Amusement Preservation Museum

06/21/2026

Throwback to when the Swingin’ Gyms from Sauzer’s Kiddieland were under renovation! That was still by far the single largest project we have ever completed and we still can’t believe we got them taken down and moved in the time span that we did it.

I still can’t thank everyone that helped on this project enough. Everyday was an absolute push to everyone’s limit and there were genuinely moments where we weren’t sure we were going to see the end of the project with the roadblocks that appeared, but in the end it was well worth the effort.

06/18/2026

Let there be light! The Chippewa Lake Coaster hoop light can illuminate once again!

This particular light is from the top of the lift hill however these lights would’ve been located in areas that the train could potentially stop including the brake run and the lift hill.

When the ride was running these lights were painted white and had a light shades.

06/17/2026

Blast off with amusement history!

This rocket was part of a rocket ride intended to be installed at Kennywood however plans fell through. This rocket is identical to the rockets that were at Geauga Lake, Chippewa Lake, and Meyer’s Lake (and quite a few others). The origin of this rocket is unfortunately unknown. It was built by Chambers like the others mentioned but we can’t conclusively track its history prior to its arrival at Kennywood in 1990.

The last picture is of the rockets arriving at Kennywoods storage area is courtesy of David Swank.
Edit: These may not be the same rockets, they seem like they may be Geauga Lake's potentially sent out for rehab.

If anyone has more information regarding the history of this rocket please leave a comment or send us an email! It is entirely possible Kennywood bought these to replace the original 3 seat rockets for the original machine but we have not been able to track any photos of them being used at the park.

Edit: Some clarification. The first two photos were taken last weekend, the last photo on the semi trailer is when they were seen at Kennywood. The orange was painted over red so the rockets had both red and orange accent pieces at different points of their life.

Update:
Parks Ruled out: Geauga Lake, Chippewa Lake, Euclid Beach, Meyer's Lake, Kennywood (original)

06/14/2026

For those who wish to visit our open house virtually, here is a great video giving a walkthrough of the display!

I had the rare opportunity to check out some display pieces from Ge...

06/12/2026

Geauga Lake sent thrill seekers upside down twice in 1977 with the first coaster to feature two consecutive vertical loops. The aptly named Double Loop operated for 30 years and closed with the park in 2007. Double Loop was constructed by Arrow Dynamics and was one of two Arrow rides on display at our open house this year!

The gift shop this year included a new desktop sign and coaster snake of Double Loop which are also now available on our Etsy shop!

Online Store: https://www.etsy.com/shop/MidwayMarketplace

06/09/2026

There were quite a few new additions to the open house this year and we were especially excited to introduce a couple new parks to the collection!

The two hand painted carousel panels are from the carousel that was from the first new park, Crystal Beach in Vermillion! These two panels appear to have been repainted since the park as the rest of the remaining panels at the Merry Go Round Museum in Sandusky are painted white. Around the edges that same white is still present.

06/08/2026

Thank you to everyone who visited us this weekend to celebrate amusement park history and support our crazy project! We look forward to an even bigger 2027 open house!

06/06/2026

Heads up for those visiting tomorrow. There are some pretty nasty storms in the forecast for mid-late afternoon. If you signed up for a time that will have you here or on the road during the storms, you are welcome to visit earlier or on Sunday, we will be here regardless the whole time, however I want to make sure everyone is safe. Please keep an eye on the weather and plan accordingly!

🚨SEVERE UPDATE FOR TOMORROW:

Short range model guidance is coming into better agreement with widespread storm coverage.

These storms could bring:
-Damaging winds of 50-65mph
-Frequent lightning
-Torrential Downpours
-Small hail

This image is for 5:00pm tomorrow!

STAY WEATHER AWARE!

06/06/2026

The Amusement Preservation Museum has more than a century of history on-view this Saturday and Sunday.

06/05/2026

The final touches are going into the displays, we look forward to seeing everyone this weekend!