The Making of 'bagatelle to Twilight Zone'

Pinball News Website·article·analyzed·Jan 1, 2010

Analysis

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TL;DR

Pacific Pinball Museum curates historical pinball exhibition at SFO Airport spanning 1898-modern era.

Summary

Michael Schiess, President of Pacific Pinball Museum, documents the creation of a comprehensive pinball exhibition at San Francisco Airport Museum (SFAM) spanning from an 1898 Redgrave Bagatelle to Twilight Zone. The project, initiated in 2008, involved curating 36 machines and artifacts, professionally installing them with custom stands and lighting systems, and providing free-play stations in the airport's international terminal from January 4-14, 2010, attracting significant public interest from travelers worldwide.

Key Claims

The exhibition spans 112 years of pinball history, beginning with an 1898 Redgrave Bagatelle and ending with Twilight Zone
high confidence · Michael Schiess explicitly states 'The total number of machines displayed is 36, starting with an 1898 Redgrave Bagatelle and ending of course, with the Twilight Zone as expected.'
The project took approximately one year from initial conception in 2008 to exhibition opening in early 2010
high confidence · Schiess describes Tim O'Brien's contact in 2008 and references 'a year long project' with the exhibition opening January 4-14, 2010
Eight electro-mechanical machines were set up for free public play in the airport's non-secured international terminal zone
high confidence · Schiess states 'We had a nice array of 8 Electro-Mechanical games' including specific titles and years, all set up 'around the column between the 2 display cases in the non-secured zone of the International Terminal'
Custom transformer boards and modified electrical systems were needed to safely display pre-war machines with reduced wattage bulbs and timed lighting cycles
high confidence · Schiess describes making '6 transformer boards to supply 6 volts AC' and cycling 'lights on and off every 2 hours to avoid overheating' for pre-war machines
The exhibition took 5 days to fully install and wire, requiring adjustments to tilt pendulum sensitivity due to the angled display stands
high confidence · Schiess notes 'It took 5 days to install all the objects and wire everything up' and describes discovering 'the added angle of the stand was causing the tilt pendulum to be on'

Notable Quotes

“The pinball show is all about playing the games to have fun. The San Francisco Airport Museum is centered on education. Their process relies on thorough documentation, research, accuracy and engaging aesthetics for displaying objects.”
Michael Schiess @ mid-article — Articulates the fundamental philosophical difference between pinball community events (recreational) and museum exhibitions (educational/archival)
“I'm sure many people missed their flights when we had the pins out for play in early January.”
Michael Schiess @ mid-article — Humorous observation indicating the exhibition's powerful draw and public engagement at the airport
“As I sat there one day watching the throngs of travelers from all over discover our treasure chest of fun I realized that this was the last bit of America that they were leaving with. They got a taste of a real American icon; it was free, entertaining and cool.”
Michael Schiess @ conclusion section — Reflects on pinball's cultural significance as an American icon and the exhibition's role in cultural ambassadorship
“Many people were drawn by the sound of the bells and chimes, one that many admittedly had not heard for some time and were 'unmistakable'.”
Michael Schiess @ public response section — Identifies the auditory experience of pinball as a powerful nostalgia trigger and draw for the general public

Entities

Pacific Pinball MuseumorganizationSan Francisco Airport Museum (SFAM)organizationMichael SchiesspersonTim O'BrienpersonKelvin GodshallpersonRoman KorloevpersonAbe GarfieldpersonRichard CongerpersonLarry ZartarianpersonDan Millerperson

