Pinheads, The Story of the Pacific Pinball Museum

“Pinheads” is a documentary short by 30 LBS Skunk Productions about the Pacific Pinball Museum in Alameda, CA.

To most who remember it, Pinball is considered a dusty relic of a bygone era. The only places you’ll find Pinball machines today are home game rooms of private collectors or dark corners of seedy bars. As far as the general public is concerned, it has all but faded into obscurity.

However, one group of dedicated men and women have decided to right the ship and save Pinball from extinction. Their goal is to preserve Pinball for what it really is: a national treasure of pure American engineering, art, and design. The Pacific Pinball Museum was founded in the late 90’s by Michael Schiess, a multi-disciplined artist and an avid fan of museums. Over the years Mike has grown the non-profit organization into 13 board members and an army of dedicated volunteers, as well as amassing and restoring a staggering collection of Pinball machines.

Every fall since 2007, the PPM gathers over 400 of their restored and fully playable Pinball machines to host the annual Pacific Pinball Exposition in San Rafael, CA. The Pacific Pinball Expo gives other pinheads the chance to meet the board members of the PPM and attend seminars with renowned Pinball historians, game designers, artists, and vendors. Oh, and they also get to play a lot of Pinball.

With an unprecedented collection of machines and a high-spirited drive to further the art, science, and history of Pinball, the Pacific Pinball Museum is well on the road to becoming “the Smithsonian of Pinball.”

[via Make]