National Pinball Museum

National Pinball Museum (NPM) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to preserving and promoting the art, history, and pastime of pinball, and improving the lives of youth and adults through education and job-training. NPM opened to the public in December 2010, and since its opening has received over 4,000 visitors. The Museum has been opened at 608 Water Street in Baltimore Maryland since January 2012.

The Museum is always looking for energetic individuals to help us keep the Museum in top condition and to improve the experience of our visitors. If interested in volunteering please visit our website www.nationalpinballmuseum.org or send an email to inquiries@nationalpinballmuseum.org.

Collection Overview

The Museum's 850+ collection of pinball machines covers the development of the modern pinball machine, placing focus on the designers and artists whose cooperation produced and continue to produce amazing games. The collection features an array of games from purelu mechanical games from the earliest years, variants that paid out money, World War II era games, and games lacking a plunger.

Exhibits

The museum features a mix of permanent and rotating exhibits. The museum currently features a History Walkthrough that takes visitors through the first 200 years of pinballs history. From its origins aamong the French Nobility to the development of pinball's earliest variations with the addition of the plunger through the Golden Age of the 1950's to the modern era.

The museum features several permanent exhibits on pinballs role in American History including its banning in New York City by Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia as part of his anti-crime crusade, and its later relegalization in 1976 after a trick shot by pinball historian Roger Sharpe.

In addition to our exhibits on the history of pinball, the museum offers our Pinhead Gallery, which includes over 70 machines available for play to our visitors.

Education and Outreach Programs (Opening/Beginning Summer 2012)

The NPM Theater and Library

The Theater features state of the art A/V equipment, shows informative lectures and films about pinball. The library features books and magazines on pinball including its history, games, the coin operated machine industry, and other topics.

Technical Skills Training

A key component of NPM that sets us apart from outher pinball organizations is our technical skills training which focuses on providing training in electronics, visual arts, woodworking, and full machine resotration to youth and adults. The Program places a particular emphasis on empowering low-income participants to pursue career in high-paying, sustainable positions in fields of electronics, technology, carpentry, and machine repair and restoration.