Cable Car Museum

"The Cable Car Museum in San Francisco is a fascinating and unique destination that offers visitors an in-depth look at one of the city's most iconic modes of transportation. Located in the historic cable car barn and powerhouse, the museum provides a blend of history, engineering, and culture that makes it a must-visit for locals and tourists alike. The exhibits are thoughtfully curated, showcasing the evolution of cable cars from their inception in the late 19th century to their continued operation today. You'll find beautifully preserved historic cable cars on display, including the first cable car ever built, which adds a personal and nostalgic touch to the experience. The museum also features detailed explanations of the mechanics behind the cable car system, including the underground cables and pulleys that power these vehicles. Watching the machinery in action is a highlight, as it offers a rare glimpse into the inner workings of this ingenious transportation system. Interactive displays and informative panels make the museum engaging for visitors of all ages. Whether you're a history buff, an engineering enthusiast, or simply curious about San Francisco's unique character, the Cable Car Museum has something to offer. The staff are friendly and knowledgeable, always ready to answer questions and share interesting anecdotes about the cable cars and their role in the city's history. The museum's location in Nob Hill adds to its charm, as the surrounding area is steeped in history and offers stunning views of the city. Admission is free, making it an accessible and budget-friendly option for anyone exploring San Francisco. Donations are welcome and help support the museum's efforts to preserve and share this important piece of the city's heritage.

This place is amazing and have so much history! Incredible to see the actual cable running. The only thing that would make it better if they offered tours. It would be so much more informative to have someone providing the information and detailing how the inner workings run. But definitely worth checking out. And even better that it’s free!

If you hate interesting in learning first hand how the cable cars work or are in the area, the visit is worth the time. The entrance is free and the museum provides easy to understand information regarding the operation of cable cars of San Francisco. There is a nice souvenir shop in the museum too.

The Cable Car Museum is an absolute gem and a must-stop when visiting San Francisco! Best of all — it’s free to enter, making it a fantastic addition to any itinerary. The museum offers fascinating insights into the history and mechanics behind the city’s iconic cable cars, and what’s especially cool is that it’s not just a museum — it’s an active powerhouse still operating the real cable cars you see climbing the hills of San Francisco. Watching the giant wheels and cables in motion is mesmerizing! The exhibits are well-curated, the staff is friendly, and the bathrooms are clean — always a plus when sightseeing. Whether you’re a history buff or just curious, this museum is well worth a visit.

This is FREE to the public. Donation box onsite to support the private foundation. It is a MUST see and do for EVERYONE. The history of these cable cars is tremendous. The museum is also the powerhouse facility. You see the actual wheels turning 🤠. There is information posted on founding of the wire technology to the 1906 destructive earthquake and fire. Then to the politics of the day when a former mayor tried to get rise of the cable cars! So well done. Thank you!!

Interesting museum! We actually learned a lot walking through here! We were looking for an indoor activity to escape the cold rain and found this. It was FREE! We really enjoyed the amount of detail and information posted here. The little shop is cash only, which led us to counting pennies, but we made it work. We wish there was a card payment option, that is our only complaint. We really enjoyed our visit and will visit again in the future! Highly recommend!

Best free museum in the city. If you got a family member in town and your balling on a budget. Look at the history of the cable cars and how they work for the low cost of nothing. Pro tip: spend 50 cents and get a penny press.

A wonderful and fully eclectic museum/working nexus of transportation infrastructure, you’ve certainly never seen anything like it! You can just stare at the giant wheels turning powering the cable cars all over the city—I have been mesmerized by the sound of the cables running under the streets! Anyway lots of memorabilia and a very informative, infuriating but eventually inspiring story of how the cable cars were saved from oblivion by a dedicated group of citizens. Also it’s freeeeeee woo-hoo!

Of All The Years being as a local And I have been to this Fun Attraction which is The Cable Car Museum I have visited this place several times!!!!! And the best part about this Cable Car Museum is that it shows u how was the Cable Car invented which is a fun thing!!!!!!!

