A beloved piece of America’s roadside and tourist history is preparing to disappear, with one of the country’s strangest attractions set to close.
Ripley’s Believe It or Not! has confirmed that its San Francisco museum will shut before the end of the year, ending almost 60 years of showcasing bizarre artifacts, unusual creations and some of the world’s most curious sights.
The attraction opened at 175 Jefferson Street in Fisherman’s Wharf on February 2, 1967.
For generations of visitors, the kitsch-filled museum provided an offbeat alternative to Fisherman’s Wharf’s seafood restaurants, souvenir stores and waterfront scenery. The neighborhood remains one of San Francisco’s most popular tourist destinations.
The museum featured more than 400 artifacts, a 2,000-square-foot mirror maze and an assortment of oddities that reflected Ripley’s long-running celebration of “the odd, the unusual, and just plain weird.”
Ripley’s has not yet announced the attraction’s final day of operation.
In a statement , Ripley’s president Jim Pattison Jr said the San Francisco museum is expected to close sometime before the end of 2026. The exact date will be released once arrangements are finalized.
The company has not disclosed a specific reason for the closure.
San Francisco’s iconic Ripley’s Believe It or Not! museum is preparing to close, although the company has not explained why
Fisherman’s Wharf is a busy waterfront neighborhood known for its seafood restaurants and souvenir shops
Ripley’s president Jim Pattison Jr said the San Francisco museum is expected to close before the end of 2026
A spokesperson told SFGATE that the decision was not caused by “one single challenge or event.” Instead, the company considered how Fisherman’s Wharf is changing and what direction made the most sense for Ripley’s future.
Ripley’s operates 26 museums worldwide, meaning the San Francisco closure will mark the end of one location—not the attraction itself.
Visitors could also have an opportunity to own a piece of the museum’s unusual legacy before it closes permanently.
The company intends to sell several exhibits with strong San Francisco connections, including a Golden Gate Bridge model crafted on the head of a pin and toothpick renditions of the famous landmark.
Other distinctive items expected to be offered include crutches once owned by baseball great Joe DiMaggio and a portrait of singer Janis Joplin made from chicken wire.
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Ripley’s history in San Francisco stretches back well before the current Fisherman’s Wharf museum opened.
Founder Robert Ripley launched his career in the city in 1909, working for the San Francisco Bulletin.
Decades later, he displayed early versions of his collection of curiosities at the Golden Gate International Exposition on Treasure Island in 1939 and 1940.
A selection of exhibits linked to San Francisco is expected to be sold before the museum closes
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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!’