You’re walking down Jefferson Street, the smell of sourdough and saltwater hitting you all at once. You see the fog rolling in over the bay, and then you look for that familiar red awning. But it’s not there. Or rather, it’s not what it used to be. Honestly, if you’ve been planning a trip to see the wax versions of Steph Curry or Jerry Garcia lately, you might have been met with a locked door and a very confusing "closed" sign.
Madame Tussauds in San Francisco officially shut its doors on August 3, 2024.
It feels kinda weird to talk about Fisherman's Wharf without it. For a solid decade, this place was the go-to spot for tourists who wanted to pretend they were best friends with Beyoncé or Harvey Milk. It wasn't just another wax museum; it was a ten-year chapter in a sixty-year history of wax figures in that exact spot. Before the Madame Tussauds brand took over in 2014, the "Wax Museum at Fisherman's Wharf" had been a local staple since 1963. It’s the end of an era, truly.
Why did it close down?
Nobody likes to say the "P" word anymore, but the pandemic did a real number on San Francisco’s tourism. The foot traffic at the Wharf just hasn't been the same. Merlin Entertainments, the company that runs the brand, decided to pull the plug after their ten-year lease ended. They didn't just pack up and go, though. Most of those incredibly detailed (and slightly creepy) figures were shipped off to other locations like Hollywood and Las Vegas.
If you’re looking for someone to blame, you can point at a mix of high rent, changing tourist habits, and the fact that maybe, just maybe, people don't want to pay fifty bucks to take a selfie with a plastic-looking Mark Zuckerberg as much as they used to.
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The figures people loved most
The San Francisco location was unique because it leaned heavily into the "Spirit of San Francisco" exhibit. While other Tussauds locations are all about the A-list Hollywood glam, the SF branch actually cared about local history. You could find:
- The Tech Titans: A barefoot Mark Zuckerberg in a hoodie (classic SF) and a very stoic Steve Jobs.
- The Legends: Janis Joplin and Jimi Hendrix, making it feel like 1967 all over again.
- The Sports Heroes: Joe Montana and Stephen Curry were huge draws, especially on game days.
- The Activists: Harvey Milk’s figure was a centerpiece, reminding everyone of the city's political roots.
The detail was insane. I remember seeing the Zendaya figure when it first debuted—it was one of the few that actually looked like her from every angle. Wax figures are notoriously hit-or-miss. Sometimes you get a masterpiece, and sometimes you get a statue that looks like a distant, melted cousin of the celebrity it’s supposed to be.
What’s in that space now?
If you go to 145 Jefferson Street today, don’t expect to see wax. The San Francisco Dungeon, which was right next door and also run by Merlin, closed even earlier. The space has been fragmented. Parts of it have been converted into "The Escape Game San Francisco," which is actually pretty fun if you like being locked in a room with your friends and screaming at each other while trying to solve puzzles.
Other parts of the building are being eyed for new retail and "immersive" experiences, which is basically code for "something with a lot of LED lights that looks good on Instagram."
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Was it worth the hype?
People were always split on this. Some folks found it "tacky" or "a total tourist trap." And yeah, it kinda was. But it was also a place where you could spend two hours laughing at how short some celebrities are in real life. It was a controlled, air-conditioned break from the chaos of the Wharf.
One of the biggest complaints users had was the price. It wasn't cheap. If you didn't buy a combo pass with the Big Bus or the Aquarium of the Bay, you were looking at a hefty bill just to see some high-end mannequins.
Alternatives for your SF trip
Since Madame Tussauds in San Francisco is a goner, what do you do if you’re standing at Fisherman’s Wharf with time to kill?
- Musee Mecanique: It’s just down the street. It’s free to enter (you pay to play the machines), and it’s full of antique arcade games and mechanical oddities. Honestly, it’s way more "San Francisco" than a wax museum ever was.
- The Exploratorium: If you want something interactive, this is the gold standard. It’s on Pier 15. It’s science, it’s art, and you can spend six hours there and still not see everything.
- Alcatraz: You have to book this weeks in advance, but if you want real history and a bit of a chill down your spine, skip the wax and go to the Rock.
The bigger picture of the Wharf
The closure of Madame Tussauds is part of a larger shift. The Wharf is struggling to redefine itself. We’ve seen the Rainforest Cafe leave, the Dungeon close, and now the wax museum. But it’s not all doom and gloom. The area is becoming a bit more "local" focused, with better food options than the standard frozen shrimp baskets of the 90s.
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If you’re still dying to see the wax figures, you’ve got to head south. The Hollywood location on Hollywood Blvd is still going strong, and the one in Las Vegas is basically a rite of passage for anyone visiting the Strip.
Actionable next steps for travelers
If you’re currently in San Francisco or planning a trip, here is what you need to do:
- Check the status of attractions weekly: Things are changing fast in the city. Places that were "must-sees" two years ago are literally disappearing overnight.
- Look into the Go City Pass: Even though Tussauds is off the list, these passes still save a ton of money on things like the Academy of Sciences and Bay Cruises.
- Visit the Musee Mecanique: It’s the last bastion of the "old, weird Wharf" and it deserves your quarters.
- Skip the "Wax" searches: If a website is trying to sell you tickets to the San Francisco location right now, it's a scam or an outdated third-party site. Don't give them your credit card info.
The city is changing, and while we might miss the novelty of taking a selfie with a wax version of Jerry Garcia, the actual soul of San Francisco is still there—just maybe not at 145 Jefferson Street anymore.