Entry No. 2 — the San Francisco file — filed under: oddities

Paxton Gate

Part garden store, part taxidermy parlor, part entomology cabinet: ethically-sourced skulls, mounted butterflies under glass, fossils, minerals, and carnivorous plants share shelf space with rare houseplants. Founded in 1992 by Sean Quigley, it's long been San Francisco's go-to oddities and natural-curiosities shop.

The move: Wander the taxidermy and bone displays on Valencia Street, then each pick out a small fossil, mineral, or carnivorous plant for a shared terrarium project.

📍 Mission District, San Francisco
💸 $$
⚡ Up for anything
🌗 Indoors

Where: 824 Valencia St, San Francisco, CA 94110

Hours: Added 2026-07-20 — confirm current hours before you go.

#oddities #taxidermy #curiosity shop #crystals #Mission District

Plan a visit & invite your people →

Further reading: Official site · secretsanfrancisco.com · Atlas Obscura

last checked: 2026-07-20