Good, Quick Stop The Cable Car Museum is small but worth checking out. It's pretty loud inside since the cables are working You can see the entire system in action. There's plenty of historical info around, interactive displays and you can get up close to the old cable cars and equipment. The gift shop was disappointing in that it was full of mass produced imports, but overall, it's a worthwhile educational stop.

This is definitely a cool place to visit. Not only is it a museum but it's actually an actively used warehouse for the cable cars running around San Francisco. I was in awe of their being able to not only maintain but currently utilize this warehouse for their cable cars currently in usage. The machines are so old that if any parts fail then they have to custom reproduce that part with their own machinist. The parts cannot be reordered from anywhere because there is no company out there anywhere in the world that has spare parts. I loved listening to the cable being pulled into and out of the warehouse. Also, watching the cable cars pull in and out.

Great historical breakdown with photos and to see how the entire system works underground.

A fun free attraction that shows SF's history and inner workings. The wheels and pulleys were audible from the entrance. There were two levels, with the bottom being a small room that peered into the underground gears. The top floor was much more active with various retired cable cars and historical trinkets. It was interesting reading how the cable cars came to be and there was a small video at the end of the museum for guests to watch. The gift shop was reasonably priced but everything was cash only. There were also clean bathrooms available. It took about 30 minutes for me to finish the entire museum. Considering it's near Chinatown, I would add this as a stop if you're in the area.

A delightful, free museum to learn about (and see!) how the Cable Cars work. They also have a small gift shop (cash only). If you're riding the Cable Cars, especially with kids, definitely stop here so they can see the inner workings.

Wonderful free activity in San Fran. Museum is right in the trolley stop and has the history of cable cars in the city. Lots of information including a short video presentation. You also can look over into the cable terminus for the city and the maintenance shop. This is where the actual cables moving the trolleys are located so it's a real, working operation. Head down below to see how the cables move under the streets. You could spend 30 min to 2+ hours here depending on how much you want to learn and observe but I would guess 45 min-1 hour is average visit. Nice spot to learn about the an iconic piece of San Francisco.

This is a really cool free museum! It's only a 4 minute walk from a good coffee place, the coffee movement. At first, I thought it was just a museum about the history of cable cars and the science behind it. But I was shocked to see that it houses the actual powerhouse, with the 4 main cable lines running through SF! I thought it was a good mix of things to look at and things to read. Very cool place for visitors of all ages!

This was a really great visit for a free rainy day activity. You learn about how cable cars work and even get to observe the tech at work. It was a really well curated museum with interesting tidbits, photos and replicas! Definitely pay it a visit and try to get a ride on a cable car if you're able to afterwards!

Considering that this is a working museum you have a unique opportunity to see what pulls the cable cars through the City. You can also see some of the original cable cars and other factoids about the unique system including efforts to dismantle it. It's free so you cannot find a better deal in town.

The Cable Car Museum is a free museum that details the history of San Francisco's cable cars. It's run by a non-profit organization Friends of the Cable Car Museum dedicated to preserving cable car history. The museum houses a collection of historic cars, photos, displays, and a gift shop. The museum was established in 1974 and is located at Washington and Mason. You can see the cables that pull the cable car under the streets. It's really neat to see especially if you are not familiar with the mechanics of the cable car system. That humming noise is the cables pulling underground. The museum is informative and we had a fun time looking at the various displays.

Free museum. Street parking only and parking nearby will be on a hill. This is a great place to visit with the kiddos. Not too busy on a Saturday. You can just walk right in. One thing I didn't see was an accessible entrance so please call ahead and see if there is an alternative entrance. The one I walked into only had stairs.

Nice little gem in the city. It's a nice way to learn of the history and how the famous cable cars work. The museums is free but donations are taken. Nobody asks there's just a post box like box. Not overwhelmingly huge but nice to learn about SF culture as well. The gift shop has plenty of souvenirs and goodies but it's a cash only place. My favourite part was seeing the actual machines at work in the underground's of San Francisco. Get yourself a day pass and ride the unlimited cables cars all day as much as you want for the designated time. Make sure to visit the museum once you're on Washington St and Mason St There's restrooms. There's a lower and upper lever once you enter the building. It's pretty much a your own guide type of thing as the only staff member was the individual at the shop. Recommend if you are passing by and or by Chinatown as well.

