I was generally surprised there was a museum about pinball machines. I did not know it was actually…read morea place someone would be interested in going to because I thought it was just a museum that people could see and maybe interact with a few machines. Imagine my surprise when I walked in and a lot of machines were playable. The older ones ~1900s were behind viewing glass but ~1920s, there were playable. There were also old jukeboxes/record players that you can interact with. Admission was a quick and simple. For all day access, it was ~22 dollars. It is cheaper for students and children. Honestly, I needed the unlimited access because I quickly learned I wasn't that great. Looks are deceiving from the outside, but it is pretty spacious inside. It was a museum with descriptive signs, but you can play on them. I liked the hourse racing even though the flippers were not all that helpful and I end up more on the side ends but it was cool to see the horses move. I also liked the more modern ones like the Guns and Roses, and especially Pokemon. It was so cool to see a skeletal pinball machine too. I always did like looking at gears. If I am around Alameda, I highly recommend and suggest going with friends.

I've been to Alameda at least once or twice a week, but somehow I had never noticed the Pacific…read morePinball Museum! After dining in Alameda one day, I randomly stumbled upon it while taking a walk and decided to stop in. The entrance is small, but the gentleman behind the counter was incredibly friendly and helpful. He gave us a quick explanation of the pricing, in-and-out privileges, and where the different games were located. He was brief but enthusiastic, informative, and welcoming. We paid for admission and ended up staying for about an hour--and it was so much fun! The games are definitely addictive, and there's a great mix of people of all ages, from children to adults. The space is a little narrow and can get crowded, but that also adds to the lively atmosphere. There's one restroom available, and I was pleasantly surprised by how clean, tidy, and fully stocked it was. Overall, this is such a lovely hidden gem in Alameda. Admission is reasonably priced, and with the in-and-out privileges, you can easily make the most of your visit. It's a fun place for all ages, and I would definitely recommend checking it out. I'll absolutely be back in the future! *****FIVE STARS*****

The free Friday nights are such a vibe with live music and the DJ was TOO GOOD for the crowd…read more Food trucks outside were the most diverse options including Swahili, Nepal, South African also ice cream!

This museum is so underrated!…read more There are plenty of exhibits to explore, along with interactive areas that make learning fun for kids. It's a great place to spend a day with the family, whether you're looking to learn something new, relax, or simply enjoy a beautiful day in Oakland. I especially appreciate that this museum participates in the Museums for All program, which helps make cultural and educational experiences more accessible to families. We had a wonderful visit and I'll definitely be coming back more often. If you're looking for a family-friendly activity that's both fun and educational, this museum is worth checking out.

Definitely worth the price of admission (it's free). Clean and well organized it's a very miniature…read moreversion of the Monterey Bay Aquarium. There are a few small aquariums and some educational materials, too.

This was a pleasant surprise when we walked along the Alameda bay path. I didn't know the Crab Cove…read morevisitor center existed and it's free. They have fish feedings on Sundays and it was really interesting hearing from the naturalists about the various fish and environment around the bay. They have a couple of starfish, an eel, and a shark in the visitor center aquarium. It was fascinating watching the starfish eat an oyster. Harmony Miller was extremely nice and knowledgeable about the wildlife and area. We learned so much and will be coming back for the fish festival!

Walking around a US Aircraft carrier museum is the best thing one can ever experience. Without…read morefurther ado, let's begin this lifetime review. The USS Hornet Sea, Air and Space Museum is a museum shop in Alameda, CA. Visitors can do a free self-guided tour of the flight deck, hanger, and first deck below while other section of the musuem requires a tour guide at a price. It has many aircraft exhibits and naval artifacts. Some of my favorite jets were F-8 Crusader, F/A-18 Hornet, F-14 Tomcat and F-4J Phantom. Moreover, I explored their Med bay whereby it has two ORs and dozens of berthing beds. Similarly, they have the Apollo display exhibit. It's truly an awesome WWII aircraft carrier. Admission ticket is affordable. Staff were nice. During my visit, I nearly lost by wallet luckily one of their security staff found it which I dropped somewhere in the carrier!! What a nightmare. Yikes!!! Customers have plenty of parking spot on the dock. Overall, I am glad that I get to visit this naval aircraft carrier museum. I recommend you visit.

