Hidden San Francisco - The Cable Car Museum

Vintage San Francisco Cable Car
Originally uploaded by Ame Otoko

Ever wonder how the cable car system in San Francisco actually works? The answer lies at the corner of Washington and Mason Streets, in a quiet neighborhood below posh Nob Hill and a few blocks above the chaos of Chinatown.

The Cable Car Museum is not just a museum, it is the powerhouse of the entire cable car system. When you visit this museum, you will see exactly how the system works, smell the hot oil, hear the humming of the engines. There are also vintage cable cars and models here as well as an authentic cable car bell you can ring (you know you always wanted to!).

Best of all, this little gem of a museum is absolutely free and is always surprisingly uncrowded, probably because it is not easy to find. A great rest stop for a walk up to Nob Hill. The only disappointment is the gift shop, which is full of tacky gifts you could find at any of the junk stores lining Fisherman’s Wharf. It would be great if they stocked this place up with more exclusive merchandise that reflect the classiness cable cars have brought to San Francisco for more than a century.

The Cable Car Museum is located at 1201 Mason St. (at Washington) and is open 10am to 6pm April thru September, 10am to 5pm October thru March.