Looking for something different to do? I suggest a unique museum—The Asheville Pinball Museum. It is, as SmokyMountains.com puts it, “a museum where you can not only look, but you can also touch, play, eat and drink!” and another reviewer said:
A day’s worth of Fun! This place is so much fun! We went expecting to only spend an hour or two but ended up spending almost an entire day! Great beer selection, staff was friendly, decorations are on point (even in bathroom) and there are not only pinball games but also old school arcade games (dig-dug, PacMan, etc…) and old school Nintendo games. We had so much fun!
The museum is home for vintage pinball tables to admire and play. Each pinball table, some of which date back to the 1940s, features a plaque containing its date of production and its place in pinball history. The early machines were flipper-less with just a silver ball bouncing around some bumpers. As a result, many localities banned the machines as simple gaming devices. Flippers were added in the late 1940s and winning or losing became a matter of skill. Still, it took almost thirty years for the bans to be lifted and for pinball machines to become universally legal.
In addition to pinball, there is an arcade in the rear of the museum that houses a collection of original Golden Age Arcade Cabinets that are maintained in working order, with plaques indicating each game’s significance in the history of gaming. You can play more than twenty old school games like— Donkey Kong, PacMan, Ice Fever, Addams Family, Star Wars, X Files, Star Trek, and more.
The Museum is in the old Battery Park Hotel, one of Asheville’s buildings on the National Register of Historic Places. It was built in 1924 as a replacement for the original Battery Park Hotel, a Queen Anne style beauty that was torn down to make way for the current 14 story tower. Today the hotel’s upper floors serve as housing for seniors with commercial and restaurants on the lower floor. There is no charge if you just want the museum experience, but if you want the hands-on experience of actually playing the machines, the fee is $15.00 for adults. For children, the fee ranges from no-charge to $12.00 depending on age. There is no need to bring your quarters with you because the admission package gives you unlimited play. And there are sodas and beer as well as snacks to make your play time reminiscent of time spent when the machines were in your local soda shop, pub, or hometown arcade. The museum is closed on Tuesdays. Their hours of operation vary from day-to-day as follows: Monday from 1pm to 6pm, Wednesday, Thursday & Friday from 2pm to 9pm, Saturday noon to 9pm, and on Sunday from 1pm to 6pm. All children 12 and under must be accompanied by an adult and dogs are not allowed. The museum limits the number of players on the floor. Once they reach maximum occupancy, just like your favorite restaurant, you go on a waiting list to be called when space becomes available for your party. For information check out the Museum’s Facebook page. One final note, if you are looking for that perfect conversation piece for your home, some of the machines are for sale.