The USS Hornet Museum is located in Alameda. To get there from SF you can take the low cost ferry…read more(M-F) from the SF ferry terminal to the Alameda Seaplane stop. It takes about 10 minutes to cross the water and then about 10 minutes on foot to Hornet. Don't worry you can easily see it from the ferry. If you don't take the ferry on M-F or go on a Sat or Sun it is going to be much harder to get here coming from SF. Car parking is free here if you do drive. I visited on a Monday and bought my ticket while onboard. They offer 4 docent led tours for extra cost and I chose the Island tour for an extra $12. This tour let us explore the Island including going to the bridge, CIC, Flight Ops, etc. I thought it was well worth the cost and led by a knowledgeable docent. During that time, I also got to walk the Flight Deck and look at the static display aircraft on it. The hangar deck (where you first enter) had several other aircraft on display along with other exhibits including Hornets' participation in recovering the Apollo 11 & 12 crews from visiting the Moon. Hornet (CV-12) was decommissioned shortly after. Below the hangar decks, I found the self guided tour route to be a little confusing. A couple of times, I got lost but could always reorient myself by going back up to the Hangar deck. By the way they only offer a digital QR code map. All in all the ship is in good shape. I understand that they are trying to relocate CV-12 over to SF possibly near the Jeremiah O'Brien which would greatly improve foot traffic and visibility.

The Pardee Home Museum has been on my radar for a while as one of the few places in the East Bay to…read moreget afternoon tea. I ended up finally booking the garden for a large party this month and was impressed by the experience from start to finish. It's hard to believe that it's entirely volunteer-led! Everyone I met was clearly knowledgeable and passionate about the house, its history, and its preservation. Making a reservation was easy and the coordinators were kind and courteous during the whole process. The day-of place settings were beautiful and the food was some of the best I've had for tea in addition to being generous and variable in servings. There were even some kid-friendly items (including some non-caffeinated beverages) as I had a few young guests in attendance. The tour we had following our tea service was detailed and informative without being boring. The house itself is incredibly preserved and in immaculate condition. It was great learning about the history of the Pardee family and their influence in the Bay Area, California, and beyond. There were some interactive parts too including getting to touch some antique items and listen to some hand-cranked music players. I will undoubtedly be back sometime and highly encourage anyone who likes good food and vibes or learning about local history to book a visit themselves. If you have people from out-of-town visiting, the Pardee Home is an excellent first choice for doing something low-key and private but still touristy.

This tea party was a perfect experience. The food was delicious, the ladies serving were…read moredelightful, and the tour of the museum afterwards was so interesting!

MADE is absolutely fantastic. Staff are exactly my people--quirky nerds who love video games. The…read moreselection is great. You'll see a wide variety of consoles, including the Sega Dreamcast and Commodore 64, but also old computers like the Apple II running Oregon Trail. Alongside the consoles and computers running video games, you'll see art pieces that show the insides of various consoles, and info papers that share the history of each one. The magic is in the details. Seeing some consoles have what seems to be a featured game, with info on that game's history and reception, is really cool. The Panasonic consoles had info on their wonky Zelda games, and the Xbox 360 had info on Sonic '06. I also love seeing info sheets about women in gaming. These bits of history really show how much MADE cares about teaching their attendees about video games. It's $20 to get in the door, and you can stay for as long as you'd like. You can even leave and come back throughout the day. It's a great deal and honestly a perfect way to spend a day.

I visited the Museum of Art and Digital Entertainment when it was on 3400 Broadway. I went back to…read moretheir newest location, and it was as good as the last time I visited.

Great little garden within the Lake Merritt Garden. Unfortunately part was under construction so…read morewe'll be back. The "curator" (not sure what to call him) was super nice. They have classes on the fourth Sunday of every month. Definitely will check that out.

Beautiful gardens hidden away in a busy city…read more Sad to see a group of teen throwing trash into the lake. They don't even respect their own area.

This place was such a blast! Me and my old roommate were fully reliving our 20s for a full hour as…read morewe played all the fighting games there. All of the games had well maintained cabinets and controls and a large selection of well thought out other games. Especially appreciated the rare guitar hero set up. Thanks for the stroll down memory lane!

This place is crazy nostalgic, and I'm loving it. Playing the games I grew up with, along with the…read moresounds of kids having fun, the games are clean, and the area is fantastic. A nice park around the corner and plenty of restaurants a short walk away. I drove just shy of 100 miles to get there and try their games, and it was worth it. The town is like a cool getaway, especially if you live in an area that gets hot.

Great little museum. Lots of models and displays about Naval Aviation, especially at Alameda NAS…read more I was pleasantly surprised by the huge Battleship Yamato and USS Enterprise CV-65 models. There's also a small area about PanAm flying boats that used to fly out of Alameda. Upstairs there's a model train layout with a couple operating trains. There's also a static train layout. They hope to get a couple other train layouts done. If you're in the area I think it's worth the visit. I hope to drop by again.

