About Us

Our Mission:  The National Amusement Park Historical Association is an international organization dedicated to the preservation, documentation, and enjoyment of the amusement and theme park industry - past, present and future.

NAPHA is the Worlds' Only educational and enthusiast organization dedicated to all aspects of the amusement park and is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit corporation.

We were founded in 1978 by a former employee of Chicago's legendary Riverview Amusement Park (closed 1967) and has grown through the years to include amusement park enthusiasts from around the world.

Membership is open to anyone who has an interest in amusement parks and includes people from all walks of life.

Among the many benefits enjoyed by NAPHA members are:

• Colorful and informative publications - including NAPHA Chronicle Magazine, a periodic magazine and NAPHA NewsFLASH!!!, a monthly newsletter focusing on current events in the amusement park industry.
  
  
• Events at parks around the world.
  
  
• Regional meetings and gatherings.
  
  
• Free classified ads in NAPHA News.
  
  
• Discounts to parks and admission to special events by displaying your membership card.
  
  
• And more!

Throughout its history NAPHA has worked to preserve amusement park history. NAPHA serves as a resource to the industry, providing information to authors, historians, documentary producers and manufacturers. NAPHA even provided the memorabilia used on the record jacket of Bruce Springsteen's Tunnel of Love single.

• NAPHA also tries to preserve historic rides and tries to find new homes for classic amusement rides whenever possible.
• Through member donations and auction proceeds, our heritage fund has contributed thousands of dollars to non-profit entities helping to preserve classic rides.

Among the historic rides that NAPHA has preserved are:

• The second Tilt-A-Whirl ever manufactured
• The only Teeter Dip in existence
• One of America's last remaining Venetian Swings rides
• NAPHA also obtained a boat from the Shoot-the-Chutes ride from Chicago's Riverview Park, but unfortunately,
  it was destroyed in a tornado.
• NAPHA was the successful intermediary for finding a new home for a 1936 Smith & Smith Chairplane at Bay Beach Amusement Park in Green Bay, WI that was previously owned by the grandson of one of the manufacturer's founders.
• NAPHA was the catalyst for the recreation of the Zippin' Pippin wooden coaster at Bay Beach Amusement Park

Join NAPHA and COME JOIN THE FUN!!!