Your childhood self will have a field day at this New Hampshire museum that's completely dedicated to classic arcade games. This non-profit organization was developed to preserve the history of coin-operated arcade games. It covers games from the pre-electricity beginnings of the industry to the 1980s.
In our modern world games are accessible any time, anywhere on our personal devices. Whether you're playing Candy Crush on your phone or hopping on XBox with your friends, there are many ways to game today.
But we lose several things in this new gaming culture. One is the physical community meeting ground. No longer do you need to find friends at the arcade for a night out. This specific community space is part of what's preserved at the museum.
We know you're dying to ask, and yes, all of the games are available to play for a few coins, just like they were at their inception. The money from game play goes to offsetting the costs of the museum and preserving the machines.
Playing the games is perhaps the best way to get a sense of the history that's been preserved here. But the museum also offers written, audio, video, and electronic information describing the history of coin-operated games and their creators.
You can leaf through vintage publications, read educational displays, and attend guest lectures to get a thorough knowledge of the industry and how it's led to our current gaming culture.
There are hundreds of games to play here, but in addition to the quantity, the museum houses some of the rarest coin-operated games on earth. Keep an eye out for Star Trek: Strategic Operations Simulator from 1983 and Death Race from 1976 in particular.
Whether you're a gamer, a history buff, or just a lover of fun, a visit to the American Classic Arcade Museum is sure to delight.
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