A beloved collection of America’s most unusual roadside-style attractions is getting smaller, with one of the country’s strangest tourist stops preparing to disappear.
Ripley’s Believe It or Not! says its San Francisco museum will close before the end of the year, ending almost 60 years of showcasing bizarre artifacts, remarkable creations and curiosities from around the world.
The museum opened at 175 Jefferson Street in the heart of Fisherman’s Wharf on February 2, 1967.
For decades, it gave visitors a quirky alternative to the neighborhood’s familiar seafood eateries, gift shops and busy waterfront sights—one of the features that helped make Fisherman’s Wharf a major San Francisco tourist destination.
The attraction housed more than 400 exhibits, as well as a 2,000-square-foot mirror maze. Together, they embodied the Ripley’s motto celebrating “the odd, the unusual, and just plain weird.”
However, the museum has yet to announce its final operating day.
Jim Pattison Jr., president of Ripley’s Believe It or Not!, said in a statement that the San Francisco location is expected to remain open until sometime before the end of 2026. The company will confirm the precise closing date later.
Ripley’s has not publicly identified one specific reason for the decision.
San Francisco’s iconic Ripley’s Believe It or Not! museum is preparing to close, though the company has not explained the decision
Fisherman’s Wharf is a lively waterfront neighborhood famed for seafood restaurants and souvenir stores
Ripley’s president Jim Pattison Jr. said the San Francisco museum is expected to close before the end of 2026
A company spokesperson told SFGATE that the closure was not the result of “one single challenge or event.” Instead, Ripley’s reviewed how Fisherman’s Wharf is changing and considered what would be the best path for the brand in the future.
The decision affects only the San Francisco site. Ripley’s continues to operate 26 museums worldwide, meaning the famous attraction is far from disappearing altogether.
Before the museum shuts down permanently, however, fans may have an opportunity to buy a piece of its unusual San Francisco legacy.
Ripley’s intends to auction or sell selected exhibits with local connections, including a Golden Gate Bridge replica crafted on the head of a pin and additional versions of the landmark made from toothpicks.
Other distinctive items could also be offered, among them a pair of crutches once owned by baseball icon Joe DiMaggio and a portrait of singer Janis Joplin constructed from chicken wire.
Ripley’s history in San Francisco stretches well beyond the museum’s Fisherman’s Wharf address.
Founder Robert Ripley launched his career in the city in 1909 while working for the San Francisco Bulletin.
He later presented early examples from his collection at the Golden Gate International Exposition, held on Treasure Island in 1939 and 1940.
Ripley’s plans to offer several exhibits with special ties to San Francisco for sale
An Optimus Prime Transformer status made from recycled vehicles by artist Anchalee and her team in Thailand
The company eventually opened several attractions around Fisherman’s Wharf, including a Guinness World Records museum and a magic shop, before settling into its current incarnation.
The museum has also welcomed its share of famous visitors over the decades, including Michael Jackson, former San Francisco mayor Willie Brown and baseball great Joe DiMaggio.
Ripley’s is now becoming the latest longtime attraction to disappear from Fisherman’s Wharf.
Madame Tussauds closed its wax museum in October 2024, while the San Francisco Dungeon shut down in 2021.
The Cartoon Art Museum also closed its Fisherman’s Wharf gallery in August, leaving the 42-year-old institution without a public gallery in San Francisco.
The neighborhood itself is undergoing a major transformation, with longtime businesses disappearing as new restaurants, public spaces and other developments move in.
Alioto’s, which began as a fish stand in 1925, closed during the pandemic and never reopened. Its former building was demolished this year and replaced with a public gathering space overlooking the harbor.
The former Fishermen’s Grotto No. 9 site is also being redeveloped after the restaurant was evicted over more than $332,000 in back rent.
The building housing Ripley’s is already being marketed for lease, with a listing describing the roughly 13,366sq ft space as suitable for retail, restaurants, entertainment or other tourist-oriented uses.
Still, Ripley’s is leaving the door open for a return.
‘While we’re saying goodbye to this location, we’re not necessarily saying goodbye to San Francisco,’ Pattison said. ‘With Ripley’s, you never know. We might just be back!’
