Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Jun 24, 2026

Mold-A-Rama

Mold-A-Rama is a brand name for a type of vending machine that makes injection molded plastic figurines. Mold-A-Rama machines debuted in late 1962 and grew in prominence at the 1964 New York World's Fair. The machines can still be found operating in dozens of museums and zoos.

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A Mold-A-Rama machine at the Pacific Science Center in Seattle source ↗
A tractor from a Mold-A-Rama machine at the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago source ↗

Mold-A-Rama is a brand name for a type of vending machine that makes injection molded plastic figurines. Mold-A-Rama machines debuted in late 1962 and grew in prominence at the 1964 New York World's Fair.123 The machines can still be found operating in dozens of museums and zoos.45

Although they can be found in several states across the country, Mold-A-Rama machines are especially associated with Chicago, Illinois, where the machines were manufactured.6789 Mold-A-Rama machines are a well known feature at several Chicago-area museums, with 6 machines at the Field Museum, 7 at the Museum of Science and Industry, and 13 at Brookfield Zoo.510

History

American inventor John H. "Tike" Miller from Quincy, Illinois is credited with conceiving a free-standing plastic injection molding machine in the 1950s.11 The first Mold-A-Rama machines debuted at the 1962 Seattle World's Fair,12 further gaining noteriety two years later with an appearance at the New York World's Fair as part of Sinclair Oil's "Dinoland" exhibit; for 25 cents, visitors could watch as the machine molded a toy dinosaur souvenir for them.137 In 1966, the first machine was installed at Brookfield Zoo in Chicago; in 1971 the Zoo installed another 10.8 Miller licensed his mold-making patent and related technology to the Automatic Retailers Of America (Aramark), which operated Mold-A-Rama machines as a subsidiary company through 1969.11 Aramark produced the machines in Chicago,5 building hundreds of Mold-A-Rama machines during the 1960s.8

Aramark divested all machines and service locations by 1972 because of the high cost of the equipment. As of 2023, two US companies own and operate Mold-A-Rama machines: Mold-A-Rama Inc. in Brookfield, Illinois814 and Unique Souvenirs Inc. in Lake Wales, Florida, where the machines are known as Mold-A-Matic.151617 As of November 2015, there are 124 machines in eight states.9

In 2022, to mark the brand's 60th anniversary, Chicago's Museum of Science and Industry featured an exhibit dedicated to the history of the Mold-A-Rama, with many rare and experimental models on display.1819206

See also

See also

References

References

  1. Rossman, Martin (October 29, 1962). "Machine Molds Items While Customer Waits". Los Angeles Times. p. B8.
  2. "Keilson Puts in Molding Units". Billboard. May 4, 1963. p. 53.
  3. "Mold-Rama Draws 'Em". Billboard. December 12, 1964. p. 43.
  4. Benderoff, Eric (September 4, 2006). "Old Technology Proves a Modern-Day Classic". Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved August 20, 2016.
  5. Johnson, Steve (August 17, 2016). "Smelly, Plastic and Nostalgic, Mold-A-Rama Celebrates 50th Birthday at Brookfield Zoo". Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original on August 18, 2016. Retrieved August 18, 2016.
  6. "Exhibit Celebrates Nostalgia of Mold-A-Rama". The Arts Section. 2022-11-28. Retrieved 2026-06-05.
  7. Channick, Robert (January 24, 2019). "Mold-A-Rama Defends Its Retro Name and Vintage Vending Machines Against 'Modernized' Competitor". Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original on January 24, 2019. Retrieved January 24, 2019.
  8. Garcia, Evan (September 26, 2019). "The Story of Mold-A-Rama, Chicago's Very Own Souvenir Machine". WTTW. Archived from the original on September 28, 2019. Retrieved September 28, 2019.
  9. Fecile, John (November 13, 2015). "Mold-A-Rama-Rama! The Secrets Behind Chicago's Plastic Souvenir Empire". WBEZ. Archived from the original on May 27, 2020. Retrieved November 17, 2015.
  10. "Machine Locations in Venue | Mold-A-Rama® Inc". www.mold-a-rama.com. 2024-04-01. Retrieved 2026-06-05.
  11. US patent 3068518, Miller, John H. & Helms, Millard O., "Apparatus for Molding Hollow Plastic Products", issued 1962-12-18, assigned to Mold-A-Rama, Inc. 
  12. "On the Trail of the Hottest Collectibles from the Seattle World's Fair". Seattle Met. Retrieved 2026-06-05.
  13. "DINO History | Sinclair Oil". www.sinclairoil.com. Retrieved 2026-06-05.
  14. "History of our company | Mold-A-Rama® Incorporated". www.mold-a-rama.com. 2023-01-09. Retrieved 2026-06-05.
  15. Daly, Sean (July 2, 2009). "Waxing Nostalgic: In 30 Seconds, Mold-A-Rama Makes Memories, Toys to Last a Lifetime". Tampa Bay Times. Archived from the original on October 12, 2012. Retrieved August 20, 2016.
  16. Roadtrippers (2023-02-14). "10 Places to Find Mold-A-Rama and Mold-A-Matic Machines in the U.S." Roadtrippers. Retrieved 2026-06-05.
  17. "Home | UNIQUE SOUVENIRS, INC". UNIQUE SOUVENIRS INC. Retrieved 2026-06-05.
  18. ""Mold-A-Rama™: Molded for the Future" | Museums in Chicago". Time Out Chicago. 2022-11-07. Retrieved 2026-06-05.
  19. Sparrow, Norbert (16 November 2022). "Chicago Museum Salutes Iconic Mold-A-Rama". Plastics Today. Archived from the original on 2025-01-17.
  20. Brewster, Chip (3 November 2022). "Mold-A-Rama exhibit now open at Chicago's Museum of Science and Industry". WGN.
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