Hey, what ever happened to the old camera obscura up at the Cliff House? Did they tear it down, like they threatened to back in '92?

The camera is still there.

i keep thinking about david copperfield. he has one of the largest private collections of coin operated machines in the world. he has an entire floor of his apartment in new york devoted especially to them. do you think if someone knew how to get in touch with him that he might make a donation to relocate the musee mechanique? or would he just buy it all for himself. i've been the the musee' several times. it's one of my favorite spots in sf and part of what gives the city its charm.

Edited by author 02-28-2002 12:35 PM
From KFOG.com (a SF Radio station):

Save The Musee Mecanique

The KFOG Morning Show is starting a petition to save a much-loved San Francisco landmark, The Musee Mecanique at the Cliff House. The building that houses the museum of old-time coin-operated machines, including player pianos, nickelodeons, fortune telling machines etc., is set to renovate and the National Park Service is planning to close it. But you, the Fogheads, RULE! Not the man. Tell him how you feel by e-mailing here (mornings@kfog.com). We'll collect the names of e-mailers and add them to a petition to stop the closing of this vital and fun shrine to our history.

I wish we could find an eccentric billionaire to re-build the Sutro Baths.

Edited by author 02-28-2002 04:15 PM
Whatever happened to all the marvelous artifacts once exhibited at the Sutro Baths (gone for many years now?). I believe that some of the mechanicals on exhibit at the Cliff House were originally in Sutro's, but there was much more - all sorts of Ringling Barnum & Bailey stuff, old cars, etc. Anyone know?

Thanks for the info Cory. Back when I lived in the City, I used to always take visitors up to the Camera Obscura and the Musee Mechanique. It's the sort of place that you never go to yourself when you live near it, but when out of town visitors come, that's the sort of place to go.
Back around 92 when I left SF, they were threatening to close the Camera Obscura but the local photographers and galleries banded together and worked to save it. It looks like they were successful. But without the Musee, there probably isn't going to be enough traffic to keep the Camera in profitable operation. If the Musee goes, the Camera will probably be next. Unfortunately, the Camera is not something you can relocate to another location.

there is also a movement of some sort with someone at savemusee@yahoo.com - i'm hoping that at some point soon, all of the various petitions and coalitions will coalesce into a larger group of some sort that can actually work together to find a new space for the musee. but chas is right, without the musee, the camera obscura probably closes. sigh.

I'm working to try to pull together all the various groups hoping to save the Musee. I have not yet talked to the folks at the Musee and that's a first step, but with their approval, I'm hoping to put together a public brainstorming session next week. With any luck, I can get some folks from the GGNRA to attend. I'll post more info once I have it.

By the way, correct me if I'm wrong, but the camera obscura could be moved, it would just have a different view. Right? So if we could find a new and beautiful locale for both the Camera and the Musee, they might both get the attention, attendance and funding they deserve. Or am I misunderstanding the way it works?

This January 10, 2002 article by Merilee Enge from the Press Democrat http://www.pressdemocrat.com/outdoor/featu...0cliffhouse_d1.html gives more info on the vague plans of the GGNRA for the Musee and a positive view of the future of the Camera Obscura:

"The Musee Mechanique, a private collection of antique carnival games now in the Cliff House's crumbling basement, will move to better quarters at the new center. Strahan said these elements of the restoration are still in the feasibility stage; no cost estimates are yet available.

One thing that won't change is the Camera Obscura, a giant viewing lens housed within a kitschy camera-shaped structure on the oceanside walkway of the Cliff House. The only one of its kind in the United States, the camera is listed on the National Register of Historic Places."

KFOG's morning show is also campaigning to save the Musee. They had Ed Zelinsky, owner of the Musee, as a guest at 7:50am, Monday, March 4th, 2002. Ed said that storing the machines during the renovation is not a viable solution: "They would not hold up in storage. They would break down...There's a lot of maintenance involved." He is meeting with the Park Superintendent this week to discuss options, but since an earlier possibility of moving the Musee up the hill fell through, Ed sounds as though he's not counting on the Park Service coming through with an immediate solution. The KFOG team asked if Ed would be willing to work with the private sector and he said he'd be delighted to. He said ideally he'd like to keep the Musee at Cliff House or nearby (e.g. at the Merry Way site where that parking lot is), but it is clear his first priority is to keep the collection on display somewhere.

(By the way, I have a webpage up now where I'm collecting info on the Musee and the campaign(s) to save it. The URL is http://www.metagrrrl.com/musee/)

For a good idea of what the MM looks like:
http://www.sanfranciscomemories.com/musee/mechanique.html

get over it. The Museum will maybe find a new place. If not, it will probably crumble into the sea in a few years. Its not a big deal if the Museum goes away. There is this thing called the FUTURE, you know.

they should tear down the Musee Mecanikee, and build a new state-of-the-art Internet Cafe. Then maybe, SanFrancisco could do virtual tours of all the old things that were torn down for, THE FUTURE. Like the telegraph and 8 track tape machines.

maybe when they find a new home for the Musee, they can dig up Herb Caen's coffin and put it next to ol' Laughing Sal. And maybe put some old crusty bong pipes from the Grateful Dead's Summer of Love Days too.

The Board of Supervisors' Transportation and Commerce Committee (McGoldrick, Hall, & Ammiano) are having a meeting regarding the closure of the MUSEE MECANIQUE THIS THURSDAY at 9:30am in Room 263 at City Hall. The Musee is Item #6 on the agenda; Supervisor McGoldrick's office expects that the Musee issue will come up around 11:15 to 11:30am. For more info go to http://www.ci.sf.ca.us/bdsupvrs/committees/transport.htm

Apparently Ed Zelinsky (the owner of the Musee) will be there. The public is encouraged to come and comment regarding why it is important to save the Musee Mecanique. I think it is important that the Board hear directly from as many people as possible at this stage in their deliberation process. People can also send in written comments before the hearing to become part of the public record. Please try to come to the meeting, and encourage others to come who may be able to make it!

I also have been trying to coordinate the efforts to save the Musee Mecanique, and am interested in connecting with any of you that also have been trying to get the effort organized. You can e-mail me at savemuseemecanique@yahoo.com.