Asheville Pinball Museum

This place was a blast from the past! Lots of well-maintained and very interesting pinball machines and retro arcades. Some of the oldest ones were display only, and I appreciated that many units had interesting facts about them displayed on themselves. It was like 10% museum, 90% playable, 100% fun. Bartender girl was really sweet hooking me up with a good site for pinball repair and marketplace, although it sounds like the pinball museum doesn't typically buy or sell things themselves. 10/10 will be going again.

The Asheville Pinball museum is a really awesome place to take a day! It’s $17 to play as much as you want, and they offer beer and refreshments as well. There is a lot of cool pinball merchandise and the staff is very nice as well. It can get quite crowded at times, but I never had a problem finding a machine to play. There is also a small arcade in the back for those not as interested in or wanting a break from pinball. I will definitely be back !!

This place is AWESOME!! The museum is an actual arcade where you can play vintage pinball machines all day long. The history of each machine is listed on top of each game. I was never really into pinball but I played for 2 hours straight and had a blast! Great for all ages. Everyone that worked there was very friendly.

This is an absolutely incredible place for adults and children. The kids get to play as many games as they want from pinball games to Nintendo and old '80s original arcade games. Adults can flash back to their childhood and enjoy the games they grew up with. Some of pinball machines go way back. They have info on top of each pinball machine telling its history. The arcade games are straight out of the '80s and all of my favorites from my teen years.

We absolutely loved this place. You pay once and play as long as you like. Beer is good and cheap ($5 a can). Lots and lots of options. Pinball, arcade games and lots of other things. There's a ton of stuff to do here. Absolute blast and if you love retro games - DEFINITELY come.

Great selection of pinball machines. Very cool place with date & formation on each pinball machines history. We experienced NO malfunctions or problems with any games. Clean & Poplar Pricing very fair for the fun we had. Thank you to all the helpful & Knowledgeable staff. Next visit to Asheville wr will come back to the Pinball Museum!!!

The staff was nice. They take your name and put you on a waiting list and call you if they are busy. It was pretty busy when we went in. But once you get in the wrist band is good all day.

Stepping into the Asheville Pinball Museum isn't just about playing games; it's a delightful journey back in time, a warm embrace of nostalgia that wraps around you the moment the familiar chorus of chimes, whirs, and the distinct thwack of flippers fills the air. It's a sensory experience that instantly transports you to childhood arcades, to the feeling of sticky floors and the thrill of a freshly inserted quarter. The genius of the Asheville Pinball Museum lies in its immersive atmosphere. This isn't a stuffy, "look-but-don't-touch" kind of museum. Oh no. Here, you're encouraged to dive right in. For a single admission fee, you're granted unlimited plays on dozens of machines, ranging from the electromechanical marvels of the 1960s to the more complex, digitized tables of the 80s, 90s, and even some modern classics. I remember the sheer joy of rediscovering machines I hadn't seen in decades. The iconic artwork on the side of a Gottlieb's Joker Poker or the familiar sounds of The Addams Family brought back floods of memories. Each game felt like a reunion with an old friend. The thrill of a perfectly aimed shot, the satisfying clatter of bonus points, the frantic multi-ball chaos – it all came rushing back. And it wasn't just the popular titles; there were lesser-known gems that captivated with their unique themes and challenging layouts. What truly amplified the nostalgic feel was the collective energy in the room. The museum is often bustling, filled with people of all ages. You'd see parents patiently teaching their kids the art of the flipper, teenagers discovering the magic of analog gaming, and fellow "old-timers" exchanging knowing glances as they chased that elusive high score on a machine they probably spent countless hours on as a kid. The air buzzed with friendly competition, shared triumphs, and the occasional groan of a tilted game. It's more than just a collection of machines; it's a living, breathing testament to a bygone era of entertainment. The staff, too, seemed to share in this passion. They were often seen meticulously maintaining the machines, ensuring that the magic continued to flow freely. The Asheville Pinball Museum isn't just a place to play games; it's a portal to simpler times, a vibrant celebration of a beloved pastime, and a reminder of the pure, unadulterated joy that a well-designed pinball machine can bring. It's a place where the past isn't just displayed, but actively relived, one flip at a time.

I mean, what's not to love! Free play after you pay a small admission fee. You can go check out other spots and come back too! It was a real treat and I recommend it if you're in the area!

