# PPM Launches Fundraising Campaign

**Source:** Pinball News Website  
**Type:** article  
**Published:** 2012-09-03  
**Beat:** Pinball

**URL:** https://www.pinballnews.com/news/ppmfundraiser.html

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## Analysis

Pacific Pinball Museum launches a $1.5 million IndieGoGo fundraising campaign in September 2012 to relocate from Alameda to San Francisco's Palace of Fine Arts building after the Exploratorium's departure in 2013. The campaign aims to demonstrate financial viability to the City and fund facility remodeling, operations, and educational programs for their ~500-machine collection currently constrained by 90-machine exhibition capacity.

### Key Claims

- [HIGH] Pacific Pinball Museum collection has grown to approximately 500 machines — _Article states 'Several high profile donations have seen the number of machines it owns rise to around 500' and 'a museum with around 500 machines'_
- [HIGH] Current Alameda location can only exhibit 90 machines — _Article explicitly states 'the current Pacific Pinball Museum location in Alameda has space to exhibit just 90'_
- [HIGH] Exploratorium museum is moving out of Palace of Fine Arts in spring 2013 — _Article states 'The impending move of the Exploratorium museum' and 'The City will be inviting proposals as soon as the Exploratorium has vacated the building in the spring of 2013'_
- [HIGH] PPM began as Lucky Ju-Ju at end of 2002 — _Article states 'Since it began as the Lucky Ju-Ju at the end of 2002'_
- [HIGH] Michael Schiess founded and is Executive Director of PPM — _Article identifies him as 'the Museum's founder and Executive Director Michael Schiess'_

### Notable Quotes

> "Our Indiegogo campaign is going to raise the money needed to find a larger space for our museum so that we may display more of the collection. We have an opportunity to make a pitch for the Exploratorium's space when they leave in 2013. This war chest will help us succeed. We will also develop a curriculum with the funds."
> — **Michael Schiess**, Article dated 3rd September 2012
> _Direct statement of fundraising goals and strategic intent for the relocation campaign_

### Entities

| Name | Type | Context |
|------|------|---------|
| Pacific Pinball Museum | organization | Nonprofit museum housing pinball collection, originated as Lucky Ju-Ju in 2002, seeking to relocate from Alameda to San Francisco |
| Michael Schiess | person | Founder and Executive Director of Pacific Pinball Museum |
| Palace of Fine Arts | organization | San Francisco landmark building currently housing Exploratorium; target location for PPM relocation |
| Exploratorium | organization | Museum departing Palace of Fine Arts in spring 2013, creating opportunity for PPM relocation |
| IndieGoGo | company | Crowdfunding platform used for PPM's $1.5M fundraising campaign |
| City of San Francisco Recreations and Parks Department | organization | Government body that will manage proposals for Palace of Fine Arts tenancy after Exploratorium departure |
| Naval Air Station Recreation Center | organization | Alameda location investigated by PPM as potential relocation site but deemed unsuitable |

### Topics

- **Primary:** Museum relocation and expansion, Fundraising campaign and crowdfunding, Pinball museum collection growth
- **Secondary:** Educational programming development, Real estate opportunity

### Sentiment

**Positive** (0.85) — Optimistic tone about unprecedented opportunity, strategic positioning, and community engagement. No negative sentiment expressed.

### Signals

- **[business_signal]** Pacific Pinball Museum launching major expansion campaign with $1.5M fundraising goal (confidence: high) — Official campaign launch via IndieGoGo with specific funding target and timeline tied to Exploratorium relocation
- **[community_signal]** Museum implementing tiered reward structure to encourage crowdfunding participation and community support (confidence: high) — Article describes 'multiple levels of reward for anyone making a pledge' ranging from merchandise to VIP access and warehouse tours

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## Transcript

Date: 3rd September, 2012

The Pacific Pinball Museum has launched a fundraising campaign in a bid to break into the mainstream with a transfer to prestigious new premises in San Francisco.

The impending move of the Exploratorium museum out of the Palace of Fine Arts in Golden Gate Park has provided an unprecedented opportunity for the Pacific Pinball Museum to relocate to the new home it has been seeking for many years.

Since it began as the Lucky Ju-Ju at the end of 2002, the Pacific Pinball Museum has expended both in space, ambition, and in the size of its collection. Several high profile donations have seen the number of machines it owns rise to around 500. By contrast, the current Pacific Pinball Museum location in Alameda has space to exhibit just 90.

At last year's Pacific Pinball Exposition, the Museum's founder and Executive Director Michael Schiess launched the proposal to relocate, citing the expected move of the Exploratorium as their dream home, but also investigating the former Naval Air Station Recreation Center in Alameda which, after further investigation, proved not to be suitable.

Now that the Exploratorium's move is confirmed and the City of San Francisco will soon be looking for new tenants for the building, the Pacific Pinball Museum's board has swung into action and launched a funding drive to convince the City they have a viable, adequately-funded long-term proposition.

The sum being sought is $1.5 million and they're hoping to raise as much of this as possible in just 30 days, through the IndieGoGo project financing website.

The $1.5m sum is seen as sufficient to show the City they are serious about their proposal and have the funds available to remodel the building, move in all the games, exhibits and equipment needed to support a museum with around 500 machines, pay staff to keep the operation running, and begin establishing the educational programmes they wish to provide.

There are multiple levels of reward for anyone making a pledge to the Museum's cause, ranging from posters, T-shirts and hats through to VIP Pacific Pinball Exposition entry and private tours of the Museum's warehouse facility.

Michael Schiess told Pinball News, "Our Indiegogo campaign is going to raise the money needed to find a larger space for our museum so that we may display more of the collection. We have an opportunity to make a pitch for the Exploratorium's space when they leave in 2013. This war chest will help us succeed. We will also develop a curriculum with the funds."

Unlike similar crowd-funding schemes such as Kickstarter, even if the full total is not raised by the end of September all donations will go to fund the Museum's proposal and help strengthen their hand in negotiations with the City's Recreations and Parks department.

The City will be inviting proposals as soon as the Exploratorium has vacated the building in the spring of 2013, so the clock is running to produce a convincing and realistic proposition for the PPM to take over the landmark site.

Anyone wishing to help support the Museum's aims should visit the IndieGoGo mini-site where further details and a video showing some of the Museum's work can be found.

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*Exported from Journalist Tool on 2026-04-13 | Item ID: ffbc593f-4b12-4b74-bef5-10ec1a3d21c3*