Do you think that consoles, computers and smartphones have made classic slot machines a thing of the past? Nothing could be further from the truth! We visited the Interactive Pinball Museum in Warsaw and saw that traditional pinball machines are still popular. And not only among the sentimental older generation, but also among teenagers and kids.
Are you looking for an idea to spend your free time? Check out our section: Best things to do in Warsaw!
‘Pinball Station’ museum
The ‘Pinball Station’ museum has little in common with a standard museum. Of course, you can come here and treat all these various slot machines as static exhibits, pass by them blankly, read the descriptions and leave this place. Especially since there are several ‘old specimens’ here. But we are almost sure that you won’t be able to resist playing these retro wonders. They tempt with light and color on every side. We guarantee that in ‘Pinball Station’ you will forget about Xbox that misses at home or PlayStation that cannot fall sleep without you.
The best pinball machines in ‘Pinball Station’ – TOP 3 by Travel-Mates
At the beginning, we will present you TOP 3 by Travel-Mates: a trio of our pinball favorites. It was only when we were in ‘Pinball Station’ that we realized that each machine was actually a separate adventure and artistic project. What’s more, everyone is perfectly designed, with the smallest details. The graphics, elements, obstacles and launchers are a real masterpiece. It was difficult for us to choose the winners, in the end we focused partly on sentiments and partly on our love for the classics…
3rd place – Indiana Jones: The Pinball Adventure (1993)
Indiana Jones opens the podium. Why did we choose this particular slot machine? Maybe because it caught our attention from a distance? Maybe because he smelled of adventure? Maybe because he is exactly the same age as Patryk? Or maybe just because Indiana Jones was constantly on our screens when we were kids? Hard to say. Play and see for yourself.
2nd place – The Flintstones (1994)
When we saw The Flintstones slot machine, we shouted “Yabba-Dabba-Doo!” almost in sync. (#colorized) It doesn’t matter whether you played the role of Fred, Wilma, Barney or Betty while watching the cartoon. Playing this machine will make you feel like a caveman again. The Flintstones and Rubbles will be constantly looking at you from above the pinball board, rushing in a Flintmobile. Just a fairy tale!
1st place – Bord Golf (1932)
An absolute icon in ‘Pinball Station’. If this machine belonged to your family, it would probably be your great-grandfather. Or even a great-great-grandfather. It is heavily scratched, a bit damaged, but completely analog and definitely the most beautiful in the entire museum. Did you know that it was produced… in the interwar period? We wish Bord Golf 100 years! And if it survives another 9, our wish will come true.
Pinball Museum – slot machines and other attractions
We showed you just a few pinballs to encourage you to visit the museum and evoke sentiments. But this is only the beginning of the adventure with the Travel-Mates Team! Now you’re probably asking yourself: ‘What if pinball isn’t my favorite pastime?’ Of course we have a solution for that! Several dozen other machines that stand in the ‘Pinball Station’ and shout to guests: ‘Play with me!’.
If you feel more comfortable driving a car than play a pinball machine, go ahead. Hyper Neo Geo 64 will allow you to put the pedal to the metal. You can practice risky driving maneuvers on this machine – without any consequences. For the first time in his life, Patryk accelerated to 100 km/h in 3 seconds! (#colored)
And here is the biggest glutton in history, Pac-Man. The Japanese arcade game looks very inconspicuous, but it requires strong concentration and good reflex. Running through a maze full of white balls and escaping from deadly ghosts can be really addictive. Especially for someone who won’t leave the gaming station until he defeats his opponents (see above).
And a classic of the genre. Mario Bros himself. We’d venture to say that Mario and Luigi are the most famous duo in the gaming world (please correct us if we’re wrong). It cannot be denied that since the creation of these characters, the world of platform games has moved forward significantly. Despite this, none of us could ignore this machine.
The Interactive Pinball Museum is a family-friendly place. But at some point we noticed that Wiolczi was starting to dangerously choose entertainment – to put it mildly – not very peaceful. Or to put it bluntly: a bit aggressive. Mortal Kombat was just a beginning… Even though she didn’t know how to operate the machine and pressed the buttons a bit blindly, she managed to defeat her opponent after the third time.
After the hand-to-hand fight, it was time to reach for the weapon. Wiolczi held it surprisingly confidently. Unfortunately, the opponent (an infinitely large herd of dinosaurs), turned out to be much more demanding than the one from Mortal Kombat. The lack of success made Wiolczi quickly become discouraged, and she put down her weapons. Maybe it’s better for the rest…
Finally, she decided to do a little boxing in a truly American style. This machine turned out to be the most demanding – to be able to control the opponent without any problems, you had to practice a bit. We still don’t know whether there was a lack of skill or rather patience… A fierce fight with gloves ended with a spectacular knockout, which turned out to be the beginning of the end of Wiolczi’s aggressive games.
Finally, what the Travel-Mates team likes the most – Pong. We explain to the uninitiated that it is an interactive table tennis game. Only much less dynamic, because instead of swinging the racket, you just need to control… a knob. At first the pace is frighteningly slow, but then the momentum begins to increase until someone finally loses the ball and the point. Emotions reach their zenith! A match of modern Pong takes us out of the retro atmosphere and is a kind of bridge to the present day. We take our smartphones out of our pockets, check the time and return both home and to the present day. But don’t worry, we will definitely come back here!
