Ripley's Believe It or Not! At San Francisco Wharf To Close

SAN FRANCISCO, CA — Ripley's Believe It or Not! will close its Fisherman's Wharf location in San Francisco, the company announced Tuesday.

"For nearly 60 years, Ripley’s Believe It or Not! has been part of the fabric of Fisherman’s Wharf," the company said in a statement. "After careful consideration, we have made the difficult decision to close our current San Francisco attraction."

Company officials said the final day will be "sometime before the end of the year." A closure date will be announced once it's been finalized, they added.

The company, known for displaying quirky and bizarre oddities from around the world, has roots in the Bay Area dating back to 1909, as its founder, Robert Ripley, was born in Santa Rosa.

Ripley worked as a sports reporter and cartoonist at the San Francisco Bulletin, according to his online biography.

After finding himself without a sports story, Ripley created the first "Believe It or Not!" cartoon, according to the biography.

He then traveled around the world to explore more of the world's oddities, leading to the first of many "Believe It or Not!" books.

Ripley opened a temporary "odditorium" at the World's Fair in 1933, and the first permanent one was built in Florida in 1950, a year after he died, according to the company.

The San Francisco location opened in 1967 and was a major tourist attraction for decades.

A select group of exhibits with special ties to San Francisco will be up for sale, including a Golden Gate Bridge created on the head of a pin and a chicken-wire portrait of Janis Joplin, the company said.

"While we’re saying goodbye to this location, we’re not necessarily saying goodbye to San Francisco," the company said. "With Ripley’s, you never know. We might just be back!"