Chicago Pinball Museum Opens in Block 37 Pedway
The Flip museum invites visitors to play 30 vintage pinball machines in the city Loop.
Updated on Oct. 28, 2026 in Theme Parks
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Opened in June 2026, The Flip: Chicago's Playable Pinball Museum offers a dedicated space in the lower pedway of Block 37 to experience historic gaming. The venue provides a family-friendly alternative to arcade-bars by focusing on the preservation and playability of vintage machines.
Why it matters
The museum aims to make pinball history accessible to families while establishing a hub for training new technicians in specialized machine maintenance. By operating in a non-alcohol setting, it fills a niche for enthusiasts who want to enjoy the hobby outside of traditional bar environments.
The museum features approximately 30 playable pinball machines, with the oldest units dating back to 1932. Adult admission is $20, while individual games on the three accessible front-facing machines cost 50 cents each.
The players
William Pietri
William Pietri is the operator and founder of The Flip: Chicago's Playable Pinball Museum.
The details
The facility sources machines from basements and online markets, relying on volunteers for all equipment repairs. The layout utilizes three front-facing coin-operated machines to capture pedestrian traffic from the approximately 3 million people passing by annually, while avoiding local arcade zoning restrictions.
Timeline
The oldest machines in the collection were manufactured in 1932.
William Pietri purchased his first machine in 1996.
The Flip museum opened in the Chicago Loop in June 2026.
Travel Outlook
The museum's focus on historical preservation serves as a direct rebuttal to the 1934 University of Illinois student paper editorial that once campaigned against the game. This initiative signals a departure from the mid-century moral panic that frequently relegated pinball to illicit status.
Visitors should note that the museum is located in the lower pedway of Block 37, making it a climate-controlled stop during Chicago's shoulder seasons. Be aware that the facility remains subject to a 30-day lease termination notice if the landlord secures a market-rate tenant.
The takeaway
The Flip demonstrates how niche hobby spaces can revitalize underutilized urban transit corridors by catering to families and history buffs. Enthusiasts can support the project by visiting the museum to experience machines that span nearly a century of design evolution.
Further reading
Learn more about local attractions by exploring the Theme Parks section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Livingston County News.
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