Agency Details:

Pacific Pinball Museum

To celebrate the art, science, history, and fun of pinball.

Description:
Key goals of the Pacific Pinball Museum are to:
• Inspire an interest in electricity, physics, math and the wonders of Science.
• Stimulate an interest and appreciation for art
• Provide a Mentor center to encourage students to learn about science, art and history.
• Create the first pinball museum in the US and preserve a valuable collection of pinball machines.
• Educate the public on the history of the pinball machine and its impacts upon American history, art and technology.
• Create a destination that is educational and entertaining enjoyed by the entire family.

The four areas PPM focus on are History, Science, Art and Amusement. The museum incorporates these four different academics usually housed separately. By combining these academics, all under one roof it attracts a more diverse group of people and produce a synergism not found in separate venues. The theme or “glue” that will bind them together is pinball. This “carrot” will lure people of all ages and immerse them into learning about past events, electricity, physics, art, and popular culture. PPM also serves as a place to preserve and restore these precious treasures of our American Heritage.

In addition to the kinetic art of the games themselves, as pinball is art that can be played, you’ll find pinball-inspired artwork, rotating exhibits of nostalgic paintings and photos by local artists. You’ll also discover interactive exhibits from the world famous Exploratorium -- exhibits that teach principles of technology, science, technology, engineering and math, which play important roles in pinball design.

PPM’s vision has been implemented through its vehicles like the long running Lucky JuJu museum/art gallery and successful annual staging of the Pacific Pinball Expo show. Key milestones in paving the path to launch the Pacific Pinball Museum include:

• Collection Secured. 600+ pinball’s have been amassed and currently warehoused in Alameda, CA. The warehouse also serves as a workshop for repairs and studio for our mural artists.

• PPM Nonprofit Status Established as a 501(c)3.

• Lucky JuJu in Alameda, under PPM’s 501(c)3 umbrella has been operating since 2003 as a vintage pinball gallery where admissions currently cover all costs. Lucky JuJu has a monthly rotating art gallery, 40 vintage pinball's to play, a mobile pinball museum (Little JuJu), pinball classes at the Crucible www.thecrucible.org titled “Interactive Kinetic Art and the Pinball Machine”, and a museum room with one-of-a-kind antique amusements and exhibits.

Open three nights a week, and available for special events rental, the JuJu has been featured in numerous publications because it's a fun place to be... but also for its community service and support of local fund-raising charity events, hosting of Children’s Workshops, and supplying pinball machines to senior care facilities to keep the elderly active.

• Pacific Pinball Expo - For the last two year’s the Museum has successfully hosted the Pacific Pinball Expo, the world's largest pinball convention featuring art, science exhibits, speakers, competitive tournaments, PPM branded souvenirs, and over 350 pinball machines to play.

With 2400 paid admissions, the Pacific Pinball Expo in its second year doubled attendance records.

Please request our Executive Summary for more information or go to www.pacificpinball.org

History:
The museum started in 2003 with the establishment of the Lucky Juju and graciously grew to expand its vision of more than just providing a place to play pinball, but celebrate its past and future.

Contact people:

Michael Schiess, Executive Director, (phone), (email) Larry Zartarian, Chief Executive Officer, (phone), (email) Ron Chan, Marketing Director, (phone), (email)

Address:

1029 Central Avenue Alameda, CA 94501 (See a map)

Web Site: http://www.pacificpinball.org

Directions:

The Museum is located at 713 Santa Clara Avenue, Alameda, CA 94501 Enter Via Parking Lot behind Tilly’s Diner at Santa Clara and Webster

Last updated on July 14, 2009