This was a neat experience! I like how you can pay the daily rate and come and go as much as you would like throughout the day. Makes it easy when you want to take a lunch break, or go walking around for a bit. I would definitely go back.

Fantastic 4 hours of playing vintage & updated Pinball Machines ! Also if you're more into PAC-Man, Asteroids & All the vintage & newer games this is definitely for you !!!!

This is a killer business! What a great nostalgia trip with the 80's themed games, posters, and pop culture memorabilia. The staff was great. Beer is served. The location is prime time downtown. All the pinball machines are "free" to play after paying the cover charge to enter. We had a really great time hanging out here with family and I would certainly be interested in returning.

Ok, so I like pinball and museums so I thought I would really like it here. Sadly, it wasn't really for me. First, it is not really a museum so don't expect that. Second, the entry process sets a bad tone. There is someone at the very front that has a job that isn't clear to me. Then you have to wait in a giant, slow moving line to pay. They were doing both the payments to play as well as the drinks. It was too crowded and hard to play with that many people. There are cool old machines that you can't play randomly located throughout. Maybe that is the "museum" aspect? Overall, not bad but not as fun as I was hoping.

Really fun and great value for $! Friendly service, well run spot. I stopped by here on Sunday. They were in a 1 hour wait, so I explored Grove Arcade in the meantime. They texted once space had freed up. $15 for all you can play (Mandalorian and one or two other games were excluded but that didn't really bother me). I had a great time playing some classics, spent 20 solid minutes playing Pac-Man. I looked for Tetris but couldn't find it (not sure if I missed it), and had a blast playing the retro desktop space arcade game. They have some beer and chips, but no wine or seltzers unfortunately. Definitely worth checking out for some late doses of entertainment and nostalgia!

This place is so fun! You don't have to know anything about pinball or be a mega video game fan to enjoy it. There will definitely be a wait if you don't get there early before it opens, so be prepared for that. However, once you are in, you can come and go as you please (just be prepared to wait to re-enter). They monitor the number of people so that there will always be games available to play, which is very considerate. The pinball games were so fun, even as a person with no pinball skills or experience haha. It was fun trying old and new machines, and reading the little blurbs about the history of pinball and each individual game. There are also lots of old video games to play in back rooms as well. They offer snacks and drinks to keep you sustained if you are there for the long haul. It's certainly easy to spend a few hours here, and I highly recommend it if you are in the area!

Best stop in Downtown Asheville. Be aware it's worth getting on the wait list and they'll call you. Very family friendly. There's bathrooms, snacks like chips for sale at the bar, and stools for the littles.

Tldr: if you like antique stuff, come! If you're like me: prefer newer technology, you might not enjoy this as much. Tip: come on a weekday. We came on Friday around ~1:30 PM and there was no wait. It costs $15 per player. You can also just come and take a look around without playing (for free). When you pay, they give you a wristband. There are employees walking around checking if anyone without a wristband playing or not. There are many older versions of pinballs some are so old that they are only for display. The newest version is 2020, I think. When you walk to the back, they have 2 rooms with arcade games. The restrooms were clean but it can be a challenge to find because they didn't look like restroom doors. It took me about 15 minutes for me to feel bored amd ready to go but I stayed for an hour so I didn't feel like I wasted $15. I only like playing the newer version pinballs. They were more fun. Ironically, I wasn't the only one because there were other people waiting to play the new ones.

Omg what fun. Kids and I had a blast, all the pinball is great but those back rooms go HARD! I'm talking every dope game from your childhood is hidden back there. All day pass is worth every penny.

My husband and I went in around 3:30 pm one afternoon just to check it out. We ended up staying until they closed at 6 pm! We had no intention of doing that, we were just caught up having so much fun!!! There are a TON of various pinball machines and other retro games in the back! We spent a majority of our time on the pinball machines and didn't realize just how expansive this place was until it was almost closing time.

This seems to be a popular spot in Asheville. If you are a big pinball fan you will love it. Otherwise you might be board, like my wife was. After you pay you get a wristband and you can come back as much as you want all day. There are times where it is really busy and you have to wait to go inside. When we went there was no wait. They have a large variety of really old pinball machines to current ones. I probably would not come back but it was worth checking out.

We enjoyed the games and the beer! Loved the $15 per person and play as many games as you wanted. They give wristbands and they are super nice. If a machine gets stuck they ask you to get an employee to fix it. They sell good local beer and I liked the cup holders too.

