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Marvin's Marvelous Mechanical Museum is an arcade and museum located in Farmington Hills, Michigan. It is devoted to a large collection of coin-operated animatronic dummies, mechanical games, and other curiosities. Exhibits include, for example, the gypsy Fortune teller machine that used to feature in many carnival sideshows. Most of the machines at the museum are still functional and visitors are encouraged to use them. It is currently located in a 5,500-square-foot (510 m) space.

In late 2023, a new development, including a Meijer store, was proposed which would involve tearing down the building occupied by Marvin's. The choice was approved by the Farmington Hills council on February 14, 2024, although the owner has stated that Marvin's will be relocating. In December of 2024, it was announced that the museum would be moving to a new, larger space in West Bloomfield.

Founder

The museum's founder, Marvin Yagoda, was a collector for over 60 years. He graduated from the University of Michigan as a pharmacist and took over his father's store, Sam's Drugs in Detroit. Yagoda was a recognized expert in the field of mechanical and electrical game apparatus; he has been involved in appraisal of such items for the television series American Pickers. Yagoda died on January 8, 2017, at the age of 78. Marvin's son Jeremy grew up in the business and carries on his father's legacy.

Collection

Among the collection is P. T. Barnum's replica of the Cardiff Giant, one of Sing Sing Prison's electric chairs in which 30 people died, and an automaton "food inspector" set up to continuously vomit into a pile of milk bottles. There are also various modern coin-op arcade games, and a prize counter to exchange tickets. The museum also hosts a collection of Chuck E. Cheese’s Pizza Time Theatre animatronics with a complete set of the Pizza Time Players (excluding Chuck E.) with one of the guest stars Madame Oink and the clapper board.

In popular culture

In 2005, Tally Hall, a band from nearby Ann Arbor, titled an album after the museum.

See also

• List of magic museums

Notes

1. Semion, Bill (2000). Fun with the Family in Michigan: Hundreds of Ideas for Day Trips with the Kids (6th ed.). Globe Pequot. pp. 59 of 352. ISBN 978-0762708086.
2. "Fans of beloved Farmington Hills arcade worry about impact of proposed shopping project". The Detroit News. Retrieved 2023-11-16.
3. "Facebook post".
4. Godfrey, Linda S.; Moran, Mark; Sceurman, Mark (2006). Weird Michigan: Your Travel Guide to Michigan's Local Legends and Best Kept Secrets (hardcover). New York: Sterling Publishing. ISBN 978-1402739071. Retrieved August 4, 2011.
5. Marvin Yagoda (2008). "1972 Nutting Associates Computer Space". Archived from the original on January 30, 2009.
6. Marvin's Marvelous Mechanical Museum spot on American Pickers television show
7. Wisely, John (9 Jan 2017). "Marvin's Marvelous Mechanical Museum founder dies". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved 5 June 2017.
8. "Marvin's Marvelous Mechanical Museum". RoadsideAmerica.com. Retrieved January 16, 2013.
9. Nicklell, Joe (May–June 2009), "Cardiff's Giant Hoax", Skeptical Inquirer, 33 (3)
10. Faraci, Devin (December 16, 2011). "Hit The Road: Marvin's Marvelous Mechanical Museum". badassdigest.com. Retrieved January 16, 2013.
11. "Marvin's Marvelous Mechanical Museum". Atlas Obscura. Retrieved January 16, 2013.
12. Pizza Time Theatre Animatronics at Marvin's Marvelous Mechanical Museum, retrieved 2023-04-09
13. "Tally Hall Say 'Good Day' to America; 'MARVIN'S MARVELOUS MECHANICAL MUSEUM' Set for April 1, 2008 Release". Top40-Charts.com. Retrieved 2023-11-21.

External links

• Marvin's Marvelous Mechanical Museum – official site
• Marvin's Marvelous Mechanical Museum June 30, 2009 at Wayback Machine

• Amusement museums in the United States
• Animatronic attractions
• Commercial machines
• Farmington Hills, Michigan
• Museums in Oakland County, Michigan
• Magic museums