Be kind, rewind. It’s National VCR Day.
Located in San Francisco’s Fisherman’s Wharf district, the Musée Mécanique is a privately owned museum dedicated to vintage coin-operated amusements and arcade machines.
The collection was assembled by Edward Galland Zelinsky, whose interest in mechanical amusements began in childhood. Over several decades, he acquired and restored a wide range of coin-operated devices, eventually creating one of the world’s largest private collections of its kind. The museum opened at its current location in 2002 following its relocation from the Cliff House.
Today, the collection includes hundreds of mechanical games and amusement devices, including fortune tellers, player pianos, pinball machines, photo booths, strength testers, and coin-operated novelty machines. Among the more unusual objects are intricate models constructed from toothpicks by inmates at San Quentin State Prison.
Unlike many museums, visitors are encouraged to interact with the collection. Most of the machines remain operational and can be played for a small fee. Admission to the museum is free.
More information
