The Last Place in Indiana Where You Can Still Bowl Like It’s the 1950s

Knock Down Those Pins Like It’s the 50s

Hidden on the fourth floor of an old theater building in Indianapolis is Atomic Bowl Duckpin. It’s as quirky as it sounds, and loads of fun too.

Here are some useful things to know before you visit – and you really, really should.

The Bowling Ball is TINY

Five inches across and around three pounds. No finger holes either. You basically just grab the ball like you’re about to throw the world’s heaviest baseball.

And because they’re so light, you can add some wild spin to your throw that would be impossible with regular bowling balls.

The Pins Are Basically Bouncy

At Atomic Bowl, you’ll find some of the oldest duckpins still in use in the city, many of which have been chipped and worn down by decades of strikes and spares.

In case you’ve never tried them, duckpins are like regular bowling pins that got shrunk in the wash. They’re short, stubby, and surprisingly hard to knock down.

They’re so bouncy that they often do a little dance before deciding whether to fall.

Three Throws Are Better Than Two

Unlike regular bowling where you get two shots per frame, duckpin bowling gives you three chances to knock down those stubborn pins.

But don’t get too excited, even with the extra throw, nobody has EVER bowled a perfect game in the history of duckpin bowling.

Real People Set Up Your Pins

Atomic Bowl proudly upholds the tradition of “pin boys,” a rare practice that’s mostly died out elsewhere. Real humans called work behind the lanes, manually operating the vintage pin-setting machines. How wonderfully old-fashioned.

It Even SOUNDS Vintage

Atomic Bowl’s signature “whirring clunk” ball return has been a neighborhood staple for decades. It still makes the most satisfying retro noises. The balls roll down with a deep rumble, hit the pins with a hollow “thwack,” and return through ancient mechanical systems that sound like a tiny steam engine.

You Have to Do Competitive Math (The Fun Kind)

No fancy electronic scoreboards here. You keep score with a pencil and paper just like your grandparents did.

There’s something weirdly satisfying about calculating your score while trash-talking your friends (and computing the scores wrong).

In fact, Atomic Bowl also holds annual “Old School Scoring Tournaments” where participants compete to see who can keep the most accurate score on paper.

The Decor Is Retro Nostalgia

We’re talking sea-foam green walls, chrome everything, original neon signs that glow pink and blue at night, and well preserved 1950s furniture.

Even the bathrooms are vintage. Those restroom mirrors were salvaged from a now-defunct movie theater down the street, and they still reflect the same soft glow they had back in the day.

The Ball Return Is Like a Roller Coaster

Instead of the modern automated returns, your ball travels through a visible track system that looks like a miniature roller coaster.

Atomic Bowl’s ball return system is one of the oldest in the city, designed by local engineer Norman “Shorty” Glover, and carefully maintained by his family ever since.

League Night Is a Time Warp

Tuesday and Thursday league nights are like a vintage costume party here. Regular bowlers show up in 50s-style bowling shirts, saddle shoes, and victory rolls.

Atomic Bowl’s Thursday night league is especially popular for its “Mid-Century Madness” costume contest, where participants compete for the best vintage look. Some of these folks have been bowling here since the 90s.

Kids Actually Have an Advantage

Duckpin balls were originally designed to be smaller so that people of all ages could enjoy the game. Because the balls are so light (seriously, they weigh less than a laptop), kids can compete with adults.

Keep watching as 6-year-olds stump their parents’ scores because they’ve figured out how to put the perfect spin on these tiny balls.

The Machines Are Living History

The mechanical systems running this place are all original from the 1950s. Every clunk, whirr, and bang you hear is coming from machines that have been doing their job for over 70 years.

Plan Your Visit to Atomic Bowl Duckpin

You’ll find it at the fourth floor of the Fountain Square Theatre Building.

Address: 1105 Prospect Street, Indianapolis, IN 46203

Rates:

• League Night (Tues/Thurs): $12 per person for 3 games

• Regular Rate: $40/hour per lane (up to 6 bowlers)

• Family Wednesday Special: $30 for 2 hours per lane

• Weekend Happy Hour (1 PM – 4 PM): $35/hour per lane

• Shoe Rental: Included in lane price

These are accurate as of writing.