­They appeared in 1975, making thousands of kids happy. They were put together at a number of the best-known armament factories that had available space and advanced technologies at their disposal. Twenty-two defense plants on the territory of the Soviet Union were doing their best to keep boys and girls happy. They made gaming machines!

Invented in the US in the middle of the 19th Century, it took more than 100 years for the Soviet people to get acquainted with the foreign novelty. The summer of 1971 was marked by the World Attraction and Gaming Machines exhibition that took place in Gorky Park in Moscow. For the next 45 days the park became a huge magnet for adults and children alike – long lines of those willing to try snaked through the park beginning far outside the entrance.

The “cleverness” of the machines had its downside as well. Back in the 1970s the price of gaming machines ranged from 2,500 to 4,000 rubles ($3,500 – 5,700 back then!) – as much as a new car would cost!

Today, all kids (and those who were kids in the Soviet era) have an opportunity to journey back in time for just 300 rubles ($10). Quite a bargain for time travel! A museum of Soviet gaming machines was opened in Moscow several years ago. In a long oval room are crammed as many as 40 arcade machines. Small children will be fascinated by the place as well – multi-colored teeter-totters shaped as chickens and tiny trains are available for young visitors.

The brick walls of the museum are whitewashed; the stone floor is worn by many kids’ feet. From the ceiling hang big white lamps with lampshades. One corner of the place is given to a tiny canteen that serves soda water with apple and pear syrup. If you feel like plunging into childhood you may as well buy a couple of tokens and put them into the soda water machine.

Unlike other, “traditional” museums, this one has background music, coming from an old phonograph.  Piles of records lie near it on the table and underneath. What I found most splendid when visiting the museum is that it does not stay half-empty, creating the atmosphere of a storehouse for old gaming machines. Lots of teenagers dressed in checkered shirts are always there, with pockets full of tokens, shouting one another down, pushing and giggling.

Apart from being a static source of joy for children, the museum renders a couple of wonderful services. Those who don’t want to spend time traveling to the city center can have the museum…at home! The museum employees load the machines into a roomy van and go wherever you ask them to (of course the arcade machines do not travel for free – museum workers will tell you in person how much this trip may cost you depending on the number and type of the machines you want to see in your living room). And children charmed by the Soviet amusements, can celebrate their birthday in the museum – soda water and fun are guaranteed!

When I went to the museum to take a few pictures I was sure it would take me no more than 15 minutes. But as long as I heard the Beatles playing in the gramophone, tasted the apple soda water and saw all the prehistoric (it seems now!) graphics, I knew I couldn’t leave too soon. Neither will you I bet.

The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of RT.