Didn't get to play this time. Paying the $15 per person would not have been conducive considering the amount time we arrived & needed to leave by. Certainly, will plan better on our next try to Asheville. Not only do they have pinball, they have arcade games that will take you back to the 70's and 80's. It will bring the inner kid out of you.

This place is really cool! It's kinda expensive to get in (17 dollars) but it's all you can play old arcade games. If you are into stuff like that this place is perfect for you!

What a great place. Able to play tons of old arcade games and pinball machines. They were nice enough to let us take a look around before buying admission ("just please don't touch the machines until you've paid") and seeing all of the classic games really sold it for us. A+

I visited this place with my family when we were on vacation. It was fun at first but soon I got bored since there's kind of similar games and machines. It costs you $15 for unlimited play. If you just wanna get around to browse, then it's free. For people who pay to play, they have you wear a green wristband. It is great that you are allowed to get out and back in the store to continue playing games as long as you still have your green band on your wrist. If you are a person who likes antique stuff, this is going to be fun and interesting for you. In general, I think it is a cool place, and I had a unique experience on this trip.

Opens at 2 pm and there is usually a line, even on weekdays. They let 65 people in so there is always a game to play because there are 70 games. Lots of fun pinball games and some regular arcade ones too. Place is a bit loud and cramped but that's the nature of the game and spacing! Overall great time- $15 for unlimited play.

It's an arcade! With beer! Ok, I don't know what I expected. Sure, it says museum and there's certainly age old machines that are display only but really it felt like going through time playing games. And I like games! After visiting Cultivated Cocktails I needed a spot to slow down for a minute and the Pinball Museum was perfect for that. Three rooms worth of games with the front largest room filled with pinball machines, the one back room having old school arcade style games (think Space Invaders, 8 bit graphics) and the adjoining room having a few old school console games like Nintendo and Genesis. You pay a flat fee, get a wrist band, and then you wander through and play games. Everything worked that was supposed to work. I enjoyed the flat fee because I could play all the pinball games and not get frustrated. I had a joy of a time walking through this space playing nostalgic games.

Such a fun trip down memory lane, we loved playing pinball and showing my kids the old video games we grew up playing up playing on our local arcade.

We tried stopping in to this place on St Patrick's day and there was an hour and a half line to get in, so I would recommend getting there early if you want to experience it. They had another place down the sidewalk called the Poster Vault and went in there and it was super cool with retro games on all systems and secluded rooms to play in. If I had time, I would stay longer and play some games but either way they let us take a quick tour for free to check it out.

Such a unique and fun experience! My family went to the pinball museum yesterday and spent a fun two hours playing all kinds of games. I love that they monitor capacity to make sure there the "games to people" ratio is appropriate. I also liked that they had the date of manufacturing and number of units produced on display right above the machine consoles.

Great place!!! The Asheville Pinball Museum is located in the north part of downtown. In order to enter and play it's $15.00, which gives you unlimited play on the pinball machines and video games. However, there are three pinball machines that require $.50 extra to play (Godzilla, Willie Wonka and Star Wars). The museum has a nice range of machines currently with some from the late 1960's through 2017. Most of the older machines were manufactured by Bally, Gottleib and Midway with a few produced by companies I never heard of before. What I liked was that each machine had a sign atop of it which mentioned the designer, artist, when it was made and how many machines were made, which is a nice touch. In the back three rooms they have video games from the 80's and 90's and Xboxes and PlayStations hooked up to tvs for the younger folks. Many of the video games I played as a teenager back then, which brought back some great memories. PacMan, Missile Command, Joust and Star Wars were my favorites. The bar area in front has a great collection of kitschy pop culture items from the 60's through now. This is definitely a fun place to visit!!!

Such a fun experience. Pay once for all you can play fun. I didn't realize that it was so much more than pinball there. There's an 80s room with all the classics like PacMan, Centipede, Frogger, Donkey Kong etc and then 90s room with the next gen favorites like Street Fighter and Mortal Kombat. Everything is in really good condition. Unlimited play is such a fun change from when I was a kid with no money.

