The Back Room Of This Brooklyn Bar Hides A Secret Pinball Museum — And You Can Play A Machine That’s Over 140 Years Old

Museums aren’t just for history buffs—they’re also a haven for gaming fans! At Red Hook’s Pinball Museum , visitors can step back in time to the pre-digital era to peruse—and *play*!—a collection of electromechanical and mechanical machines dating as far back to the 1870s. Pinball machines actually have quite the unique history in NYC. The games were once declared illegal by former Mayor Fiorello La Guardia in 1942 after classifying repeat plays as a form of gambling. Thus, “Add-a-Ball” machines, a version of pinball machines that provided players with extra balls instead of free replays, was favored as a way around the ban. These machines can be seen and played at the Red Hook Pinball Museum. It wasn’t until 1976 that the ban was lifted. The Red Hook Pinball Museum opened up in February 2025 disguised within the back room of Seaborne bar. The museum is home to a collection of vintage pinball machines and games, including what’s considered the first ever pinball machine , otherwise known as the 1931 “Whiffle.” Other historic machines in the museum’s collection includes Sittin’ Pretty (1958), Majorettes (1964), Diamond Jack (1967), Dimension (1971), and Bristol Hills (1971). Unlike today’s pinball machines that utilize digital displays, programming and electronic sound, these vintage games rely on relays, solenoids, and mechanical score reels to function. So where does the more than 140-year-old pinball machine come into play? Well, the museum boasts a wooden Bagatelle board from the 1800s, the predecessor to the modern pinball machine. The Bagatelle board is a 100% mechanical game that lets players launch balls into holes with either a cue stick or a spring plunger. Meanwhile, a pinball machine utilizes electromagnetic features, and flippers so players can control the ball as they play. The gaming sanctuary comes from the minds of Wesley Michalski and Kevin Murray, two 20-something-year-old musicians who have spent countless hours repairing and restoring these machines. All games are free to play with a donation . The museum often hosts exciting tournaments and all-day pop-up parties, so be sure to follow their Instagram to stay up to date. 📍 228 Van Brunt Street, New York Source: https://secretnyc.co/red-hook-pinball-museum-vintage-machines-nyc/