Music Pinball Hall of Fame at the Merriweather Post Pavilion

In 2009, we opened the Music Pinball Hall of Fame, a permanent arcade exhibit, at the Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, Maryland.

The Merriweather Post Pavilion is a premiere outdoor music venue, open from late spring into the fall. What better way to spend a warm Saturday evening than to take in a show, then shuffle up the boardwalk and past rolldown doors with a beach arcade feel, only to find yourself in the middle of vintage pinball heaven? Just drop some quarters into the pinball game of your choice, and take it for a five-ball spin.

The games include Guns and Roses (1994), The Rolling Stones (1980), Kiss (1979), Dolly Parton (1978), Nugent (1978), the new Elvis game (2004), and Heavy Metal Meltdown (1987).

There’s also the classic 1967 Beat Time, a nod to the Beatles and their crazed female fans. To avoid royalty issues, Williams had to name the group “The Bootles,” but the reference was clear.

Of particular note is the campy Captain Fantastic (1976), inspired by the movie, “Tommy,” with a super-funky Elton John rocking a pinball machine in his signature suspenders, bellbottoms, and platform shoes that could sink a ship.

The Music Pinball Hall of Fame is located at the Merriweather Post Pavilion, Columbia, Maryland. The pinball games are open only during show hours at the Pavilion, so check out their website at www.merriweathermusic.com for hours and directions.