Playmate Exhibits
Attraction Type: Exhibit
Location: Drake Hotel and Bar, Niagara Falls, Ontario
Years Operational: 1975-late 1970's
Designer(s): Costello Productions
One of Niagara's most obscure and downright bizarre attractions (both of which are really saying something) was the Playmate Exhibits, a sex museum (yes, you read that correctly) located in the Drake Hotel and Bar at 5677 Victoria Ave. It opened in 1975 on the ground floor in what was formerly additional bar space, and was designed by Costello Productions.
With so little information available on this attraction, it's hard to say what it actually contained or how risqué the scenes depicted really were, however the sole brochure that has surfaced for the attraction touts it as "Sex at its Funniest!" It's likely the attraction was relatively tame in actuality, as it didn't cause much of a splash or uproar of any kind in the city, and quickly faded into obscurity. While the attraction certainly seems like a strange choice of subject to build a museum on, here is some background information that may explain this bizarre museum's existence.
The museum can be faintly seen in the middle of this image of Victoria Ave. in 1977, with large "Playmate Exhibits" signs on the roof and front of the Drake.
The Drake Hotel and Bar in the 1960's.
The Drake Hotel and Bar opened in the early-60s after it took over the 1950s-era Grey Griffin Inn, and by the 70s had become a favorite watering hole with both travelling bikers and the local bar crowd. It was also infamous for not checking ID and serving alcohol to minors, which made the bar especially popular with teenagers, boys specifically. Fun side note: they had a "Pong" machine in the bar the year it released in 1972, making it perhaps the first video game in the Falls. Niagara Falls is also known as the "Honeymoon Capital of the World", and while this persists today mostly in the form of expensive and exclusive high-end experiences, it was a lot more budget back in the 70s, with most honeymoon offerings at the time being more of the heart-shaped tub and coin-operated shaking bed variety. Al Reid owned the Drake Hotel and was apparently quite the character himself. When your business is popular with bikers and rowdy teenage boys, and also located in the world's most popular spot for honeymooners and newlyweds, adding a comedy museum about sex somehow starts to seem like a logical option.
While maybe looking good on paper, it's safe to assume the attraction didn't perform very well. The lack of documentation, people who remember it, and even promotional material point to it being a commercial flop. While being always popular with honeymooners, Niagara Falls (especially the Clifton Hill area) always has been and will be a predominantly family destination, which probably explains why the museum didn't last. The location also couldn't have helped, as Victoria Ave. between Clifton Hill and Ferry Rd. is usually busy with tourists, but Victoria Ave. in the other direction, although still technically part of the Clifton Hill area until Bender St., is substantially less trafficked. This is the same problem the original Castle Dracula location on Victoria Ave. faced, which opened a year earlier just a few doors down. Castle Dracula couldn't last in its original spot despite being a spectacular attraction that changed the area and the greater amusement industry as whole, whereas the Playmate Exhibits, obviously, was not. In the attraction's defense it was probably witty, humorous, and (if the other Costello Productions works are any indication) incredibly well designed/put together. The problems with the museum likely lay more on the business and concept side of things.
While Castle Dracula still had the impact to move to Clifton Hill proper in 1977 (albeit downsized), the Playmate Exhibits would never rise from the dead like the Count did, and closed in 1979 when Reid sold the hotel. The former museum space was converted back to more bar space, and the Drake itself closed in the mid-80s when it was converted into Big Anthony's restaurant, named after Tony Parisi, the wrestler who bought the building from Reid. The hotel remained upstairs, now under a different name. This is likely when the room expansion was out the back of the building was added, making the hotel portion entered off Ellen Ave. around the back. The building is currently home to Virsa Fine Indian Cuisine on the first floor (after being a variety of restaurants over the years) and the hotel portion is named The Falls Family Lodge.
Virsa Fine Indian Cuisine along Victoria Ave. and the Falls Family Lodge in behind occupying the building today.