Slot machine museum – tickets
You know what’s great about ‘Pinball Station’? The price of a single ticket includes entry and games on all slot machines. Yes, you heard right, there are no tokens or coins involved. You pay once and play as much as you want. Be careful not to spend the whole day here when you get caught up in the game. When you get tired, you can leave the premises without any consequences and come back here without additional charges. Sounds good, right?
Ticket prices to the ‘Pinball Station’ are as follows:
- normal ticket – PLN 49.
- reduced ticket (for pupils and students with a valid school/student ID) – PLN 43.
- ticket for children up to 12 years old – PLN 35.
- children up to 4 years old enter for free.
Disabled people and honorary blood donors can count on a 10% discount.
Pinball Museum – opening hours
The Pinball Museum is open every day:
- Monday to Thursday: 12:00-22:00.
- on Fridays: 12:00-00:00.
- on Saturdays: 11:00-00:00.
- on Sundays: 11:00-22:00.
During this time, you can make your visit to the museum more enjoyable with drinks and snacks purchased at the bar. All served by friendly, smiling staff.
‘Pinball Station’ – sightseeing time
The Flipper Museum does not offer a standard tour. You just come in and play. As we mentioned above – you pay for the entry once and you can use all the machines until the place closes. So it’s up to you to decide how long the tour will take. Taking into account opening hours, the longest single visit may last… up to 13 hours.
‘Pinball Station’ museum – how to get?
The Interactive Pinball Museum “Pinball Station” is located at Kolejowa 8A Street in Warsaw.
- We always encourage ecological walking and cycling trips – the museum is located about 3.5 km from the center of Warsaw (45 minutes on foot or 15 by bike).
- There are bus stops nearby: Karolkowa, Rondo Daszyńskiego, Plac Zawiszy.
- If you want to come by tram, the closest stops are: Rondo Daszyńskiego or Plac Zawiszy.
- When traveling by metro, get off at Rondo Daszyńskiego station – in a 10-minute walk you will get to ‘Pinball Station’.
- Have you decided to travel by train? The museum is located a stone’s throw from the Warszawa Główna station.
- Information for those arriving by car: ‘Pinball Statios’ museum has its own, large, free parking lot in front of the entrance to the building.
Slot machine museum – tips
- The Interactive Fipper Museum ‘Pinball Station’ in Warsaw was founded by two enthusiasts of all kinds of gaming machines. They started with a collection of 30 exhibits, and currently they have over 100 of them.
- Did you know that slot machines from ‘Pinball Station’ go on business trips? If you would like to rent one of them for a private or business event, the museum owners will be happy to help.
- Have you ever wondered where the name ‘one-armed bandit’ comes from? To start with, some of the first slot machines were equipped with a lever that turned the reels of the machine. To some it resembled a hand. Secondly, players lost their invested money much more often than they gained, which made them feel cheated by the unfortunate machine. For these two reasons, people started calling slot machines ‘one-armed bandits’.
Pinball Museum – reviews
- Patrix – 8/10. I really liked this place! I had the opportunity to play many new pinball machines. In addition, visiting the museum was a great opportunity to remind me of the games from my childhood! I spent a lot of time trying to complete Donkey Kong, Mortal Kombat and Space Space Invaders on iconic slot machines. The great option is that you buy a ticket once and play as long as you want. Cool! There is also a bar with various drinks and snacks. Two small minuses. First – several non-working machines. Secondly, the service lady was swearing loudly. Anyway, I highly recommend this attraction!
- Wiolczix – 8/10. This place awakened the dormant spirit of competition in me (mainly with myself, or rather with the machines, but still). I’m not a gamer, but I wasn’t bored here at all (in fact, I even wanted to stay longer, Patryk can confirm). As for the machines themselves – I never would have thought that they could be so diverse. Each flipper has a different ‘cover’, original design and a separate story. Even though I had the most fun playing the more modern Pong, I still had tears in my eyes when I shot ducks and fed Pac-Man. The downside was that some of the machines didn’t work (but don’t worry, there weren’t many of them).
‘Pinball Station’ museum – FAQ
What slot machines are in the Interactive Pinball Museum in Warsaw?
In the Pinball Museum in Warsaw you will find over 100 pinball machines and several dozen video games. The oldest exhibit dates back to 1932, and the newest one – from 2019. Each machine will take you to a different virtual world.
‘Pinball Station’ museum in Warsaw – price list?
Tickets to the Interactive Pinball Museum ‘Pinball Station’ in Warsaw cost PLN 35 (children up to 12 years of age), PLN 43 (older pupils and students) and PLN 49 (adults). Children under 4 enter for free. Purchasing a single ticket entitles you to entry to the museum throughout the day and to play on all slot machines (no coins or tokens required).
Is it worth going to the Pinball Museum in Warsaw?
Of course it’s worth going to ‘Pinball Station’. And not only to play games, but also to admire the great artistic talent of pinball creators. A visit to the museum is a perfect, unconventional idea for spending free time with friends and family.
‘Pinball Station’ – map
The Interactive Pinball Museum is located in Warsaw’s Wola district.
