Preserving the love of pinball for future generations!

Our prototype space in Pilsen is now closed. We will soon be opening in a much bigger space in the Loop. Please  follow us on social media or sign up below for our mailing list to get the details. There will be special pre-opening events for mailing list members.

We definitely need volunteers to help with the move and setup. Contact hello@theflip.museum if you'd like to get involved.

Currently all our paid positions are filled, but more will be available as we get bigger.

For now we're on Facebook and Instagram. Following, liking, and sharing our posts helps our future fans find us! And if you were happy with a visit, we'd appreciate reviews on Facebook and Google Maps.

You can also find us on PinballMap.com and Pindigo, a pinball app that lets you check in, track your high scores, and see what your pinball pals are up to.

We want to get this right, so we aren't in a rush. We're tackling it in phases.

Phase I - a small collection: You can't have a museum without a collection. This phase involved setting up a workshop, getting 10 machines across the decades, and learning how to restore them to playability. Completed April 2025.

Phase II - just enough to launch: A museum, even a small one, is way more than a collection. We need volunteers, community connections, exhibits, more machines, and maybe even a little gift shop.  We also need to test those things out with actual visitors. Completed March 2026.

Phase III - finding a spot: Where in Chicago is the best spot for a pinball museum? What kind of people will we get where? What sort of location will let us best serve the mission and the pinball community? Completed April 2026.

Phase IV - up and running: Use what we learned in the prototype to launch a full-time space with paid admission and even a gift shop. Once we're open, we'll keep iterating and improving, making a better and better museum. We'll call this phase complete when it is in the black, earning enough to cover its operating costs. Coming soon!

Phase V and forward: Once we have a solid small museum, we hope to turn it into a bigger one. There are thousands of models of pinball machine, plus all sorts of related history. The possibilities are huge.

Want to help make this happen? We need people with all sorts of skills and interests. Email us at hello@theflip.museum and arrange a visit. We'd love to have you along for the journey.