The Pinball Hall of Fame is a museum dedicated to pinball machines located in Las Vegas, Nevada. It was founded by Tim Arnold, a pinball enthusiast, in 2006. The museum is a non-profit organization, and all the machines on display are owned by the Pinball Hall of Fame or donated by individuals.
The Pinball Hall of Fame has over 200 pinball machines, ranging from antique models from the 1950s to the latest machines from the 2000s. Visitors can play the machines for a small fee, which goes towards the maintenance and restoration of the machines.
The museum also features a small gift shop and a snack bar. The Pinball Hall of Fame has become a popular attraction in Las Vegas for both tourists and locals alike, and it has been featured in several TV shows and documentaries.
Pinball Hall of Fame History
The Pinball Hall of Fame was founded by Tim Arnold, a lifelong pinball enthusiast, in 2006. Arnold had been collecting and repairing pinball machines for decades, and he decided to open a museum dedicated to the machines in Las Vegas.
The original location of the Pinball Hall of Fame was a small building on Tropicana Avenue in Las Vegas, which had room for around 150 pinball machines. Over the years, the museum became a popular attraction in Las Vegas, and Arnold continued to acquire and restore more machines for the collection.
In 2021, the Pinball Hall of Fame moved to a larger location on the Las Vegas Strip. The new facility was built with donations from the public and features over 250 pinball machines, as well as outdoor space for additional machines and events.
The history of pinball itself dates back to the 18th century, when the French game of Bagatelle was developed. Bagatelle was a tabletop game that involved using a stick to hit balls into holes, and it was a precursor to modern pinball. In the early 20th century, pinball machines became popular in bars and arcades, and they continued to evolve and become more sophisticated over the decades. Today, pinball is considered a classic arcade game and a beloved hobby for enthusiasts around the world.