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It is a place where entertainment, culture, and education meet. All of these are contained in the “Dino Merluzzi” Pinball, and Modern Art Museum. The official opening ceremony will be held on Saturday, February 18th under the patronage of Ministry of Culture and Umbria Region. Dino Merluzzi is the Museum’s first collector of vintage gaming machines in Italy. He cherished the idea of putting them in a museum. The Ifpa Italia Association is pursuing this dream in collaboration with the Municipality of Terni and the Marmore turist bureau. Thanks to Fondazione Carit, the Pinball and modern ant museums have been made possible. They are located in Via Montesi 59, at the former elementary school of Marmore.
The Museum today is an exceptional place in Italy. It aims to fulfill various functions in the cultural, educational, and recreational areas. It is expected to become an attraction on a national and international scale, as it is located in a touristic context like that of Marmore Falls. This will give visitors another reason to visit this beautiful place and contribute to the enhancement of the area.
It is a museum of modern art that offers a variety of pinball machines, from the first machines of 1950s to the most recent. This includes the modern and modern eras (60s and 70s electric ones, 80s or 90s electronic ones, modern and 2000s), and a thematic itinerary that outlines the technological advancements over the past seventy-years. The pinball machines are set in the context of other materials (posters and window decals, books, vintage records, vintage juke box and other vintage jukeboxe boxes, and various types of vintage jukeboxes and other vintage jukeboxes). You can also find old movies about the history of the pinball machines.
The Museum is a permanent educational location. It aims to be a reference point for local schools and other institutions, and to provide a concrete and real approach to science, technology and mathematics. A “EduFun” program would offer teachers, students, and other stakeholders an opportunity to see the inside operation of working pinball machines. They will also show how thousands of mechanical and electronic parts work together to create complicated electromechanical systems.
The Museum is a perfect place to organize entertainment events. It also serves as a tourist attraction. International pinball tournaments are also hosted by Ifpa Italia, a permanent activity. This is to take advantage of the unique pinball machine’s ability to be used by children and seniors of all ages.
There are more than 25 machines inside the building, including pinball machines and jukeboxes, as well as other collectibles, such rare items. The permanent collection will continue to be enriched and updated by donations and loans. The Museum is non-profit and recreational activities are not subject to payment. Visitors can freely test the games. This makes it a great place for families as well as for all users. You can only reserve the entrance to receive a free and unlimited access. Temporarily, the facility is not accessible to the public.
THE ORGANIZATION FOR THE MUSEUM
The museum covers a total of over 260 sq. m and is located on the first floor in the former Marmore elementary school. Six different rooms are organized thematically in the structure.
The “Electromechanical Room” is the first, and it hosts pinball machines from the 60s to the 70s as well as other vintage games (such a Rotamint, Rotomat, and other automated games).
The “Electronic Room” is the second room. It’s the main area. You will find over 15 games, ranging from the 1970s through the 2000s. There are also some collectibles.
The third space is the “Projection and Conference Room”, which is multifunctional and can be used as a conference and cinema center. Here, movies, historical or documentary movies, presentations and other activities are all possible.
The Museum’s arcade space has video games from the 1980s and 1990s that are available for visitors.
A “Restoration Room” is located adjacent to the Electromechanical Room. This room allows for repairs and maintenance of individual devices.
The “warehouse room” houses games and other materials that can be used to update and improve the permanent collection.
The Museum has a full range of games that can be viewed and analyzed in terms their game dynamics. The Museum is not looking for any profits: it is neither a game room nor a private club. It does not require any tickets.
