Major Fisherman’s Wharf Attraction Is Closing After Nearly 60 Years
One of the longest-running attractions at San Francisco’s Fisherman’s Wharf is getting ready to close. Ripley’s Believe It or Not! says its San Francisco Odditorium will shut down before the end of 2026.
The company has not announced an exact final day yet. The attraction at 175 Jefferson Street is still open, with current hours listed as 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Ripley’s opened at Fisherman’s Wharf on February 2, 1967. The museum has spent nearly 60 years showing off unusual artifacts, oddities and interactive exhibits.
Ripley’s President Jim Pattison Jr. said to Amusement Today the company made the decision “after careful consideration.” He did not give a reason for the closure.
You Still Have Time to Visit
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Ripley’s says the final day will be sometime before the end of the year. The exact date will be announced once it is finalized. Pattison also left the door open for Ripley’s to return to San Francisco someday.
“While we’re saying goodbye to this location, we’re not necessarily saying goodbye to San Francisco,” he said.
Some San Francisco Exhibits May Be Sold
Ripley’s plans to put some exhibits with ties to San Francisco up for sale before the attraction closes.
The list includes a Golden Gate Bridge made on the head of a pin, toothpick versions of the bridge by a local artist, Joe DiMaggio’s crutches and a chicken-wire portrait of Janis Joplin. The company also says visitors can expect some “nostalgia pricing” before the doors close.
Ripley’s Has a Long History in San Francisco
The Fisherman’s Wharf attraction opened in 1967, but Ripley’s connection to San Francisco started much earlier.
Robert Ripley began his professional career at the San Francisco Bulletin in 1909. Ripley’s also had exhibits at the Golden Gate International Exposition on Treasure Island in 1939 and 1940.
Over the years, the company also operated a Guinness World Records museum and a magic shop around Fisherman’s Wharf.
Fisherman’s Wharf Is Changing Too
The closure comes as Fisherman’s Wharf goes through changes of its own. The Port of San Francisco’s Fisherman’s Wharf Forward project includes new public spaces, lighting, events and new opportunities for shops and restaurants.
Longer-term plans also include work on the seawall and other waterfront improvements. Ripley’s has not said that the project is connected to its decision to close.
