Heard of Novelty Automation? This weird interactive museum in London is filled with arcade games… But they’re not quite what you would expect.
Words by Sam Reid
If you’re looking for an art installation that’s actually entertaining, Novelty Automation might be for you.
It’s an arcade inspired by late Victorian technology, but the pieces aren’t dioramas – they’re interactive games. They test your intellect, your reflexes, and one of them even tests your ability to launder money.
To explain the machines would be to give away the jokes, but if you’ve ever wanted to probe an alien or control a nuclear reactor, you’re in luck here. It’s fun for the whole family, although you may have to explain to your child why the divorce game is cracking you up so much.
Ready to explore?
Wait… What is Novelty Automation?
About a five minute walk from Holborn station (you’ll see a helpful arrow above the door guiding you in), Novelty Automation evokes memories of loud arcades ready to take all your pocket money.
But it’s not as much of a sensory overload as the amusements by the seaside, and they don’t make you cry like those unfair claw machines. Well, probably.
The machines at this arcade are based on the old fashioned technology used in Victorian automata – and, for those unfamiliar with the automata style, think of a Swiss watch’s machinery, except instead of showing you the time, an angry dog pops up to slobber on you.
It’s totally weird… And we’re kind of obsessed.
What to Expect When You Visit
Open every day (bar Mondays) from 11am-6pm, feel free to walk in and be childish by playing creator Tim Hunkin’s contraptions. Plus on the first Thursday of every month it becomes a bar – have a drink while you get your picture taken in the expressive photo booth. Don’t even ask.
You’ll find the space full of games from wall to wall – make no mistake, this really is an arcade. But don’t expect to be competing with the high scores of Pac-Man (although there is a Pong machine, with a novel twist) – there’s more on the mind here.
If one game doesn’t tickle you, you can walk a few feet to find something that does (literally, in the case of the chiropodist).
It’s free to look around but you’ll get the most out of it by participating. It’s £10 for nine tokens (one token = one play) or £25 for the 33 needed to try every machine. Many are two players, so you can wile away some time with your small hadron collider together – but solo players can also find their fun with the art decider.
The History of Novelty Automation
Whilst it only opened in 2015, the London attraction has been a long-developing passion for Suffolk born artist, Tim Hunkin. Hunkin began making his machines in the 1980s, before opening his first seaside arcade in Southwold in 2001.
Hunkin’s machine work is completely unique – it truly has to be seen to be believed.
Hunkin’s games are (largely) homemade and one-of-a-kind, charming in their janky design. There’s an unexpected joke here, a little surprise there, all making you jump or giggle – interactivity is a major part of the games.
No two machines are completely alike, and this variation springs from a forty-year labour of love of its creator. A cartoonist and an engineer, Hunkin combined his two practices to craft things silly yet sophisticated.
Be it for a different kind of London date or some harmless fun with friends, Novelty Automation is a great time. It’s a lovely way to spend a few hours – a throwback that feels timeless due to its specificity. It’s truly unique and well worth a trip.
Practical Tips for Visiting Novelty Automation
- Website
- 1A Princeton St, London WC1R 4AY
- Getting to Novelty Automation is very simple – take the Central or Piccadilly line to Holborn, and from there it’s a five-minute walk to the museum.
- You can enter for free and there’s no need to book in advance, though you’ll need to pay if you want to have a go on the machines (and you definitely will).
