Musée Mécanique 'waste your quarters' gag

Musée Mécanique is an extensive, publicly accessible collection of antique coin-operated arcade machines, mechanical musical instruments, and penny arcades located on Pier 45; admission to view the collection is free and many machines accept coins for play. The museum's playable, often quirky machines have been a Fisherman's Wharf attraction for decades and are frequently cited in local travel coverage. Locals and visitors commonly joke about bringing spare quarters or 'wasting' them here because of the irresistible coin-operated amusements. The collection is one of the largest of its kind in the U.S.