Cover photo: The Strong National Museum of Play in Rochester, New York, photographed in February 2013. Photo: Ruhrfisch · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Resized.
Beyond baseball in Cooperstown and rock in Cleveland, America has halls of fame for toys, pinball and burlesque, and they make memorable stops on a road trip. The National Toy Hall of Fame in Rochester is the best for families; the Pinball Hall of Fame and the Burlesque Hall of Fame are two of the most unusual things to do in Las Vegas away from the casinos.
This guide was researched on 5 November 2026 using each venue's official website. Hours and prices change, so check them before you go.
The halls at a glance
Swipe or scroll horizontally to see the full table.
| Hall of fame | City | Open | Admission | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| National Toy Hall of Fame | Rochester, New York | Daily; late on Fri and Sat | From $25 | Families and nostalgia |
| Pinball Hall of Fame | Las Vegas, Nevada | Daily, 10:00 to 21:00 or 22:00 | Free entry; pay per game | Playing hundreds of machines |
| Burlesque Hall of Fame | Las Vegas, Nevada | Check before visiting | $15 | Costume, performance and social history |
National Toy Hall of Fame, Rochester
The National Toy Hall of Fame was established in 1998 and is part of The Strong National Museum of Play, shown at the top of this page. Inductees range from simple classics, such as alphabet blocks and the baby doll, to the Atari 2600 games console and American Girl dolls. New inductees are announced each November, and the museum celebrates them with a weekend event, this year on 7–8 November 2026.
The museum, at One Manhattan Square in Rochester, is open daily from 10:00 to 17:00, and until 20:00 on Fridays and Saturdays. One-day tickets start at $25, and children under two are free. On Fridays after 16:00, tickets are half price. Allow at least half a day: the Toy Hall of Fame is only one part of a large museum of play, which also includes video game and pinball collections.
Pinball Hall of Fame, Las Vegas
Despite the name, the Pinball Hall of Fame is less a museum than a huge, playable arcade. Run by a non-profit collectors' club, it fills 25,000 square feet with what it calls the world's largest pinball collection, from early electro-mechanical tables to modern machines.
It is at 4925 Las Vegas Boulevard South, at the southern end of the Strip near the "Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas" sign. Entry is free; older machines cost 25 cents a game and newer ones 50 cents. It is open daily from 10:00, until 21:00 Sunday to Thursday and until 22:00 on Friday and Saturday. Bring quarters or use the change machines inside.
Burlesque Hall of Fame, Las Vegas
The Burlesque Hall of Fame grew out of a collection started by the dancer Jennie Lee in the 1960s and later shown as "Exotic World" in Helendale, California. It moved to Las Vegas in 2007 and is now a non-profit museum at 1027 South Main Street in the Arts District.
The museum preserves costumes, photographs and stories from burlesque history, and presents its annual "Living Legend" awards; it does not have a formal induction process. Admission is $15, $12 for Nevada residents and $10 for students, seniors and military. Opening hours are not published on its website, so call or check its social channels before you go.
Fitting them into a trip
- Rochester: combine the Strong Museum with a western New York trip to Niagara Falls or the Finger Lakes.
- Las Vegas: the Pinball Hall of Fame and the Burlesque Hall of Fame are about 15 minutes apart by car. Pair the Pinball Hall of Fame with a photo at the Welcome to Las Vegas sign, and the Burlesque Hall of Fame with an evening in the Arts District.
For more on planning a trip around the country, see our USA travel guide and things to do in the USA.
Unexpected halls of fame: FAQ
Is the Pinball Hall of Fame free?
Entry is free. You pay for each game, usually 25 or 50 cents.
How are toys chosen for the National Toy Hall of Fame?
The Strong announces a list of finalists each year, and new inductees are revealed in November.
What happened to the Robot Hall of Fame?
The Robot Hall of Fame was created by Carnegie Mellon University in 2003. We could not confirm whether it can be visited in 2026, so we have not included it here.
Sources and planning checks
Hours, prices and history were checked on 5 November 2026 against The Strong National Museum of Play, the Pinball Hall of Fame and the Burlesque Hall of Fame. The Robot Hall of Fame and the New Orleans Saints Hall of Fame, featured in the original 2014 version of this article, could not be verified and were removed. Travel suggestions are editorial judgments.
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