1 / 2Musée Mécanique
📍 Fisherman's Wharf, CA
Musée Mécanique on Pier 45 houses one of the world's largest privately owned collections of antique coin-operated amusements - fortune tellers, mechanical bands, early arcade games - most playable for a few quarters.
🏆 Family Action Verdict
Best for curious kids aged 5 and up who respond well to hands-on exploration. The tactile, play-everything format keeps children engaged far longer than a traditional display museum. Older kids and adults find the mechanical complexity and historical range genuinely fascinating. Bring a pocket of quarters.
ℹ️ What to Know Before You Go
💬 What Families Are Saying
View all reviews →8,166 Google reviews
G Reviews from Google
Jonah Kranker
5 months ago
“Fun place, they have really cool old arcade machines that you could actually play for only a few quarters”
💬 What parents mention
Overview
Musée Mécanique at Fisherman's Wharf is a working museum of over 300 antique and vintage coin-operated machines spanning more than a century. Visitors play actual penny arcade games, mechanical fortune tellers, hand-cranked peep shows, and early video arcade cabinets - all operational and most priced at a quarter or two per play. The collection spans the 1880s through the late 20th century. Admission to browse the museum floor is free; playing the machines requires coins.
