Chicago Pinball Museum Moves to Block 37 With 30-Plus Machines as Space Grows to 2,900 Square Feet
Updated
Updated · Block Club Chicago · May 11
Chicago Pinball Museum Moves to Block 37 With 30-Plus Machines as Space Grows to 2,900 Square Feet
3 articles · Updated · Block Club Chicago · May 11
Block 37 will house The Flip this summer, giving Chicago’s only pinball museum a much larger Loop home, though founder William Pietri has not set an opening date.
More than 30 playable machines—from the 1930s to today—will anchor the 2,900-square-foot site, up from 550 square feet in Pilsen, with exhibits on pinball’s history and technology.
Ticketed admission will replace the free prototype model, although pricing is still undecided; visitors will also be able to play a few machines near the entrance without full access.
Pietri said the downtown move was driven by Block 37’s central location, pedway access and tourist traffic as he tries to turn the nonprofit into an all-ages destination.
The expansion lands amid a broader pinball revival: the International Flipper Pinball Association has grown to more than 153,000 active players from nearly 60,000 in 2018, while Chicago-area manufacturers remain central to the industry.
As pinball machines become pricey collectibles, is the game's arcade accessibility for casual players now at risk?
Beyond nostalgia, what does pinball's physical revival reveal about the limitations of our digital entertainment?
Why is a game once banned for gambling now celebrated as a key piece of Chicago's cultural heritage?