Decades-old San Francisco tourist hot spot closes abruptly

Oct 15, 2024

Robin Williams’ wax figure was the first thing you’d see once the elevators opened in Madame Tussauds.

Another Fisherman’s Wharf staple has suddenly shuttered. Madame Tussauds, San Francisco’s outpost of the world-famous wax museum, has closed its doors permanently, the San Francisco Chronicle reports. (The Chronicle and SFGATE are both owned by Hearst but have separate newsrooms.)

The museum featured statues of notable San Francisco figures like Robin Williams, Janis Joplin and former Mayor Ed Lee, along with a barely recognizable Lady Gaga and “a jail cell featuring Al Capone holding a banjo,” according to SFGATE’s senior food reporter Madeleine Wells, who rated it 7 out of 10 in her review of Fisherman’s Wharf.

Rihanna, Beyoncé, Lady Gaga, Selena Gomez and other wax figures at Madame Tussauds.

A banner on the museum’s website states, “Hey there, San Francisco fans! Our San Francisco location is now closed, but the fun doesn’t stop! Visit us in Las Vegas or Hollywood for more dazzling experiences and unforgettable memories. Thank you for being part of our journey!”

Advertisement

Article continues below this ad

Elevated view southeast toward Telegraph Hill and Coit Tower from Fisherman’s Grotto. Parking lot, Sil Oliva’s Exposition No. 1 restaurant and Wax Museum.

A Madame Tussauds spokesperson spoke with KRON-TV about the closure and thanked guests for supporting the business over the past 10 years. The spokesperson also mentioned that staff are being assisted with job opportunities in the wake of the closure. Madame Tussauds ran the museum since 2014 — prior to this, another wax museum (named Wax Museum) had been in operation since 1963 in the same location.

Culture | This SF restaurant was the blueprint for ‘Bob’s Burgers'Food | Anthony Bourdain loved this SF tourist trap. Now I can see whyLocal | This mysterious Bay Area beach is covered in broken ceramicsMusic | Nirvana's Cow Palace show was once panned. Now, it's revered.

On social media, the Madame Tussauds Instagram account has removed highlights of the San Francisco location, but given the location’s enduring legacy of houses of wax, another one occupying the space in the future probably isn’t out of the question.

Advertisement

Article continues below this ad

SFGATE reached out to Fisherman’s Wharf representatives and Merlin Entertainments, which managed the museum, but did not hear back by publication time.

— The story behind SF Fleet Week's biggest star— Unexpected Bay Area business closes amid claims of owner's 'bully' behavior— San Francisco Bay Area lodge named best hotel in the world— Famous California filming location sells to Bay Area investor for $1.28 million— Legendary rockers take over Golden Gate Park for once-in-a-lifetime show