This is a cool museum where visitors can learn about the history and workings of an iconic part of SF. It includes various elements related to science and technology, an opportunity to view what happens beneath street level when cable cars pass through, and plenty of machinery, equipment, and discussion of important people that have contributed to the progress and preservation of the cable car. It doesn't take long to peruse the entire museum and its exhibits, including a gift shop area. And the best part, admission is free, so although it's touristy, it's not exactly a tourist trap.

It's hard for me to remember when I last visited and toured this Nob Hill landmark. After all, it's a natural connection to the San Francisco treat. (). I've been walking by a number of times with my fur baby, tempted to rekindle memories. My guess is a field trip when I was eleven or twelve years old. That long?! Yes, I'm THAT old. I remember that my grammar school teacher took our class and we oohed and aahed looking at the machinery, mainly gears, cogs, and cables that power that cars up and down the streets of San Francisco's neighborhoods. I remember admiring how shiny the brass parts were. There are the staple bells that the operators ring when they approach the intersections. And, if you have small children, you can tell them this is where the cable cars sleep at night. Stop here for a bit of history of old San Francisco. There's more to cruising through Nob Hill, Russian Hill, and the Wharf. Hope to walk in one of these weekdays.

What an incredible, free museum! Learn about the history of San Francisco cable cars...the last remaining cable cars in the world! Nice gift shop, cash only (at least when I went).

I decided to spend a free afternoon pretending to be a first-time visitor to San Francisco like it was Groundhogs Day. The other condition I put on myself is that each of my stops had to be within walking distance of each other. Between stops at the Golden Gate Fortune Cookie Company (review: https://bit.ly/3qRJRAv) and Lombard Street (review: https://bit.ly/3rAcbGs), I came here for the very first time. I have to admit I'm not the first one to hop on a cable car or hang on the pole as it's moving. I'm usually the one who has to be convinced by someone else to pay the exorbitant fare when it was cheaper to take the MUNI bus. However, considering that this is completely free to enter on your own, this was a pretty entertaining permanent exhibit of the history of these trolleys with the top floor devoted to its legacy and history and how the 1906 earthquake altered their future as a useful transportation mode for residents. Their are historic cars, headlines on tattered newspaper, and well worn internal parts for you to explore your inner cable car geek. The best part of the experience was watching the cables in operation through a series of interlocking gears. Oh, cables. Cable cars. I get it. RELATED - Exploring Nob Hill? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: https://bit.ly/2IfTVOB

The museum is located in the historic Washington and Mason cable car barn and powerhouse, and its deck overlooks the huge engines and winding wheels that pull the cables. There is also a viewing area downstairs of the large sheaves and cable line entering the building through the channel under the streets.

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.

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!

Yo, this place is off the rails. Highly informative, thoughtful, thorough, open, and attractive museum. Not sure if it's worth repeated viewings, but the giant wheels are hypnotic. I didn't leave thinking I was a chicken or anything but they're oddly magnetic. Per square inch, I'd say this was all greatest hits with no filler, making it one of the best museums I've seen. The gift shop, however, was a little lacking: instead of being cable car- specific it was mostly the same touristy trinkets you'd find in Chinatown.

I'm a bit of a Transit geek and enjoyed seeing the cable car museum. They have some great historic displays and their video presentations are also quite good. The cable cars were not running the weekend that I was there so I couldn't see the machinery in motion, which was kind of sad. I was very disappointed that I didn't get to ride a cable car but I do plan on going back. If you go, the gift shop only accepts cash. They have a good assortment of items there and it helps support the museum, so I am glad I had some cash on me that day. The museum is free and definitely worth seeing. It was my first stop that day and then I went to Chinatown for the Moon festival. If you are visiting San Francisco, make sure you stop here.

A great museum. So fascinating. It's free. There are restrooms There's a gift shop- cash only. There's a 10 min video to watch I think 1.5 hours is plenty of time to budget here

A friend who lives in SF recommended the Cable Car Museum to me so I decided to check it out while I was in town. It's completely free to walk around in and has a cute little gift shop in the lobby area. It's not a huge museum, but it's pretty neat to see the huge engines and winding wheels that pull the cables from the museum deck. There are also exhibits telling the history of cable cars in SF and other artifacts from the "old days". I wouldn't suspect it to take more than an hour to go through the entire museum.

