“ It ’ s an evolution of this hobby throughout the ages . That ’ s what we love to show here ,” Rose says . “ To get new people into this is really our goal .”
The collection ranges from old-fashioned games with no digital components — the oldest dates from 1947 — to newer games featuring celebrities and flashing lights . Many of them , Rose explains , are donated or purchased at low cost from owners looking to get rid of them and go through a “ triage-level restoration ” before making it to the floor . A game featuring Dolly Parton came from a shed in Westport , Massachusetts , while a Bobby Orr game — one of two in the museum — was found on Cape Cod . “ If it ’ s free , it ’ s for us ,” she says . In addition to pinball , the collection includes Skee-Ball and air hockey games popular with kids . Rainy days , the owners say , are especially busy , and the museum also gets visits from students with specialneeds and middle and high school STEM programs . The museum helps raise money for Project Pinball , a charity that places pinball machines in children ’ s hospitals and Ronald McDonald houses around the country . Rose says they ’ re also looking into installing an Inclusive GameWerks controller to make their machines accessible to people with physical disabilities .
“ You can teach almost anything through a pinball machine ,” she says .
The museum is open Tuesday through Sunday ( and some Monday holidays ) from 10 a . m . to 9 p . m . Admission is $ 10 and allows for all-day play . Parking is available in a lot on Thurston Street . 881 Main St ., Pawtucket , electromagneticpinballmuseum . com
SOUTH
Rhode Island Computer Museum
Tucked behind a furniture store on Bald Hill Road is a museum guaranteed to send any visitor spiraling through waves of nostalgia . The Rhode Island Computer Museum is celebrating its twenty-fifth year as a knowledge center dedicated to inspiring future generations by collecting new and old technology . Its Warwick Learning Lab features 2,000 square feet of computer equipment with origins ranging from the pioneer days of computing to the latest in gaming technology .
“ We ’ re a hands-on museum . We want people to come in and touch stuff ,” says
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