Most games are just 50 cents a piece, while a fewer of the oldest games are just a quarter! You can cash in a $10 and enjoy hours of fun! Lets just say a few hours here is a lot better investment for your money than gambling at the casinos.

Not to mention, it is the perfect entertainment alternative for those under 21 and anyone else who prefers not to gamble. If you love old-school games like me, you’ll probably have more fun only with the added benefits of greater affordability, fewer crowds, and a smoke-free atmosphere.

A few of the oldest pinball machines from the 1950’s. These are really fun and just a quarter per play!

They have so many fun selections here, with the majority based on memorable movies, TV shows, and games from the 90’s such as Terminator 2, Jurassic Park, The Addams Family, Ghostbusters, The Simpsons, and Super Mario Brothers. 

All the games are in great condition and we did not have any issues with any games stealing money. All machines are refurbished, and thus, are in excellent playing condition.

An affordable step back in time

This place is so simple with no frills, just classic pinball machines. This is part of the reason it is so great. It’s a step back in time without the flashiness and craziness of The Strip.

All too many people leave this city upset because they lost too much money at the casinos when the whole point of taking a vacation is to relax and have a great time. Spend a few hours playing pinball and you will have a lot of fun without losing a lot of money! It’s nice to seek out these pockets of affordable entertainment in today’s day and age. It’s a great activity for the whole family, non gamblers, and gamblers alike, unlike the casinos.

If you are looking for something a bit different to do rather than your ordinary Strip attractions, then I definitely recommend a visit. This offbeat attraction really is one-of-a-kind – you really do not see anything else like it much anymore in this day and age.

The history of the museum

The Las Vegas Pinball Collectors Club runs this non profit organization. All the games belong to one club member named Tim Arnold. He opened the museum in 2009 to display the world’s largest collection of pinball machines. Machines range in date from the 50’s-90’s. Most of the games are from the 60’s-80’s, a time period considered the “heyday of pinball.”

It’s not at all flashy and the museum states that their dedication is solely towards the pinball machines themselves. They do not care about fancy features (maintaining a quirky thrift store appeal), advertising, and how much each machine makes. This is really refreshing in today’s world.

Because it is a non-profit, the museum gives excess revenue to charities which is a nice gesture. They donate a lot to the Salvation Army and you can feel good knowing that your entire quarter from any of the candy vending machines goes towards a good cause. I really love their mission about not being all about profit. You can read more about their unique story on their website.

Location

The museum is located at: 4925 Las Vegas Blvd S, Las Vegas, NV 89119

Hours are 10am-9pm (10pm on weekends).