One of the most wonderful things about travel is that there are countless reasons to explore different destinations, whether that be for new adventures, unique experiences, or once-in-a-lifetime thrills. There are many travelers who hit the road to take a trip to yesteryear, seeking out nostalgic sites like the world’s oldest drive-in movie theater or an abandoned Indiana amusement park that are frozen in time. For those looking to relive the button mashing adrenaline rush of classic video games, there’s a New England gem that can’t be missed: the American Classic Arcade Museum (ACAM) in Laconia, New Hampshire. Located a 45-minute drive north of the charming and picturesque capital city of Concord, ACAM holds the world record for being the largest arcade game museum on the planet, boasting hundreds of vintage games.
Housed inside Funspot, a massive three-story video arcade that boasts its own monumental world record, ACAM has been dedicated to promoting the history of coin-operated games for nearly 30 years. The museum was founded by Gary Vincent, a tenured Funspot employee who started working at the arcade as a teenager in 1981. Wanting to preserve aging titles that were going out of style, Vincent convinced Funspot owner Bob Lawton to convert part of the space into a museum. Thus, in 1998, ACAM was born, now occupying an entire floor of the Funspot complex.
Immerse yourself in video game history of the American Classic Arcade Museum
Video games have had an indelible and lasting impact on entertainment and popular culture around the world. Worth over $200 billion today (per Grand View Research), the booming video game industry was born in 1971 after the release of “Computer Space,” the first commercially available title. New Hampshire’s American Classic Arcade Museum is one of the few places in the world to have a still-functional copy of “Computer Space,” displayed on a black-and-white monitor powered by vacuum tubes.
The ACAM collection is home to over 250 vintage titles from the 1970s and ’80s, a period that is considered to be the “Golden Age” of arcade gaming. Rows of these relics occupy the spacious museum, predominantly arranged by publisher. Prolific publishers such as Atari, Nintendo, and Taito have their own dedicated sections of the museum, featuring dozens of games released under those brands. Browse beloved titles including “Tetris,” “Space Invaders,” “Tron,” and hundreds more. There’s even a subsection of the Nintendo row dedicated exclusively to “Donkey Kong” and its many sequels.
ACAM is also committed to maintaining a number of rare titles, many of which had a limited original release. In addition to “Computer Space,” the museum hosts games that are nearly impossible to find anywhere else in the world. There’s “Death Race,” a controversial grim reaper driving game that sold less than 500 units; the ultra-rare “Cloak & Dagger” release; and an immersive “Star Trek” game that’s infamous for catching fire.
Experience peak ’80s nostalgia at the Funspot Arcade
