INFORMATION : Museum closed
The museum Ripley’s Believe It or Not ! “Believe it or not! »Is a tourist attraction which is very successful due to its unusual and strange appearance. Moreover, this museum is not a museum like the others. The collections are linked to history, ethnology, or art presented in a wacky and quirky way.
The Museum of London has more than 700 curiosities spread over 5 floors
Who was Robert Ripley?
Robert Ripley (1890 - 1949) is a “jack of all trades”, at the same time designer, anthropologist, adventurer, explorer and reporter! He draws cartoons for the newspaper Believe It or Not! presenting surprising and unusual facts from around the world.
Following a trip to Asia, Ripley opened his first museum in Chicago in 1933, “Odditoriums”, in which he housed his enormous collection of objects from his travels. More than 2 million people flocked in 1933 to visit this museum of the incredible. Building on this success, other museums are opening across the United States such as San Diego, Dallas, San Francisco, New York ...
Today, the Ripley entertainment group operates 32 museum Ripley’s Believe it or not worldwide in 10 countries, and attracts more than 13 million visitors per year. The London one opened in 2008 is the largest in the world!
Each year, Ripley’s Believe it or not publishes a collection presenting - as in the museum - strange but true facts like an edible human skull or the seasickness of a woman, 3 years after her last boat trip ...
This work
illustrated with photos and drawings is a great success every year. Strange ?!Ripley's Believe it or not a museum of history and ethnology
The Ripley Museum preserves pieces of modern and contemporary history, such as a piece of the Berlin Wall or a shoe that belonged to King Henry VIII.
Ethnology is also approached through ritual objects made from human heads reduced by the Jivaros. This Indian family has the ritual of beheading the heads of their enemies to make tsantsa or shrunken heads by removing the skin, which they stuff to form a mask. Their teeth are used to make necklaces, and they hang skulls from the roofs of their homes.
Ripley’s Believe it or not un musée loufoque ?
This museum, which looks like a cabinet of curiosities, presents many crazy objects. Some make you smile, others intrigue or even disturb. Watch out for sensitive souls. I have personally been disturbed by the photos of men who do not have a bust; in other words without legs or pelvis ...
Among the 700 other curiosities, there is a two-headed calf, a matchstick model of Tower Bridge, a life-size knitted Ferrari or even a 2m40 high Transformer.
There are also many portraits of personalities such as that of Michèle Obama composed of bottle caps or Abraham Lincoln with computer keyboard keys!
What are some fun activities that will appeal to children?
Kids will definitely love the mirror maze and laser game where you have to dodge beams the fastest.
They will also like to have their picture taken alongside the biggest and tallest man in the world or on a huge chair.
The rotating tunnel or "Black hole" will give sensations to young and old!
How long is the visit to Ripley's Museum?
Allow at least 1h30 for the visit of the museum which can be longer if the children linger in the maze of mirrors or in the game of lasers 😉 But if you read all the cartels - written in English - you can spend a lot more there of time!
Good plans to pay your entry less expensive!
I offer two good plans to save money 🙂 The first is to visit the museum after 17:00 p.m., the second is to book your visit up to 2 weeks in advance that you can order on the GetYourGuide website.
What are the opening hours for Ripley's Believe it or not?
The strength of the museum is that it is open 365 days a year, either at Christmas and New Year's Day; with wide time slots. In fact, you can visit it until midnight (last admission at 22:30 p.m.).
Where is Ripley's Believe it or not museum located?
Address : The London Pavilion, 1 Piccadilly Circus, London W1J 0DA
Metro
bus