For both pinball and the video games of yore, Asheville Pinball Museum is as much fun as you are likely to have almost anywhere. Located across the street from the Grove Arcade in downtown Asheville, it is a popular spot. If they are filled up, you are placed on a waiting list and you can saunter around town until they give you a call. It's $15 for unlimited play. You can go at it for hours, if you want, but you won't be able to play everything they've got in there. Many of the pinball games are for display only and include a card offering up some pinball history. I found these to be nearly as needo as the games you can play, which include some of the classics such as Medieval Madness and The Twilight Zone, as well as games you've never seen before. The vintage arcade cabinets in the back rooms include Crystal Castles, Millipede, Ms. Pac Man, Time Pilot, Galaga and every other game that ruled the 1980s, even Dragon's Lair, which is still not fun.

fun thing to do to past the time! popped in here to play until dinner and it didn't disappoint. It's $15 a person for unlimited play for the whole day, you can even leave and come back as long as you keep your wristband on. There were tons of pinball machines as well as other games (e.g Pac-Man, space Invaders, frogger, etc.). It's a bit of a tight squeeze getting around the place but really cool posters and fun facts about pinball on all the walls.

Very cool museum especially if you love Star Trek and Star Wars. So many retro things. Loved the hamburger phone.

I was disappointed that many pinball machines had a sign indicating they were "display only", the ball got stuck on 2 of the working ones while I was playing, and the $15 cover doesn't include several of the newer pinball machines so still need quarters to play everything. I was excited to find a Street Fighter II video console but found the joystick couldn't move to the top left. I also think certain areas had a slight BO odor in the air however it was my first visit so may have just been from another customer there that day. I like that they sell beer and have drink holders on the sides of many machines.

$15 for unlimited playing time AND you can come back the same day and are automatically at the front the line ...such a GREAT experience!!!

I could have spent ALL DAY in this place. More of an arcade than a museum- $15 for unlimited playtime?? Unbeatable. There are old school arcade games there in addition to the pinball. We spent a couple hours here left for lunch and came back to play until close. Just good, wholesome fun, and the beers are $5!!! A beautiful North Carolina treasure. My favorite game was Medieval Madness.

A pinball lover's dream! Don't miss this place while you're visiting Asheville as they have a wonderful variety of classic pinball games and plenty of retro decor to have you waxing nostalgic for days to come. Friendly and fun staff as well.

1/26/2020- Many pinball new and old . Some just for Display. Every employee in there was very friendly very nice and Sophia from where you check in and pay couldn't have been any kinder. All really nice games for only $15.00 dollars. Ms Pac-Man, PAC man tabletop Pac-Man also Elvira it so many it was some that had three balls and had five balls , it was very exciting lots of people coming in there. I was told they also have a bar there that's very nice I didn't see it and I wasn't drinking I enjoyed myself a lot.

I spent hours here. Literally just did not want to leave. There are so many different games to play and it was so much fun. They do have some of them closed off for social distancing which really bummed me out but I still could not rate them down. I know they will be back up to full capacity someday. In the back they have more older, regular video games which were a lot of fun to play. Including Dragon's Lair! This is a classic from the eighties and it is very hard to beat. Also you can play the other game developed after it on the same console if you know how to select on the menu. It uses an old LaserDisc so it's like a pre DVD kind of thing. Give it a shot! Very friendly staff and there are alcohol options.

Lots of fun to do if you have an hour or so to kill and you enjoy playing pinball. $15 for unlimited play.

Seriously one of the most fun places I have been to in a very long time. I came here yesterday, came back today. I love this place! Totally worth it!

So fun!! Has pinball machines (duh), and an arcade!! I went here with a friend once and stayed all day from opening to closing and we had an amazing time! We were even able to buy pinballs from the counter as souvenirs. Nearly a year later and we both still have them

Who spent a couple of hours there last night. The Air-conditioning was not working very well. Loved playing Centipede, Space Invaders, Asteroids, PacMan, Ms. PacMan, Galaga, Donkey Kong, q Bert, Phoenix, Donkey Kong Jr. and more! We would have given 5 stars, but the AC was an issue.

Super cool place. Kids loved playing all the retro games for hours and we loved that we could grab a beer and view all the nostalgic pieces they had. Also really liked that we could come and go all day without paying again.

