I used to fall asleep to the cling clang of the cable car bells and the constant hum of the cables underground in my tiny 400 sq. foot studio in the Nob Hill neighborhood. Ironically, it wasn't until I moved to a different neighborhood when I finally visited the Cable Car museum. It offers a look into a history of SF that's so special, one would never think that a mode of transportation would even survive a century later. Learn about the history of the cable car when it started back in the 1870's, how it almost didn't survive the aftermath of the 1906 earthquake, its role during the boom of industrialization, etc. Or if you're simply curious about how a cable car works, you can go to the main room and see the live cables in action. Yup, these are the actual cables that currently serve the 3 routes in SF. It's fabulous playing tourist in your own hometown, especially on a gorgeous day when walking up and down the steep hills will literally, take your breath away. Parking is tough in this neighborhood, uber it, take the cable car or Number 1 bus to get here instead. I wouldn't go out of my way to visit the museum, but if you're in the area already, it's worth about 30 minutes of your time. Besides, it's FREE. You can't beat that. Local's tip: Ina Coolbrith park on Vallejo and Taylor streets is definitely worth the detour for some of the best hidden views (i.e. less touristy!) of SF. read more

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This is such a cool museum! You get to see the inner workings of San Francisco's cable cars and learn about their history. The museum is also FREE. Plus, you can take the cable cars to/from there, although riding the cable car after going to museum is the way to go imo, since it's fun to ride the cable car when you already have an understanding for how they work. Super cool experience! read more

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This place was so cool! I've been to the city so many times and never knew about this place. I love that it's free and that you get to learn a bit of history and how the cable cars work. Definitely worth stopping by next time you're nearby. I plan on coming back with my daughter- she would love it. read more

Very cool, free museum! Well worth spending 30-45 minutes. A lot of explanation and a very cool glimpse into how all the cable cars run in San Francisco. A lot of historical information provided. Docents are incredibly friendly and helpful. Cute little gift shop too. well worth a nice stop if you're in the area, or if you're interested to know what's going on underneath the streets to keep all those trolleys running. read more

I never gave any thought as to how cable cars work, until my son wanted to ride one and we looked up the museum. A little light reading later and I was fascinated. Then we rode a cable car to the museum, which is free to enter, and got to see the incredible cable rope pulley system in action, and I'm still in awe. At the museum, not only do you see the engines turning the infinite loops, you get to go underground and see the tunnels where they run, and see the scale of what was built over a century ago. So cool to see this technology in action and appreciate how transit has changed over time, and how San Francisco looks under ground. The museum has some exhibits, but it's free, so the main attraction is the system itself. It is also cash only (in fact the whole system including the cars is, which is cute but quaint), so if you want to buy a gift at the shop bring cash. This is an awesome place to take any kids who like engineering, or engines, or anything that moves to give them an appreciation for it. Then you can take them in one and they can talk about the grip and cable, it's super cool, I highly recommend instead of just going for a ride. read more

This place is awesome! Great way to spend a few hours and learn not only SF history but also see some historic mechanical engineering in its glory. It's a small but mighty museum and when you're done, head down to chinatown for some more fun. read more

I moved to SF in '77 ( I think) and it only took me 40yrs to finally check out the Cable Car museum, which opened in 1974. After moving to SoCal roughly 10 yrs ago, I always feel like a tourist when I go back to see friends. On a trip in early '17, I finally did it ... took the overhyped cable car ride and went to see the museum. There are no guides. There are no recorded guided tours either. You just walk up, take a look around, observe and read the plaques in front of the displays or check out the old photos on the wall. It's noisy in there, so conversations will turn into a shouting match. Forget about talking on your phone. It's impossible. It's not terribly big but there are decent photo ops to capture the history of SF and its famed cable cars. And a cool way to spend about an hour at most seeing how it all works. It wasn't very packed in there when we went on a Saturday since for tourists, there are many other 'touristy' things to do. But there was a steady flow of peeps walking in. If you're in the area, it's worth a visit! Notes: * Free entry. Can't beat that. * There's a souvenir store inside. Not surprising * Unless you're an awesome driver and master at parking, I'd advise public transit, cab or walk. * Def bring a camera & take pics. * Wheelchair accessible on side of building, w elevator. * There are public restrooms inside. read more

This is a cool free museum in San Francisco. This is a good place to learn about old San Francisco and the famous cable cars. Good history lesson. read more

