Red Hook Pinball Museum
After brunch with my sister Marg, her wife Gabriella, and their son Emmett (age 8), they suggested we all go to the Red Hook Pinball Museum. This quirky little place opened just last February, and was the passion project of two buddies, musicians in their twenties who love old pinball machines.
The “museum” was a space with pinball machines along one wall, shelves of board games on the opposite wall, and gaming tables in the center. The machines were all playable, and information placards explained how features and technology evolved from the 1940s to the 1970s. It was free to play unlimited pinball games, and I gladly made a donation via Venmo.
Steve showed Amy how to play “split flipper” style, with each person operating one flipper, the way he and I used to play in college. Emmett showed us how to use the plunger (a feature in the older machines) to release multiple balls at once.
It was oddly satisfying to feel and hear these analog machines in action: the heavy steel balls striking the flippers and bumpers, the lights flashing and bells clanging as the score climbed, the loud click of an extra ball. It felt decadent to play as many times as I wanted, without having to track down another quarter. And one machine from the 1940s had reverse flippers - now that was diabolical!
We also played a few games of KerPlunk - remember that one? It came out in 1967, and it’s still fun to play!
We chatted with one of the Pinball Museum’s co-founders, Kevin, and he said that restoring each of those vintage machines involved 400-600 hours of work. Every month, the “playfield” of each machine must be cleaned and waxed. And acquiring the machines in the first place is tricky; they famously got up at 3:30am to drive 27 hours to pick up a machine in Canada - you can read that story and more here.
The Pinball Museum was a great way for our group of six people aged 8-62 to spend an enjoyable afternoon. The Red Hook area of Brooklyn, with its industrial-yet-artsy vibe, was the perfect place for it. I hope it succeeds and sticks around so we can return for more fun.