Signals

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community_signal: Free public pinball play at SFO Airport International Terminal generated substantial public interest, with evidence of widespread engagement from international travelers including families and multi-generational players
high · 'I'm sure many people missed their flights when we had the pins out for play in early January' and descriptions of 'throngs of travelers from all over' and 'Fun for all ages' photographic evidence
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event_signal: Pacific Pinball Museum partnered with San Francisco Airport Museum to create a comprehensive 36-machine pinball exhibition spanning 112 years of pinball history (1898 Bagatelle to Twilight Zone), with free public play stations in the airport's international terminal from January 4-14, 2010
high · Multiple detailed descriptions of exhibition scope, dates, location, and public play component throughout the article
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community_signal: Pacific Pinball Museum community figures (Richard Conger, Larry Zartarian, Dan Miller, Helmut Jordt, Gordon Hasse) provided extensive research, curation advice, and technical assistance to San Francisco Airport Museum for exhibition development
high · Schiess notes 'Richard Conger, Larry Zartarian, Dan Miller, Helmut Jordt, Gordon Hasse myself and others offered answers and suggestions to narrow down the choice of machines and artifacts'
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technology_signal: Exhibition design required specialized technical adaptations for displaying pre-war electro-mechanical machines, including custom transformer boards (6V AC supply), reduced-wattage bulbs, timed lighting cycles (2-hour intervals), and tilt pendulum insulation modifications
high · Schiess describes 'made 6 transformer boards to supply 6 volts AC,' cycling lights 'every 2 hours to avoid overheating,' and adjusting tilt mechanisms due to stand angles

Topics

Museum curation and archival practice in pinball cultureprimaryTechnical challenges of displaying and lighting pre-war/electro-mechanical machinesprimaryPinball exhibition design and aesthetic presentationprimaryPublic engagement and pinball nostalgia at mainstream venuesprimaryChronological evolution of pinball machine design and art styles (1898-modern)secondaryInstitutional collaboration between museum and hobbyist communitiessecondaryPinball as American cultural iconmentioned

Sentiment

positive(0.85)— Author expresses satisfaction with project outcome, pride in community accomplishment, and enthusiasm about public reception. Tone is professional yet warm, with celebratory notes about the exhibition's success and cultural impact. Minor practical challenges (tilt pendulum issue, installation timeline stress) are presented matter-of-factly without negativity. Final reflection emphasizes deep satisfaction with the work.