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Located on the corner of Mason and Washington Street, this museum is The BARN and wheelhouse of the cable cars running in San Francisco. This is where ALL the power comes from along with it's rich history. Words can not explain the powerful and rich history of the cable car, how it was invented, why it was invented, who invented THIS cable car system, and how it works ..... YOU MUST VISIT IT to find out! I can give you all the photos and videos of the museum, or the Barn, but it gives only a glimpse into what this place really does. When you are in SF, please take the cable car UP to the Barn/museum and look around ...... FREE ADMISSION! read more

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The Cable Car Museum is a small but worthwhile museum on...well, you guessed it...the historic cable cars of San Francisco. Really well laid-out, we enjoyed getting to see behind the curtain on how these iconic cable cars run. The gift shop has a nice selection of souvenirs if you so desire. Bonus: the museum is convenient to a couple of the cable car lines, so you can either hop on one once you've been assured that they are safe and cool or you can hop off of one to visit the museum to figure out just how they work. Cable cars aren't the most efficient mode of transport in the city, but certainly worth checking out if you're visiting from out-of-town/state or have some extra time to sit with the tourists. read more

Cable Car Museum - Museums Near Me - San Francisco, California

This is where you can see all the cables from the cable cars! AND it's FREE!! You can see the wheels turning the cables underground which is pretty nifty. You will probably spend 10-30 minutes here. The gift shop is small but with a good selection, they have a number of children's books and some cable car Christmas ornaments (in addition to the usual mugs, shot glasses, etc). read more

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Prior to coming to the city, I mapped out a route of which my friend and I were going to take and the Cable Car Museum popped up! This is a quintessential SF museum because this place is the hub of where the 4 remaining cable cars run in real-time. All the cables of the existing cable cars are routed from this building and visitors can view them from the top floor. Not only is there so much history to see and learn from visiting this museum, and it is also free! There is a donation box, but if one would like, there is also a cute gift shop with souvenirs for purchase. Yes, it is a tourist trap but I find it as more of supporting the work that the cable car museum does. Seriously, what in SF is not a tourist trap...? Take it all in stride and give a little. Cable cars are expensive to keep running and visiting the museum and/or taking a ride on one of the cable cars can help keep them running. One can spend an hour or so in the museum looking around as the exhibits are well-spaced out and there are lots of information to read. Overall, had a very pleasant visit and wouldn't mind stopping by again if I was in the neighborhood. read more

I'm hoping one of the upsides of the current devastation of our city is that a lot of rich people will move away and leave in their bougie wake a surfeit of housing, which will make that housing cheaper, which will make this a livable city once again. I realize that most of that won't happen because the truly rich are getting richer while the rest of the country gets sick, under- and unemployed, and poor; but I am starting to see signs that once we can eat in restaurants again, San Franciscans who don't make six figures don't want to pay $25 for small salads. Maybe that means there will be real sandwich places and laundromats and frame stores, or maybe I'm just an idiot and this is all a temporary trend, and the third tech wave will destroy and Londonify the city completely, no poor or middle-class people allowed--except for the rich people's servants. What does all of this have to do with the Cable Car Museum? Nothing and everything. It's a free museum. That's four stars right there. You can see awesome working mechanical stuff that has looked the same for decades, and even the newer-looking stuff (like the cheesy tourist video) is probably 35-years-old. That tourist video is amazing. It's the San Francisco from my childhood, when I was a sometime tourist who was always intimidated and fascinated by this beautiful city, and I even knew enough at the time not to like Fisherman's Wharf. Some people dressed up. People cooked in their apartments. There wasn't sticker shock in supermarkets. Artists with not that much money could rent a room all to themselves without having to work six jobs and pretend they liked the flexibility of being poor and not having health insurance. We don't live in Manhattan yet. I hope we never do. The cable cars are really cool. They're too expensive, but if you buy a Muni pass, you can ride them all you want, which means we're really only soaking the tourists, and that's A-OK with me. This isn't a review of the cable cars, but this museum doubles as the blood and guts of the cable system. Ding ding and affordable gifts. read more

The cable car museum has been a go to place for tourists for quite sometime. This is the root for the actual cable cars. It is their "home". It is family friendly. You can learn all about how the cars work, how much a cable car weighs (16,000 lbs) and even how many runs there used to be (over 600). It is free to enter, which is nice, considering it is probably one of the only places in San Francisco where something is free. Be prepared for the heat though. There is no A/C in there. It is quite hot. read more

