meta_pixel
Tapesearch Logo
Log in
The Atlas Obscura Podcast

Pinball Hall of Fame

The Atlas Obscura Podcast

SiriusXM Podcasts & Atlas Obscura

Places & Travel, Society & Culture

4.61.8K Ratings

🗓️ 21 October 2025

⏱️ 15 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Maybe you associate Las Vegas with slot machines more than with pinball machines. But what you might not know is that pinball, today found in every family friendly arcade in America, was once considered a form of gambling – and was the center of a culture war in the US. We go to the Las Vegas Pinball Hall of Fame to play through the history of the game. This episode was brought to you in partnership with the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas. Check out the Pinball Hall of Fame online: https://pinballmuseum.org/

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0

This episode is brought to you by the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas.

0:05.7

The Cosmopolitan is a luxury resort and casino offering vibrant nightlife, upscale rooms, and some really distinct experiences.

0:14.9

You can take in a panoramic view of the Las Vegas skyline from your private terrace, or you could sip a cocktail from

0:22.2

inside of a three-level chandelier. This is not just a hotel stay. It is a unique experience

0:29.4

you can't find elsewhere. It is just a distinct special place. They've got all kinds of little

0:35.2

gems tucked here and there, little speak

0:37.6

easies, little bars, little lounges. It is just one of the coolest places to stay if you

0:43.7

are staying in Las Vegas. Book your Las Vegas stay at www.com. Cosmopolitanlos Vegas.com.

1:00.0

At the southernmost tip of the Las Vegas strip, you will usually see a line of people waiting outside of their cars all dolled up and ready to have their photos taken in front of the famous

1:05.2

welcome to fabulous Las Vegas sign. But say you're visiting Las Vegas and you don't want to wait in line or you

1:12.8

want something slightly different for your souvenir photo. Well, if you turn around and go just a

1:18.0

short ways up the street... You would see the most ginormous electronic sign with arrows

1:25.3

and an LED board that's bigger than the house I live in.

1:29.3

It's out of control huge.

1:31.1

This sign is a giant light up arrow, an arrow pointing to a building.

1:38.2

And then on the front of the building, we have 60 foot tall letters spelling pinball.

1:43.4

This is the Las Vegas Pinball Hall of Fame.

1:47.1

It is a can't-miss stop on the strip.

1:50.0

As in, quite literally, you will not be able to miss it.

1:54.2

We have less than a second to grab people's eyes as they're driving up the strip.

1:59.7

So we decided we would just poke them in the

2:03.0

eye and built a sign that you can see for outer space. Maybe you associate Las Vegas more with

...

Please login to see the full transcript.

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from SiriusXM Podcasts & Atlas Obscura, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of SiriusXM Podcasts & Atlas Obscura and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.

Copyright © Tapesearch 2026.