How did the idea of creating the Museum of Soviet Arcade Machines come about?
Everything began when the three founders of the museum – Alexander Stakhanov, Alexander Vugman and Maxim Pinigin – wanted to put a 'Sea Battle' machine at home, and then realized that it was interesting not only to them but also to their friends.\r\n\r\nThey bought the first machines for next to nothing and put them in a garage. Besides 'Sea Battle', there were others – all incomplete and partly disassembled. None of the machines worked. But the enthusiasm did not fade; on the contrary: in the process of searching for spare parts the dream of having a 'Sea Battle' at home evolved into a great interest in arcade machines in general. It became clear that these were of great value, that the machines were disappearing before our eyes and needed to be preserved. That's how the idea of a museum appeared.
Founders of the Museum of Soviet Arcade Machines in 2007: Alexander Vugman, Maxim Pinigin and Alexander Stakhanov
Were Soviet arcade machines different from foreign ones? What were their differences?
The fundamental difference was that Soviet ideology, first, excluded any element of gambling — there was and is no monetary prize in the machines — and second, each machine, besides entertainment, had a compulsory educational function. They all developed something: accuracy, reaction speed, dexterity, attentiveness, memory and the ability to judge distances.\r\n\r\nA second important difference is the place of manufacture. Abroad, machines were produced at specialized factories. In the Soviet Union the advanced electronics, expensive materials and technologies required to create arcade machines were found only at military plants — therefore all developments of 'small-form attractions' were kept classified for a very long time. But even the military plants at that time did not have access to the lightweight and cheap materials from which machines were made in the West. Internally our arcade machines differed greatly from their prototypes — everything was implemented using heavy Soviet electronics. The machines were, so to speak, made from the same materials used to build tanks, so the cost of each could equal that of a car, and the machines could weigh up to two hundred kilograms.
Photo: Museum of Soviet Arcade Machines 15kop.ru
How many machines are in the collection?
The museum has assembled the world's largest collection of working Soviet arcades. The museum's holdings include around 300 exhibits in total. There are 74 unique machines overall, which is about 70% of all types produced in the USSR.
Photo: Museum of Soviet Arcade Machines 15kop.ru
Photo: Museum of Soviet Arcade Machines 15kop.ru
Tell us about a few rare exhibits
Among the rare and unique machines in the museum and its collections are such machines as 'Astropilot', 'Memory', 'Pingball', 'Python', and 'Mini Kegli'.
The arcade machine 'Astropilot.' The objective of the game is to fly over the surface of a planet in a flying saucer, maneuvering around obstacles. Control is achieved with two handles: one controls speed, the other controls flight altitude.
The arcade machine 'Memory' was the prototype of 'logical' arcade machines. The game was implemented on discrete logic circuits: not yet a microprocessor, but already a complex electronic program.
What is the museum's main mission?
Our museum is a cozy and intelligent play space. There is room here for arcades, for the study of Soviet engineering inventions, for discussions about human-machine interaction, and even for dancing to the jukebox. Therefore we see our mission as providing visitors with the freedom to assemble their own user experience through interaction with the exhibition, special projects, exhibitions and public educational events.
Photo: Museum of Soviet Arcade Machines 15kop.ru
What are the museum's plans for the future?
To continue developing the collection, to research our arcades, and to tell their story from different perspectives: through the technical history of Soviet engineering production of 'small-form attractions', as well as through objects of industrial design, paying special attention to the 'anatomy' of game engineering. To continue the dialogue with our visitors and to construct a unique experience for them. You can follow our projects, exhibitions, lectures and other activities on the website and on our Telegram channel.