This is one of my favorite spots, and it's free. It is mesmerizing to watch the wheels running the cable cars turn. Unfortunately, since the cable cars arent running, the museum is closed. At least that's what their website says. I have fond memories of being invited by an operator into the garage area for the cable car bell ringing contest. This entire place screams history. Budget enough time to explore this place. And there is a nice gift shop without the usual schlocky stuff. So fingers crossed that the pandemic ends, the cars run again and this wonderful free museum opens up again. All ages will appreciate this. read more

Free admission to the cable car museum! Great rest point to learn some history about the cable cars. read more

Cable Car Museum - Museums Near Me - San Francisco, California

Cable Car ride is one of the top things to do when visiting San Francisco. Ever wonder how it works? This museum is an excellent solution for your wondering mind. I bookmarked here just about six months ago after seeing a review by one of the SF resident Yelper. His pictures and review was written so well, I bookmarked it to visit someday. It's free. Upstairs some history and display of old cable cars. You get to see the wheels in motion. I really enjoyed learning all about Cable Cars in San Francisco. They have nice gift shop. I purchased miniature cable car Christmas ornament while there. I purchase one Christmas ornament every year for my tree to remember from that year. I thought something to represents San Francisco is just so perfect this year. It's not huge but good place to spend just about an hour. Stop by while you are in town. Will have a whole new outlook towards the Cable Car. read more

Cable Car Museum - Oh so that's how it works... - Museums Near Me - San Francisco, California

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I tried calling back. When we reconnected the person on the phone again referred to the children as wild. Which made me feel uncomfortable. It was a professional manner. I dropped a star because they doubled down on their targeted/charged language. I don't know if it's an issue with the community our school is from, or if that person is just having multiple bad days. read more

The Cable Car Museum is a small museum where you can learn about San Francisco's cable car history and see a live "behind the scenes" look at the cable car pulley system. The old-timey, vintage museum is located inside one of the "powerhouses," where a power source is used to drive the cables. It's cool and interesting to look at. The best part about the museum is admission is free. The museum is located at the corner of Washington and Mason Streets in Nob Hill, very close to Chinatown. A cable car stop is located right outside. The museum is two stories and contains old cable cars, cable car parts, old photographs, video exhibits, and a gift shop. Most of your time will probably be spent on the upper floor where most of the aforementioned items are located. The upper floor looks down upon the Washington-Mason cable car barn. You can see the giant pulleys that run the cables down the Hyde, California, Mason, and Powell lines in action. Each is labeled. You can also see the offices and work stations of cable car employees. It's a peek into their operations. The lower floor is underground and gives you a look at the pulleys and sheaves (a sheave is a type of pulley) that constantly run the cables underneath the street. It gives you a new perspective of the cable cars you see running above ground. Restrooms are located on the upper level. A trip to the Cable Car Museum doesn't take very long. Maybe 15-30 minutes, more if you plan to read all the interpretive panels and watch all the videos. I wouldn't say this is a must-see attraction if you're visiting from out of town, but it's fascinating if you enjoy history or like to see how stuff works. read more

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The Admission: FREE!!! If you want to see cable cars... come to this block, there will be cable cars pass by every few minutes! This museum is very informative. Many display, video, photos and historic cable car inside the museum. The museum is not too big but definitely worth it to check it out. read more

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This museum was such a gem of a find. It was really educational to learn about the underground components and mechanisms that run the San Francisco cable cars. Though a very small museum, there was a lot on display and plenty of information to soak in. Best part: it's free of charge. read more

Cable Car Museum - Museums Near Me - San Francisco, California

I can't believe I have only heard of this place but have never stepped in here until today. I am glad I made the move to come here. The Cable Car Museum is free for residents and visitors. This place focuses on the history of Cable Cars in San Francisco. If you are majoring in Electrical or Mechanical Engineering, then Cable Car Museum is your destination. Coming here will definitely help you gain a broader understanding on how motors work. Overall, positive first time experience here so I'll definitely come back when I am in the area! Have out of town family and friends visiting? This is also another great spot to visit especially if you are someone who enjoy learning about the history of Cable Cars. Disclosure: There is a gift shop here as well and some the merchandise on the shelves are pricey. Be prepared to have extra cash with you if you do plan buying something from the gift shop. P.S.: They accept credit card payments - Visa and MasterCard ONLY!! Their hours of operation for 4/1-9/30 are: 10 am - 6 pm and 10/1-3/31: 10 am - 5 pm *They are closed on Nwe Year's Day, Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas* read more

