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San Francisco Cable Car Museum
History Museum
Nob Hill, San Francisco
"you can see the giant wheel that winds the cable here, super cool."(14 Tips)
"Free admission, open 7 days / week, see the machines that..."(5 Tips)
"A must to understand (and actually see) how the cable car works."(4 Tips)
"how the cable car system functions."(5 Tips)
75 Tips and reviewsFilter:
- historic sites
- free admission
- car system
- winding wheels
- cable cars
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Bennett W WongNovember 7, 2014If you're majoring in electrical or mechanical engineering, then this is a good spot to visit. It's a definite go to spot when you want to enhance your knowledge on how the cable car system functions.- medvedevAugust 4, 2018It's will be very interesting for you, if you want to know how the cable cars looks like underneath the wheels and how they drive. Also you can watch the workers how they splice the cables.
Andrew CJuly 20, 2016The museum is small but very cool to see old school cars and informative about the history, challenges, and changes of the whole system!! BEST PART - it's free!!!
Nathan SpadyMay 27, 2023Simple, free but also high quality museum with both a look at the active cable car operations and history of this unique form of transit.
Makinder ChahalSeptember 30, 2015Free admission. Amazing historical look at the much loved cable cars. Some great photo restoration in here too. Definitely worth a visit to appreciate what goes into the uphill battles.
ElifApril 18, 2022It is free of charge and has all the history of the nostalgic cable cars and you can see the connection in the ground floor! A bit small but rich in content!
Fran SuApril 23, 2016Very interesting to see the inner workings of a functioning cable car system and learn about its history. Free admission helps too.
Caroline DengMay 29, 2016It's a small museum exhibit with free admission on the history of the cable car. You can even see the cables that pull the cables for each of the three lines!
Ms HeleneJune 7, 2015Historic building and houses the cables that run the whole system today, models of old cars and history. Free.
Geoff ReinhardtAugust 31, 2014Free museum! Go downstairs to see the actual gears that power the trolley cars. Then hop on the Hyde line one block north for views of Lombard Street on the way to Fisherman's Wharf. Trolley costs $6
Nathan StohlmannJune 2, 2017It's great to be able to see operational aspects of the system rather than just static displays, though those are well done as well!
JulienFNovember 1, 2012Excellent museum, you got to see the first cable car back in 1873, many historical pictures and as well the engines and winding wheels who pulls the cables. Amazing and all this for free !
Tristan TranOctober 27, 2014Very interesting if you want to learn a lot about the cable car history in less than an hour!
Michael LaverdièreMay 6, 2016It's amazing to get to see the mechanical aspects and history behind San Francisco's storied Cable Cars!
Sarah DunnJuly 4, 2016It's free! Very quick and informative. Walk in and check it out! Also they have bathrooms
kelly figJune 11, 2013free museum that shows how the cable cars work. interesting and historical. made my ride on a cable car much more memorable once i knew what made it go!
Olga BMarch 21, 2013Museum closes at 5pm (at least in March). If you are lucky, you may get invited into the barn by an employee, who shows and explains you how the cable, wheels and system works.
ExploratoriumSeptember 12, 2011Did you know that San Francisco has last permanently operating, manually operated cable car system in the world? Check out our Science in the City video to learn more about SF's cable cars! Read more
Bashar AbdullahMarch 11, 2016Live view of machine in motion, and for free! Small place, but still worth it.
Jeepin' JeffSeptember 17, 2013Free museum. Fascinating to see how the cable cars work, see the motors and cables under the streets, etc. really cool.
Brooke LouiseFebruary 1, 2023It's so strange. But interesting. All the cable cars are powered from here. The gift shop is most bizarrely cash only.
- Jared ZimmermanNovember 6, 2012The trolly cars work by grabbing on to a big set of cables that run under the city. you can see the giant wheel that winds the cable here, super cool.
- Olga BMarch 21, 2013It's US National Heritage. Cannot be sold or privatized by he government, that's why it's free. (And the reason why an employee may feel up to explaining you the workings of the system ;-D)
- Stefano GuidolinMay 7, 2014This is the place to be to learn everything about the cable car system. If you have an interest in engineering and its history, you'll love this place!
CécileOctober 21, 2018Amazing museum about the still-running historic transportation system of San Francisco.
Gareth WattsNovember 3, 2009If you've ever ridden a cable car in SF (and if not, why not??) and wondered how it all works you really must come here and see the 500HP motors in action for yourself; awesome place - and free!! Read more
Ali AndersonJune 23, 2015Free! And worth 30 minutes of your time if you're curious about the cable car scene in SF- Doug AlesJuly 5, 2015Free admission, open 7 days / week, see the machines that pull the cable car cables
Abby CJuly 1, 2015Very interesting. For free admission it is a must do if traveling to SF and taking cable cars.
Santiago RiveraMay 16, 2014This is the cable mechanism which moves the cable cars thru the streets and up & down the hills of San Francisco.
Geoff GreenAugust 23, 2014Documents the history of the cable cars and you can see the current system in action.
Jeremy JacobowitzAugust 22, 2014Well its free! Pretty interesting, but not much there. I loved the info video they played that was made in like 1979
Roma Flores CastrejónJanuary 18, 2017Great pictures, interesting to see the history of these amazing cable cars!- Estefanía López DefloryJune 13, 2014A must to understand (and actually see) how the cable car works. Really interesting!
Justine Chevrier-LordAugust 27, 2014Very interesting from a mechanical and from a historical point of view!
Nick BaerFebruary 7, 20135 people injured and taken to the hospital today because of the cable car and now I've wasted my time and money... Not happy with first cable car experience.
The Bold ItalicJune 2, 2011Watch the hilariously dated movie from the 1970s that plays in the corner of the gift shop, explaining how the cable car works. Read more
Rachael GreenMay 14, 2013jump off at Mason and see the free cable car museum! Leave about an hour to enjoy.
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San Francisco Cable Car Museum
1201 Mason St (at Washington St)
San Francisco, CA 94108
United States
San Francisco, CA 94108
United States
At the corner of Mason and Washington this is both the free cable car museum and the working wheelhouse for the Cable Car system and where the cable cars "live" at night.
Closed until 10:00 AM tomorrow (Show more)
- Mon–Sun
- 10:00 AM–6:00 PM
(415) 474-1887
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