Just five minutes from Kennywood, The Church Arcade is one of the most unique places to play arcade games near Pittsburgh.
Located inside a former Catholic church in Duquesne, The Church Arcade is home to tons of vintage, classic and modern arcade games, plus a large collection of pinball machines.
And one of the best parts? No quarters required.
How The Church Arcade Works
The Church Arcade uses a simple flat-fee admission system. Pay once when you arrive and the games are set to free play.
That means no quarters, tokens or constantly reloading an arcade card. You can move from game to game and play whatever you want as many times as you’d like.
Admission rates can vary, so be sure to check their calendar before visiting.
What Games Will You Find?
There’s a great mix here, especially if your family has different tastes in games… including vintage and modern arcade, retro favorites, racing, shooters and plenty of pinball tables.
One area we weren’t expecting was the collection of old-school video game consoles, including SEGA and Nintendo systems. You can grab a controller, sit down and play some familiar favorites from years ago.
An Arcade Inside a Former Church
Personally, I was so excited to see this former Catholic church being reimagined so beautifully. I think there’s something positive about seeing an old building like this find a new purpose.
Churches can be difficult buildings to reuse. They’re large and expensive to heat, repair, insure and maintain, and once a congregation leaves, there aren’t necessarily a lot of buyers waiting to take over.
Turning the building into an arcade gives it an economic reason to survive.
Instead of replacing the church with something new, much of its character can remain. Visitors still get to see the stained glass, vaulted ceilings and craftsmanship that make old churches so beautiful.
It’s a good example of adaptive reuse… the purpose of the building has changed, but the building itself gets another chapter.
Events, Tournaments & Workshops
The Church Arcade isn’t only a place to stop in and play.
They also host competitive pinball tournaments, high-score competitions, workshops and other community events throughout the year.
Pinball enthusiasts can even find hands-on opportunities to learn more about maintaining and working on machines.
The Church Arcade is also home to PinBrewFest, which brings together pinball, competition and craft beverages.
Be sure to check their event calendar before visiting to see what might be happening.
Food & Drinks
Beverages are available for purchase on Fridays and Saturdays from Wye Beer Co., including craft beer, ciders, seltzers, wines and more.
There are more food and beverage options coming in the future!
Private Parties & Rentals
Private rentals and group events are also available, making it an option for birthday parties, gatherings, company outings and other events.
Hours & Admission
The Church Arcade is typically open:
Friday: 5 PM–11 PM
Saturday: 12 PM–10 PM
Sunday: 12 PM–8 PM
However, check their calendar before you go.
Hours, open dates and admission rates can change depending on private rentals, tournaments and other events.
Our Experience
We really enjoyed our visit to The Church Arcade and ended up spending almost 3 hours playing.
For our family, the flat-fee admission was a big plus. There’s something nice about not having to keep track of how much each game costs or decide whether something is worth swiping a card for. You can try whatever catches your eye, move on if you don’t like it, or keep playing if you find a favorite.
There’s enough variety that kids, teens and adults can all find something to play, while the mix of older and newer games makes it especially fun for families with different generations.
If you’re looking for something different to do near Pittsburgh (or want to add another stop to a Kennywood day) The Church Arcade is definitely worth checking out.
The Church Arcade Information
Address: 32 South 1st Street, Duquesne PA 15110
Website: https://www.thechurcharcade.com
