Creepy and Delightful Vintage Arcade in San Francisco | KQED Arts

[@kqedarts]

Have you visited the Musee Mecanique in San Francisco? What's your favorite "deserve to preserve" spot in the Bay Area?

[@mcdtropicalfishandaquarium8993]

Many times when I was a kid. I want to go back but been avoiding San Francisco due the rise in homelessness and crime rate in the city.

[@AllLinesAreBeautiful]

We love living in the Bay Area and can't wait to visit this!

[@jacknjill3000]

Yes I have and try to go there as often as I can when at the Wharf. Chrissy Fields is really nice now with the new park areas and the original lagoon recreated. Oh and someone said there used to be a Burger kings in the Presidio with a great view that I never knew about.

[@kentaotsuki1331]

its actually open now, and absolutely packed.

[@gerry7749]

I've just watched this video at home in Scotland. I found it moving and saddening that such delights might disappear forever if the arcade were to shut. I'm glad it has re-opened and I wish the owner well for the future.

[@Mr19thcenturyman]

Was there last year after reopening. My wife loved it. Even got our pictures taken in one of the booths. A great museum that entertains.

[@Alphiethealphaalpaca]

I love this place!!! I like to imagine all the people that have played the games through out the decades and how much joy it brought them. ☺️😌

[@matthewm7540]

Where u at cutie

[@kimpeterson1268]

Great mini-documentary! I wish there was more!

[@jimcox4728]

I remember playland by the beach.

[@NC-nx7ef]

I love this place

[@bluejh9473]

One of thee best parts of san francisco

[@ellinorglorioso2247]

OH! how I wish I were there. I'd love to come and visit your wonderful museum of historic evelution of mechanics. It is sooo amazing! Watching this video was a way back in time. Thank you for posting this. Brough back my happy childhood days. This should be a museum. Isn't there someway it could be promoted a such and get grants or fund money to keep it going? I hate to think of these awesome items being auctioned off. Be well.

[@josephchacon8305]

This is where I've brought friends family and dates. My favorite is the Opium Den.

[@oldsoulmel6186]

What a cool looking place

[@FLASH-MATT]

Incredible story 😮

[@keithwukmir4452]

San Franciso the place where free love was a wonderful footnote in time of History. Old guys rule but Young people are beautiful.

[@djjamad1416]

I always wanted a pinball machine. Now I just might after watching this

[@celifacejones]

This was pretty cool and interesting. But 3:54 is nightmare fuel.

[@kqedarts]

That machine is called "Laffing Sal" and she's been terrorizing kids (and, let's face it, adults) for almost 100 years.

[@celifacejones]

@@kqedarts So it's haunted, too. Coolcoolcool.

[@briandoan3837]

Her sibling is down at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwwalk.

[@Nico-yi2bi]

@@kqedarts She was also at the funhouse in Coney Island. She scared the crap outta me. That laugh brought back a lot of memories. ....shivers...lol

[@PaulWesleyBowen]

I was aghast when the mechanical gadgetry from Playland that had been moved to the Cliff House had a fire. Very sad.

[@tomroop3718]

A little History on Laffing Sal and where she is at or been in this wikipedia essay.Laffing Sal (sometimes incorrectly called "Laughing Sal") was produced by the Philadelphia Toboggan Company (PTC) of Germantown, Pennsylvania during the 1920s and early 1930s. PTC subcontracted fabrication of the figures to the Old King Cole Papier Mache Company of Canton, Ohio.[1] en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laffing_Sal

[@kqedarts]

Thanks for the backstory! We're lucky to have at least 3 Laffing Sals in the Bay Area: One at Musee Mecanique, one at the Santa Cruz Boardwalk, and one formerly housed at El Cerrito's Playland-Not-at-the-Beach. Does anyone know where to find others (Besides in your nightmares)?

[@elchinski]

Every time I’m in the bay I have to stop by here… my dad took me as a kid and now I take my own kids….

[@ponchlocz6609]

Are used to go to the arcade a lot as a kid then go visit the pirate ship docked on the bay

[@lanceolson9366]

Ski ball was my favorite

[@mcdtropicalfishandaquarium8993]

People are coming to coast more for scenery rather the history and it's a sad thing. People when you visit cities with a lot of history like San Francisco take some time to visit some these historic sites for a glimpse of what San Francisco was like back in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

[@lilcricket4379]

Torn most of our lovely antiquity down. The hidden technology of our mud floods & fires

[@Julian-gt3qy]

My favorite is the arm wrestler.

[@Hengel_Andrews]

So potentially there are 50 of these still left in every state? 2500 of a thing isn’t rare, yet I have no idea where to find one off the top of my head.

[@celestialnubian]

No, that 2,500 number probably includes places like restaurants with 1 machine for decor. Establishments like Musée Mécanique with a large, loved and maintained collection are rare.

[@chinoching-topic]

Demons and the devil is real just like god and angels are real I been to this old school classic arcade love the boxing ring

[@lilcricket4379]

The once Cliff House jewel when seals were at seal rock and you could fish out there tide permitting, least not Camera Obscura and the seafood fare & dry martini of said establishment. 🏵️💖🌈😘

[@ranchobrien6235]

Who remembers sam

[@beatpirate8]

I don’t remember this!

[@manulpramila01]

My family and i went there, wasn’t that creepy, my son played 90’s car arcade games, thats why.

[@freddaniali]

No one wants to visit a dump like San Francisco when there are so many other wonderful places to go in the US.

[@freddaniali]

@Daniel Downs Yeah, that's a tall order bud.

[@KingAbel510]

@Daniel Downs it’s like arkham asylum got let loose

[@KingAbel510]

@Daniel Downs a crazy asylum more known from a fictitious realm from the movie Batman Begins

[@josephchacon8305]

This is where I've brought friends family and dates. My favorite is the Opium Den.