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Good place to burn 15-30 minutes and learn about cable cars in SF. Free admission. See moving parts spinning in action. There is a bathroom and small gift shop. read more

Cable Car Museum - Museums Near Me - San Francisco, California

I stopped by the Cable Car museum because of a giant smoke stack that caught my attention while walking by. I never knew how the whole cable car really worked so it intrigued me. It is free admission to get into the museum and so I didn't go very it a second thought and walked in. It was amazing to see the giant wheels operating. Apparently this facility powers the cable cars throughout San Francisco. If you go downstairs you can see the wheels underground as well. They had plenty of reading on the walls about the history and how the cable cars work. The whole thing made me want to get on a cable car so I bought a day pass and rode it back and forth several times. Really nice museum and pretty clean too! Very cool place! If you're by it you should definitely stop by! read more

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Good museum. You can see the machinery operating. It is somewhat noisy due to the machinery. Good exhibits. Multiple good photo opportunities. There is a cable car stop immediately outside the museum. Museum store only took cash the day I was there. read more

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If you enjoyed riding the SF Cable Car, the United States' only moving National Monument, you should stop by the Cable Car Barn along the way and see how it works! This Museum IS the engine of all those Cable Cars you see out there, and their history, and yes... even a gift shop with lost of cool Cable Car doo-dads. You can get off the Cable Car at the Museum, with a transfer, on one of the lines (ask... I think it's the Mason Street line) and get back on right out front, all of which is at-no-cost! I bet there are many people who don't even know about this museum, even as they pass by it on the cable car. The Museum is hands-on, and good for kids, interesting for Mom's and Dad's too! Not to mention that it has some great photo spots! It takes as little as a half hour to see everything there. (and they have bathrooms, too) I have one suggestion, though.... Docents! It would be great if they had a docent or two, maybe in Cable Car Operator uniforms (historical and new) so people can ask questions, maybe snap a photo, etc. I bet there are some retirees and cable car buffs who would love to volunteer for such a fun job. Jus' sayin' . read more

Cable Car Museum - Museums Near Me - San Francisco, California

In his review from December, Yelper James L said it best: "it only took me 40 years...". Silly, but true, it took that long for the Cable Car Museum to rise to become a part of my day. Let's face it, it's not the place one thinks of when imagining a "museum day" nor is it the experience that comes to mind when envisioning cable cars. Certainly a visit to SF's MOMA or a ride on the Powell-Hyde line is a better experience but there's only one of those experiences that's free. Welcome to SF's Cable Car Museum; free and worth about 40 minutes of your time. It's not well known, but San Francisco's history includes a time when independently owned cable cars traversed the city. Imagine being able to lay down tracks and start your own cable car company on a whim and you can see why this wasn't a sustainable proposition. Then imagine a San Francisco without cable cars. It almost happened and, were it not for the efforts of one particularly tenacious person, it might have. What did the City look like in the immediate aftermath of the 1906 earthquake and fires? Interesting and compelling. The Cable Car Museum covers all of this and more in a clean, well organized, informative space featuring lots of photos, stories, cables, and (grounded) cable cars. It also features a non-stop, low-level din, from the active cables. Think of it as a clean and informative machine-shop. If you too wait 40 years to visit I suspect the whole thing will remain much the same but if you're in the neighborhood (Nob Hill or Chinatown) or looking for a reason to be, the Cable Car Museum is an interesting little sideline to whatever else you might have planned for the day. Free and interesting: It's the way I aspire to spend most days. The Cable Car Museum is a solid if not particularly exciting experience. read more

Seriously, how cool is this little place. I am simply amazed to see their large wheels/cogs pulling the huge cables that are actually pulling cars throughout downtown. Unique. Historical. Amazing to see in person! And it is free (although they would love donations). Super cool place that is a can't miss. read more

How did I miss this all my life until last weekend? When you are the only female with a group of guys from 12 to 60-something, this pick for a visit worked really well! Even better, it was free. Finding parking nearby is tricky, but we managed. Entering the brick building, I immediately felt the history within the walls. An ear assault occurs, as the cable reels that drive the four lines are right there, spinning away. You can either view from above, or walk downstairs under street level for a closer look. The museum portion isn't that large, but packed with tales of how the cable car system came about and evolved. There was also great competition among multiple independent companies in the 19th century. Those stories are told, plus a look at the chaos after the Great Earthquake. Several historic cable cars provide backdrop to the space. There is a gift shop on the premises with all manner of SF memorabilia, focusing on cable car images, natch. Glad we visited the practical home of the mighty little railcars that climb the hills of the city by the Bay. After, we had to go ride one! read more