Life was meant for good friends and great adventures. There are friends, there is family, and then…read morethere are friends that become family. Alameda Naval Air Museum and I are beloved old friends who became family and a great adventure. Alameda Naval Air Museum is the friend who walked in when friend NAS (Naval Air Station) Alameda was forced to walk out. I've been visiting this museum on a regular basis because of the emotions and passion it brings up in me each time I visit, a moment of poignance and earnestness on a public stage --and because it always has something new. I remember well all the prosperity, commerce, pride, and connections NAS Alameda brought to the Alameda Island. Hello, old friend. I've come to walk with you again. We drove past the groovy A-7 Corsair mounted in the median towards the lagoon and there it is again. I see it all again with the old familiar feelings of patriotism. For years Alameda Naval Air Museum is housed in the former Military Air Travel Terminal & Waiting Room for NAS Alameda. Here again I so enjoy the 50-year history beginning in 1942 of NAS Alameda in defense of America, the units that Served there, their missions during WWII as the 'Gateway To The Pacific', the Sailors and Marines that Served there, and the wonderful Art Deco design of the enlisted barracks, mess hall, headquarters, and more buildings. During WWII, 45,000 people were stationed at NAS Alameda. The town of Alameda -- Spanish for tree-lined path -- then had only 25,000 people. Fact: Alameda is located on part of what once was the site of one of the largest coastal oak forests in the world. The museum has a lot of cool stuff about born in Alameda in 1896, Medal of Honor recipient, WWII US Army General James Doolittle. Museum's now open Saturday from 1000 - 1500, 10:00am to 3:00pm, and open by appointment for group tours of 10 or more during the week. Crow's Nest is available any day of the week for events. Archive and research hours are available by appointment Wednesdays 1200 - 1600, noon to 4:00pm. Admission is $10.00 --free for under age twelve, and Active Duty or retired military with military ID ( https://wmphoenixopen.com/wp-content/uploads/military-id-poster-2020.pdf ), and for organized youth groups by appointment. Has free parking and is wheelchair accessible. At 1000, 10am, upon presentation of my US Department of Defense id with my former rank on it, I was welcomed in at no charge by a smiling volunteer. They can always use more volunteers I tell my young cousin who was driving us that day. My young cousin just smiled and prepared himself for during the next five hours as I always tour here the full five hours it's open of my regular gently prodding to him to enlist in the US Armed Forces. Like all best families, we have our share of eccentricities, of impetuous and wayward youngsters and of family disagreements. There's usually something new here each time I visit. That's because the museum is always accepting old things, photos, artifacts, home movies, stories, and anything from Naval Air Station Alameda 50-years of Service in defense of the United States. When it comes to business, amateurs practice until they get it right while professionals such as this business practice until they can't get it wrong. Alameda Naval Air Museum is a rainbow in the Dick Cheney rain upon the San Francisco Bay Area. You see, NAS Alameda was a victim of Republican Dick Cheney's 1993 Base Realignment and Closure Commission along with nearly all of the major military bases in the Bay Area (Including Mare Island, Treasure Island and Concord NWS, as well as 2 hours south the closure of Fort Ord Army Base. I betcha the day is soon coming when we'll need all these military bases back. China isn't the only reason. I remember well the loss and sorrow I and most on Alameda Island and the rest of the San Francisco Bay Area felt at the closure of NAS Alameda. The financial devastation, social connections devastation and community identity devastation was immediate, far-reaching and long-lasting. I remember often seeing the U.S.S Enterprise docked at NAS Alameda. Each time brought tears to my eyes; the ship was so magnificent. It was the world's first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier when commissioned in 1961. Big E called the Alameda Naval Air Station home from 1965 until 1989. Today, while I'm at Alameda Naval Air Museum, U.S.S. Enterprise and so very much more, are remembered publicly by this oh-so-cool museum to a shining, outstanding, wonderful, and extraordinary 50-year-moment in America's history. Oh gosh. Here I go crying again - over this darn museum.

It feels so important to have this museum, especially in Downtown Oakland. It is easily accessible…read moreby BART and free admission, though I recommend donating to help support. It is a small space but the exhibits are curated nicely. I went during the Happy Birthday Oscar exhibit and it was emotional but informative.

Easy to get to on the Bart transit system. You only walk…read moreabout a block from train station. Building is clearly labeled. Aliyah was welcoming when we walked in. We signed in using tablet. Aliyah explained the best place to start exhibit. There is comfortable se as ting to look at books and watch the video. Good information to add to what you may already know or not know. Great merchandise in store and online. Would definitely pop in again!