The Brighton

Mechanical Memories Museum

In the Kings Road Arches, you'll find this amazing collection of amusement machines which date from 1900 to 1960. Quite fittingly, they're all paid for in old pennies and give an insight into the life of the slot machine which is quite an eye-opener. Fortunately for the visitor, the museum supplies the old pennies so you won't have to nip home and ask your gran! The collection is great and it's not just made up of slot machines, there's every of ephemera from the period here, including posters and adverts from the period and a fairground organ. In the collection are photographs and oral history, the decorative art which adorned the bilboards of the time, along with some industrial and scientific and social history of the area. You can't have an arcade without music and there's plenty of music all around you in the collection. No pier would be without one and the museum has two - What the Butler Saw machines that is. They're only for educational purposes mind you - no titillation permitted!

The museum is run by volunteers and opens from March to October in the school holidays and weekends and in the winter opens weekends only - weather permitting.

To Contact:
Address: c/o John Hayward, 50 St Lukes Road, Brighton, BN2 2ZD

Tel: 01273 608620