KICKSTARTER: World’s Largest Museum of Pinball

World’s Largest Museum of Pinball
Over 500 Pinball Machines in 40,000 Square Feet on 18 Acres

Banning, CA – With a collection of over 500 vintage and modern pinball machines within a 40,000 square foot facility in southern California, the Museum of Pinball is slated to become the world’s largest museum of its kind when it opens in early 2014. In an effort to renovate the campus before opening its doors to the public, the Museum of Pinball launched a Kickstarter campaign today to raise a minimum of $150,000 over the next 30 days (until August 8, 2013).

Long before video games found their way into the home, arcades across America were filled with the lights and sounds of mechanical pinball machines and the young people who were enamored by them. With a national comeback underway, these machines are now finding their way back into the spotlight in barcades, private collections, and professional pinball tournaments. 

“We’ve been looking for an appropriate facility in southern California for the last few years,” said John Weeks, founder of the Museum of Pinball. “When we discovered this campus for sale within minutes of Palm Springs and other major destinations, we knew that it was the right property for the museum.”

Located a little over an hour from Los Angeles and Orange County, the Museum of Pinball is a non-profit organization with a campus that includes 18 acres just a few miles from the Morongo Casino & Resort and Cabazon Outlets with thousands of visitors and tourists visiting the area each day.

“We’ve been able to acquire the facility, but we are excited to invite people who love pinball to contribute toward the renovation of the property through Kickstarter,” said David Trotter, director of communications for the Museum of Pinball. “The long list of rewards that backers can select from will be particularly motivating to pinheads and even people who just grew up playing pinball.”

According to Weeks, the Museum of Pinball is designed to bring the nostalgic game back into the public spotlight and inspire a new generation of players to savor an experience that goes beyond what can be enjoyed via today’s video games which are limited to a digital screen.  

“I love video games, but there’s something so engaging about playing an arcade game with a silver ball and moving flippers rather than something just bouncing around on the screen,” commented Weeks. “It’s absolutely amazing to watch a young kid experience pinball for the first time!”

In phase two of it’s renovation, the Museum of Pinball plans to open a retro RV hotel and park where visitors can stay in refurbished Airstreams and other recreational vehicles situated on the 5 acre park with numerous mature trees, which already exists as part of the museum’s property.

For more information about how you can contribute to the Museum of Pinball’s Kickstarter campaign, visit http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/museumofpinball/worlds-largest-museum-of-pinball-help-us-launch.

About the Museum of Pinball

Situated on 18 acres in Banning, California, the Museum of Pinball is the world’s largest museum of its kind with over 500 vintage and modern pinball machines housed within a 40,000 square foot facility. Slated to open its doors to the public in early 2014, the museum’s focus is on introducing a new generation to the excitement of the game (or what we like to call a "sport"). For more information, visit www.museumofpinball.org.