The Pinball Hall of Fame is a museum in Las Vegas that displays and preserves historic pinball machines

The Pinball Hall of Fame is located in Las Vegas, Nevada, and houses one of the largest collections of playable pinball machines in the world. Unlike a traditional museum where you look at exhibits behind glass, this hall of fame lets you play the machines on display — most of them work, and you pay per game to use them. The collection spans from the 1950s to recent decades and includes rare machines, prototypes, and iconic games that shaped pinball history.

The museum is run by a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving pinball as a mechanical and cultural artifact. It operates as both a playable arcade and an educational space, so visitors can experience how pinball evolved as technology and design changed. The machines are maintained by volunteers and staff who repair and restore them to working condition.

Key Takeaways

  • The Pinball Hall of Fame is a playable museum in Las Vegas where most machines are in working order and available to play for a fee.
  • The collection includes machines from the 1950s onward, showing the mechanical and design evolution of pinball over seven decades.
  • Admission to the museum is separate from the cost of playing individual machines, which typically costs between 25 cents and one dollar per game depending on the machine's age and rarity.
  • The museum is staffed by volunteers and pinball enthusiasts who maintain and restore the machines, and it operates as a nonprofit organization.
  • Visiting requires travel to Las Vegas; the museum is not affiliated with any casino and operates as an independent nonprofit venue.

Admission cost and what it includes

Admission to the Pinball Hall of Fame costs a flat fee to enter the building. Once inside, you have access to the entire collection and can walk around and read the history of each machine. However, playing the machines costs extra — you pay per game, and the price varies by machine. Older or rarer machines may cost more to play than newer ones, typically ranging from 25 cents to one dollar per game.

The admission fee covers your time in the museum but does not include any free plays. You bring your own quarters, dollar bills, or tokens, or you can exchange cash at the front desk. Some machines accept modern payment methods, but many still use coins, so having cash on hand is practical.

The collection and what machines you will see

The museum holds machines from different eras of pinball design. Early machines from the 1950s and 1960s are purely mechanical — they use flippers, bumpers, and ramps operated by solenoids and springs, with no electronic components. Machines from the 1970s and 1980s added electronic scoring and sound. Later machines incorporated digital displays and more complex rule sets.

The collection includes well-known titles like Addams Family, Medieval Madness, and The Twilight Zone, as well as obscure or one-of-a-kind machines that few people have ever played. Some machines are prototypes or limited editions that were never mass-produced. The museum rotates some machines or adds new acquisitions, so the exact lineup changes over time.

Hours, location, and how to get there

The Pinball Hall of Fame is located at 1610 East Tropicana Avenue in Las Vegas, Nevada. It is not on the Strip; it sits in a separate part of the city. The museum is open most days of the week, though hours vary by season and day. You should check the museum's website or call ahead before visiting to confirm current hours, as they may change for holidays or special events.

If you are flying into Las Vegas, you can rent a car or use a rideshare service to reach the museum. Parking is available on-site. The venue is not part of any casino or resort, so you will need to travel to it separately from the main tourist areas.

Rules for playing and machine maintenance

When you play a machine, standard pinball rules explore — you tilt if you shake the machine too hard, and the game ends when you lose all your balls. The machines are maintained regularly, but because they are old and heavily used, occasional malfunctions happen. If a machine stops working while you are playing, staff can help you or offer to move you to another machine.

The museum asks visitors to treat the machines with care. These are fragile mechanical and electronic devices, and rough play or vandalism damages them. The staff and volunteers spend time keeping them in playable condition, so respecting the equipment helps preserve the collection for future visitors.

Why the museum exists and what it preserves

Pinball machines are disappearing from public spaces. Arcades have closed, bars have removed machines, and manufacturers have stopped making new ones at the scale they once did. The Pinball Hall of Fame exists to keep these machines working and accessible so that people can experience pinball as it was played and designed across different decades.

The nonprofit also documents the history of pinball — who designed certain machines, how manufacturing changed, and what role pinball played in American culture. By keeping machines playable rather than just displaying them statically, the museum lets visitors understand pinball not as a historical artifact but as a game people actually played and enjoyed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to bring cash or can I use a card?

Most machines still use coins, so bringing cash is the most reliable option. You can exchange cash for coins at the front desk. Some newer machines may accept card payments, but coin-operated machines are the majority of the collection.

Can I bring children to the Pinball Hall of Fame?

Yes, children are welcome. Pinball is a game that people of different ages can play and enjoy. Younger children may need help reaching the flippers or understanding the rules, but there is no age restriction on entry or play.

How long does a typical visit last?

A visit can last anywhere from one to three hours depending on how many machines you want to play and how much time you spend reading the history of each one. There is no time limit, so you can stay as long as you want.

Are the machines in good working order?

Most machines work, but because they are old and played frequently, occasional breakdowns happen. Staff maintain them regularly and can repair issues or move you to a working machine if one stops during your game.

Is the Pinball Hall of Fame run by a casino or the city of Las Vegas?

No, it is an independent nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving pinball. It is not affiliated with any casino, resort, or government agency, though it is located in Las Vegas.