This place is sweet! We were walking by and kind of stumbled in. The woman who greeted us explained how the museum works. You can pay $15 for a wristband and play absolutely all day long- you can leave and come back, whatever you want. She also said we were welcome to walk around and look and take pictures, too, for no cost. If we hadn't been planning on eating dinner so soon we probably would have been tempted to stay and play! The museum has signs with information about each machine (I believe she said they have 40 in total). The signs say how many of each machine were produced, etc. Some of these machines are really limited edition! They also have a room in the back with an old juke box and classic arcade games (think Frogger, Asteroids, PacMan, etc.). This would be an awesome date destination! I had no idea how hard it is to maintain pinball machines and this museum treats them as if they're art. So cool!

I can't add more than what has already been said about this place - I wish nobody knew about it and I could have it all to myself! The wristband is totally worth it- I could have stayed all day. A must do!!

This place was a lot of fun. The employees were very nice. Took my 11 year old granddaughter. She enjoyed it. We were put on a waiting list to get into the pinball museum area when we first got there but only had to wait a few minutes to get in. While waiting, we were directed to go to another store next to the pinball museum where there were other types of video games to play.

I'm going to go all the way on the Asheville Pinball Museum because my wife and I had so much fun. Where else can you find over 50 vintage pinball machines and a dozen retro arcade games in one spot for unlimited play? No where. The biggest thing to know about the museum is that at peak times in the early/mid Summer your experience would be different than ours at off peak late Summer. My wife and I had no issue waltzing in late morning and immediately playing. The fee has sent up twice over the past three years and is now $15. Is it worth it, I think so if you are there at the right time to move around and play. The game masters move around the rooms constantly to help with balls stuck etc. All the staff I encountered was fabulous! My favorite machine Elvira was there and my second fave AD/DC. Another room has classic video arcade games such as Pac-Man and Centipede. For me this was just okay and did not have the draw as the pinball machines. This room is included with the entry fee. There is also a full bar and each pinball machine has a cup holder on the side. Prices were the same as any bar. I would without hesitation recommend checking them out and go early in the day for less crowd interference.

I didn't like Asheville, I'm going to be frank. A city of woo-girl bachelorette parties from small towns who think a 1-2 block stretch of recently thrown together businesses smart enough to build stages to attract local bands makes this The Big City. It's expensive, with overcrowded roads and restaurants not meant to accommodate all these tourists. But the Pinball Museum? This is a gem. Come here. Come here instead of going to bars where every hour is amateur or breweries where people don't clap for the live music. Jimmy working the counter is having so much fun doing it. Full of a little shtick for everyone who walks in, his humor made my night. And the museum aspect of this place adds to it's uniqueness. Yes, you can play tons of games (Galaga, Galaga till my hands fall off!). But each game and piece of memorabilia on the wall also has a little framed print out next to it offering some fun factoids and a bit of history. And stuff is everywhere, there is something to look at in every corner, even the bathrooms are overloaded with cool games and odds and ends. There's local artwork and other bits for sale and great 80's music piping in. You feel like you've gone back in time, it's so perfect. Some of the tabletop arcade games are even for sale. You pay something like $10 for a wristband and the games are free to play from there. They have beer too, and beer holders and benches at all the machines. YES. The only drawback? They close early, because otherwise drunks would mess with these fragile machines. I would love to see them open a more bar-like space with the same vibe.

This place is so much fun! It's highly recommended for kids, even for adults. For $15 you can play majority of the machines. They even provide plastic gloves for your sanitation. Parking: We didn't park near the establishment. We parked blocks away where there are pay parking slots. Staff: Very accommodating and helpful. Restroom: So cute that there's a machine that you can play while inside. It was clean and well maintained.

With 72 pinball and video games, this is a great place for the nostalgic pinball / video game player. $15 and you can play and watch all day. Very friendly staff.

Lots of games on display and unlimited play. Several older machines (not for playing) with info on pinball history. But the best part was the video games room with all the best from the 80s in mint condition. Including donkey Kong, pac man, frogger, tempest, space invaders, missile control and more​​. Full of nostalgia.

Had a ton of fun here with my wife. You basically pay a ~$10 fee and play as much as you want. Nice bartender keeps you hydrated while you explore the old arcade machines.

Sooooo much fun. It's hard To believe in this day and age you can have quality entertainment for $15!! If your a real pinball fan you need to do it!! We can't wait to go back and have told all our friends. Thanks for creating such a unique way place!!!

Went on a Sunday at 4 and the wait was an hour and a half. When we got called back the rate was heavily discounted for entry as they have a hard close at 6 pm. The space is smaller than we imagined but totally worth the wait and experience. Nice set up, nice location.