The 25 Cent Mechanical Wonders of Musée Mécanique

What a trip! While I had loads of fun, I can say I am certainly glad to be home.  The main reason I tagged along on Patrick’s business trip to San Francisco was to visit the various filming locations of Hitchock’s Vertigo.  And honestly, I didn’t have much interest in other things.  However, the lure of In-n-Out on Fisherman’s Wharf lead me to what I can consider the highlight of the non-Vertigo related visits… The Musée Mécanique.  Located along Fisherman’s Wharf, it is a museum dedicated to coin-op amusement machines!  And it is simply amazing!

Most machines are from the 1930s and 40s, with later ones scattered about.  There is everything from simple musical entertainment with marionettes, to pinball, to movies, to photobooths!  There was hours of entertainment to be had!  I dropped lots of quarters to interact with various machines, including a fab fortune teller machine that you placed your hand on only to have little things move under it! I gave a slight squeal of surprise before my palm reading popped out.

There were also just downright morbid ones! Including multiple execution ones! Such as this French Execution…

And what girl can’t resist a good photobooth?  After all, I got proposed to in one!

I highly recommend this place is you ever make it to San Francisco.  There is no admission cost, and most machines only cost 25 cents!  Still cheaper for the whole family than visiting the tacky wax museum (which costs $14.00 a person, I might add)!  Heck, it may be the most fun you have in SF!  And don’t worry about packing loads of quarters, there are plenty of change machines!

Visit the mechanical wonders Musée Mécanique at Pier 45 in San Francisco. For more details, please visit their website!

What’s Nearby?

Alcatraz Island

Vertigo Filming Locations

Walt Disney Family Museum

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