If you're in Chinatown, walk a couple of blocks up the hill and check this out. It actually powers the cable cars there and gives the visitor a historic view of the evolution of the cars as well as the mechanics behind cable cars. Cable cars were designed to get around SF's hills as horse drawn carriages had a hard time negotiating the downhill portion. They show how the brakes work and hot it connects to the cable to power the cars. Pretty cool stuff.

I was born & raised in San Francisco and, in my nearly 55 years on this planet, hadn't yet visited this most San Franciscan of places! So, on a lark one morning, I decided enough was enough: I *had* to visit. I was happily surprised to find there was free admission, but I did put $5 into the donations box at the top of the stairs overlooking the cable motors. The shop is chock-full of everything San Francisco cable cars (cash only in the shop, please)! The exhibits are loaded with authentic cable cars and other memorabilia, and make for a nicely informative stroll as the cable motors power all the routes around The City. I bet there were plenty more wheels years ago to power all the other lines. Dunno why I waited this long to visit, but I'm sure glad I finally did!

The city by the bay is all about cable cars. So it's natural to think that San Francisco would celebrate them with a museum. I have been twice around five years apart. I killed around 30 minutes on a recent and enjoyed it. Nothing had changed. There is no charge and it's right off the line near Chinatown. The old brick building is a working business for the city cable cars. The kids will enjoy too! Visitors can board a trolly, read about the history and purchase souvenirs. One thing visitors CANNOT do is access the lower level which is a working area for the cars with moving cables. However, I had a contact and got a tour of the floor which was next level cool. The machinery seems ancient. But everything is functional. Visitors can view the lower level from above as its wide open. If you have the time it will not take long and you will learn about the rich cable car history.

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.

I love trains , buses , subways and all kinds of public transportations! Having to grow up in Japan, I used to take the bullet trains to Tokyo and slow trains to my friends houses and the subway metros , it was soooo much fun!!! There's no cable cars in Japan so going to the Cable Car Museum and learning about how the cable cars work was really interesting. It was a bit smelly inside because of the oil and a bit noisy because the cables are running ( for those who have sensory sensitivities). I learned why the Powell-Mason and Powell-Hyde turn on the turntables and the California cars don't. Former cars are single-ended and the latter is double -ended so no need to turnaround . The mechanism of how they work is also interesting to learn and the history of it. This museum is full of information panels , photos, actual retired cars and a TV screen where you can watch to learn about the cable cars . The gift shop is full of cable car related merchandise also. ^ - ^ 08.07.21| Saturday

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.

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.

For a free museum, this place is great. It gets hot/stuffy on the main first floor, but keeping in mind that you actually get to see the cables at work, it's really no big deal. There are four routes the cable cars take and you can see the cables that pull each of them. Downstairs is a small viewing area where you can view the sheaves. The gift shop has lots of neat, well-priced knickknacks ranging from the typical to shirts and mugs to the slightly more interesting postage stamps and die-cast (?) metal replicas of cable cars. There is a $10 minimum for credit/debit card. I highly recommend the watercolor-looking postcards. One of them features the Hyde St. cable car which I tried to get a photo of at its exact location. If you want to check it out in real life, the postcard features the view from a hill a little past the beginning of the famous part of Lombard Street (which there is also a nice watercolor postcard of available in the shop).

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.

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.

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.

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!

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

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.

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.

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.

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!

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).

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.

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.

Cable Car Museum is tucked away in Nob Hill towards North Beach. It's a small museum. It's free, but there's not much to see. You stand and look down at an old cable car cut into sections. I looked at the gift shop. It's kinda a tourist trap in San Francisco. You can stop by and give it a shot if you are interested in cable car history. It's near the cable cars of Nob Hill. Cable cars have given San Francisco character and history. Cable cars are relics of San Francisco history. No one will greet you at this museum, which is not really a museum. There's no words or exhibits. You look at old cable car relics. There is a gift shop attendant.

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.

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.

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.

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.