Transcript

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Report by: Michael Schiess, Pacific Pinball Museum Date: January 2010 Tim O’ Brien of the San Francisco Airport Museum contacted me in 2008 about doing a show on Neptune Beach, the 1920 to '30s “Coney Island of the West” in Alameda. Although we were still officially the Neptune Beach Amusement Museum, I told Tim there wasn’t much to be had about Neptune Beach and that we had reformed into the Pacific Pinball Museum. When I asked “How about doing a pinball exhibition?” he replied that because of the height of the exhibit cases it would be hard to display something that far up on it’s legs. I suggested cutting the legs shorter so you could see everything and an exhibition was born. He called me after discussing this with the directors and thus started a year long project to produce the best exhibition on the historical/artistic evolution of pinball that has ever been done. After a lot of questions to me and a visit to the PPM and Richard Conger’s Silver Ball Ranch, Tim caught the bug. Like any good curator, he did his research and asked a lot of questions. Richard Conger, Larry Zartarian, Dan Miller, Helmut Jordt, Gordon Hasse myself and others offered answers and suggestions to narrow down the choice of machines and artifacts. He also came down to the Ju Ju on a Saturday night and played a mean pinball. After many round robin e-mails a list of games was made. This was modified for availability and after a lengthy process a final list was made. At this point, the registrar steps in. They take possession of each object and forms are filled out stating the condition, pictures are taken and the object is cleaned, tagged and documented. Papers are signed and this continued until the end of the Pacific Pinball Exposition, 2009 where the lion's share of pinballs were taken from the PPE directly to a facility in South San Francisco for processing. This is where pinball show and museum exhibition split away from each other. The pinball show is all about playing the games to have fun. The San Francisco Airport Museum is centered on education. Their process relies on thorough documentation, research, accuracy and engaging aesthetics for displaying objects. It is professionally presented and logically arranged and documented so the average person gets a good perspective on the subject so the end result is that you feel you are getting the straight dope. A pop bumper exhibit To make this all happen takes a team of dedicated museum preparators, curators, designers, graphic artists, fabricators and installers. The main people involved from SFAM were Assistant Director Abe Garfield and Curator Kelvin Godshall who designed the exhibition. Principal Preparator Roman Korloev led the installation, which included preparators Robert Harris and Jason Rogowski. Curator, Kelvin Godshall and Principal Preparator, Roman Korloev When the decision was made to have some backboxes next to complete machines lit up, they called upon me, Jem Gruber and Helmut Jordt to make it happen. As some of the objects were pre-war, we made sure all the bulbs were swapped out for lower wattage and had lights cycled on and off every 2 hours to avoid overheating. To run the heads by themselves, I made 6 transformer boards to supply 6 volts AC. We used jumper wires to light an interesting pattern and the general illumination lamps, and with the complete machines, we wired the hold switches on permanently. Coronation flanked by Cue-Tee and Rainbow The SFAM went to a lot of trouble to make special stands for each object complete with “legs” that actually secure them. The background wall was done with the spatter pattern found on many older machines, the design based on the cabinet graphics for “Humpty Dumpty”. Drop targets and the change to solid-state machines Every machine and object is labeled and credit given to the lender. The stands are brought in one at a time, bolted in place, and then machines are brought in and secured to the base through the leg holes. Installing the machines It took 5 days to install all the objects and wire everything up. One problem arose when the machines would not light up as they were supposed to. It turned out; the added angle of the stand was causing the tilt pendulum to be on so we went into each machine and insulated the ring and bob. After all that, the graphics and small object stands were installed. Fortunately I was not needed for that as I had already spent a few weeks at the airport and there were machines at our museum needing attention. The amazing thing is we were able to assist with all of this while at the same time, opening the new wing of the Pacific Pinball Museum and running it 6 days a week. It was a bit of a burn but when I went back to see the full display, it was so worth it! Some of the machines on display during the set-up Wedgeheads and electro-mechanical machines The total number of machines displayed is 36, starting with an 1898 Redgrave Bagatelle and ending of course, with the Twilight Zone as expected. The earliest pinballs... ...and the accompanying historical information... ...through to the most modern in the exhibition The exhibition is arranged chronologically with an emphasis on demonstrating the different art styles chosen by the various artists creating the graphics for the machines. Information about Art Stenholm From Roy Parker and George Molentin to Christian Marche and Dave Christensen, many styles are represented and the eye candy is too much to resist for the travelers. Information about Jerry Kelley I’m sure many people missed their flights when we had the pins out for play in early January. In fact, as it turns out, there are people who made the trek either to look specifically at the exhibition or to play free pinball that we provided from January 4th to the 14th. Unloading pins at SFO The free pinball was an excellent opportunity for us to hand out museum information and get people playing pinball again. We had a nice array of 8 Electro-Mechanical games: Gottlieb’s 1951 “Flying High”, ’59 “Universe”, ’66 “Hurdy Gurdy”, ’69 “Mini Pool”, and a’73 “High Hand”. Not to be Gottlieb-centric, a 1976 Bally Capt. Fantastic and Williams ’67 “Apollo” and ’73 “Gulfstream” were present. Setting up the machines in the airport terminal All these were set up around the column between the 2 display cases in the non-secured zone of the International Terminal. The machines being enjoyed The response has been incredible! Many people were drawn by the sound of the bells and chimes, one that many admittedly had not heard for some time and were “unmistakable”. Fun for all ages PPM Board members visit the pinball exhibit at the airport As I sat there one day watching the throngs of travelers from all over discover our treasure chest of fun I realized that this was the last bit of America that they were leaving with. They got a taste of a real American icon; it was free, entertaining and cool. I felt like a good will ambassador making sure everyone left our country with a good memory of what America is and was. They sure looked happy! A video of the free pinball session at SFO The latest news is - after just getting off the phone with Tim - they will be discussing a repeat of the pins for free-play at the airport in March. I am hoping we can do it once more so keep watching Pinball News for an announcement. If you happen to be traveling to San Francisco in March, you will be in for a treat! Michael Schiess President, Pacific Pinball Museum, Alameda, California More info: www.pacificpinball.org www.sfoarts.org/exhibits/current.html Back to the front page