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For a free museum, very cool. My son thought that seeing how everything works under the street was just remarkably cool. This place is small and will take you 15-20 minutes at most to look through, but it is worth doing. Probably not worth a separate trip, but a good stop in when you are in this part of San Francisco. Fun photos here. read more

Great, eye-opening experience. Never knew this was how cable cars worked. Awesome history to read and watch; extremely detailed. Free admission. read more

Cable Car Museum - Museums Near Me - San Francisco, California

Jump on the Trolley and head over to this quaint little museum. The best part is that its actually the working 'engine' of the cable cars that run through parts of SF. You can see the giant wheels pulling the cables, and read about how they work. There's also a bit of info on the effects the big earthquake and fires had on the evolution of this transit system. We happily poked around for a half hour or so, hit the gift shop for the obligatory shot glasses for my roommates, then hopped right back on the trolley to ride to the Aquarium. On a side note; if you jump on the Trolley, make sure you get on and off a few stops before the beginning or end. It seems that's when the conductors are most likely to collect for the rides. Out of our three trips on the cable Cars, we only paid once. (if you don't want to cheat the system, you can also get an $11 ride all day pass). read more

Cable Car Museum - entrance with classic volvo - Museums Near Me - San Francisco, California

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In A Nutshell: -It's pretty cool to see how the cable cars work in SF. -This small museum details how they work & they are still operational! -You can check everything out in less than 15-20 minutes. Overall, the next time you find yourself over cable car tracks, look between the crack to see the cable & you'll know how it works. read more

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This wonderful small museum shows the inner workings of San Francisco's cable cars. Currently admission is free, so the value for your money is high. The excellent signage clearly explains the overall operation of the cable car system as well as its history. It was great short experience for us and for our small children. read more

If you're visiting San Francisco and don't ride the cable cars even once, then you're doing it wrong. It was while riding them that the wife and I heard about the Cable Car Museum and it was free. We had lots of time to kill so we thought, "Why not?" The Cable Car Museum sat on the corner of Mason and Washington Streets in Nob Hill. While the structure was of large, most of the interior square footage of the building was dedicated to the mechanical operations of the cable car system. As you'd expect, the museum contained the history through pictures, words, and exhibits of one of the city's signature and most iconic sights. Touring the museum was self-guided, self-paced. Displays were straightforward. While it took less than an hour to take it all in, it was very informative and answered all of my questions on how it all worked. The Cable Car Museum was the museum I never knew that I needed to see. It was definitely worth our time, made all the better by being free. read more

A FREE MUSEUM! The Cable Car Museum Celebrates The 50th Anniversary of The Summer of Love. Learn how the famous cable cars of San Francisco really work. Watch the moving underground cables turn on giant wheels as they transport the citizens to various parts of the city via the cable cars. You can get up close to some of those beautiful vintage cable cars as well. They also have a gift store here to purchase various take home souvenirs. Be sure to visit the lower level too. It used to be, you had to have mega bucks & be really rich to have the Good Life, not anymore. The Game has changed. You've been Upgraded. Now You Can Live Like a King on a Limited Budget! read more

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SF is the only place in the world with cable cars. I found this museum to be interesting and informative. This is the site where the cables are operated. It is loud and smells like machinery. About 26 cable cars run at the same time and don't mistake them for trolley cars. I learned that cable cars were a cheaper and cleaner way of transportation than horses in the 1800s. Easier for going up hill. Hallidie received $30,000 loan from Wells Fargo for the project and other investors didn't think it would work. Former cable cars and signs are on display. Learn how the cable has changed throughout the years. You can look at old SF pics and learn about the Quake of 1906. There is seating to watch a short video about cable car history. There are models and saved memorabilia. The museum is free. Buying a souvenir at the gift shop will support the museum. read more

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You need to watch the documentary in it. It explains well how the cable car works. And I donated $1 to this non-profit museum.

It's a free museum showcasing the San Francisco cable act. Perfect for kids and adults. While not a very big museum, this place allows you to see the history of cable cars and how it's currently operated on.m the street in SF. Definitely worth checking out if you're on a budget. read more

Not parge but very, very cool. Super informative and you get to see the system actually functioning. If you geek out on history or machinery you will love this place. Afterward we went and rode the cable car which was a cool experience, and i actually understood what was happening and why the driver was doing the things he was doing. read more