#Pinball hall of fame upgrade#
#Pinball hall of fame full#
#Pinball hall of fame free#

In both cases, the electro-mechanical versions is set up next to its solid-state counterpart so visitors can compare the two versions side-by-side. There are three Mata Hari machines and two Evel Knievel. The most modern machine is the 1999 Revenge from Mars, although Rob has plans to get a selection of dot-matrix machines into the Museum to illustrate the more recent years’ productions. While that single row is impressive, facing it are several more perpendicular rows while the opposite wall is also fully populated with machines.Ī few non-pinball games such as Yankee Baseball, Gridiron and Mini Golf are mixed in with the pinballs, but most are in a separate area next to the main desk. The collection has grown significantly from those initial 30 machines and the basement Silverball Museum is now home to 94 pinball and 12 amusement machines. Once again, the $5 counts towards any upgraded ticket they then decide to purchase.

#Pinball hall of fame full#

Rob has also recently introduced a $5 express pass where visitors can get a quick look around the museum and play some games without committing to a full hour.

#Pinball hall of fame upgrade#

If you plan to visit several times across the weekend, $50 will get you a 3-day pass and if, after buying an hour, you decide to stay longer, you can upgrade your pass and just pay the difference.

#Pinball hall of fame free#

One hour costs $10 ($7.50 for kids aged 5-12, free for kids under 5) while $10 more will get you access for the entire day. All machines are set to free play and can be played as as often as you wish during your allotted time. Rather than impose a flat rate for entry or put the machines on coin play, the Museum charges according to the length of time you wish to stay.

He found a suitable space in the basement of a clothing & records store on Cookman Avenue in downtown Asbury Park and on the 4th July in 2009, he opened the Silverball Museum Pinball Hall of Fame.Īs visitors descend the stairs from Hold Fast Records and enter the Museum, they come to the main desk where they pay their entrance fee and can purchase drinks or snacks. More machines, more space and more educational value. He had been a collector for many years and a couple of years ago he had the idea – as many collectors often do – of opening their machines up to the public.Īt the time he had between 20 and 30 machines – enough for a reasonably sized arcade, but Rob wanted more.

One man working hard to bring pinball and other classic amusements back to Asbury Park is Rob Ilvento who built his business selling fried chicken under the Cluck-U-Chicken brand and French fries through the Jersey Shore Fries company.īut Rob’s passion is pinball and electro-mechanical machines in particular. It is also well known for the vibrant Boardwalk area where family flocked during the 1920s and ’30s.Īll that declined in the decades up to the turn of the century, but increased investment and redevelopment has improved the city and the the beach front area, promising to bring back some of the magic that once drew crowds from neighbouring cites and states. Asbury Park has a rich history of entertainment, from the Jersey Shore sound to the New Jersey Music Hall of Fame and, of course, where Bruce Springsteen’s musical career began.