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Do you remember Ripley’s Believe It or Not tv show?

It was a show that brought the wonder and curiosity of the strange and obscure to the surface for decades.

My first adventure into a Ripley’s museum occurred when I was about 6 years old. It was our first time visiting Florida and my parents really wanted a break from the Disney parks.

My brother, who is older than me, was well versed in the Ripley’s Believe It or Not stuff that he asked if we could visit the Orlando museum.

I remember being confused as to why the building was upside down, but as I grew up, I learned it was all part of the act.

At that young age, my brother and I vowed to visit as many of these museums as we could.

Honestly, we were 6 & 9 how many could we really see?

So when I went to NYC with a friend during college, I was brought back to that pack as a child when we stumbled upon the Ripley’s Museum in Times Square.

Visiting NYC? Here are some things to do or see!

Who is Ripley?

The man behind the Ripley’s Believe It or Not was LeRoy Robert Ripley.

As an amateur anthropologist, he brought the world newspapers, radio shows, and even the famed tv show that featured odd facts from around the world.

Mr. Ripley died in 1949, but his legacy might be comparable to that of Walt Disney.

The History of Ripley’s Believe It or Not!

The Believe It or Not cartoon was first published in 1918. This spearheaded Mr. Ripley into publication with numerous different books published 1918 and 1933 when the first Odditorium opened in Chicago, Illinois World Fair.

This is 31 years before Walt Disney’s notorious rides and attractions that are still in Disney parks today.

Prior to the World Fair, in 1930 Ripley signed on with NBC, where he worked in radio for 14 years. In 1949 NBC aired the first series of Ripley’s Believe it or Not tv series.

The show was revived 2 separate times after the end of its first run in 1950. Making it a popular tv show for kids in the 80’s and 90’s through the early 2000’s.

The first museum

In St. Augustine, Florida, in 1950, the Warden’s Castle became the first permanent location for the Ripley’s museum.

To date, the company has over 30 museums and continues to expand with aquariums, moving theaters, haunted adventures, and more.

The Ripley’s Believe It or Not Museum in New York City (NYC)

What you might find most interesting about these museums is that they bring out a lot of STEM skills for children.

While you will see examples of oddities everywhere you look, there are also teaching opportunities, from how electricity works, to the genetics behind this face →

I think of it as a fun version of a science history museum. While I got to see a signed photo of the cast of M*A*S*H* and the largest Converse, I also got to touch the Berlin wall and see an albino Giraffe something that a lot of other museums wouldn’t let me do.

It marks for the experience to be different, interactive, and enjoyable.

Exhibits do change so things I saw 10 years ago might not be there today, but that is one of the joys about Ripley’s.

For example, on a visit to Williamsburg, VA, I got to see the Robert Wadlow exhibit, but then a year later see it again in NYC.

So you really never know exactly what you might see.

The address for Ripley’s in Time Square

234 W 42nd St, New York, NY 10036

Cost of tickets

Children (4-12) start at $19.20

Adults start at $25.60

You can also purchase a combo ticket that would get you into Madame Tussauds right next door for $49.99 (starting).

Prices are the online discounted cost.

Wheelchair Accessible

They are wheelchair and handicap accessible.

Is it worth it?

I flip-flop between saying yes and no. Because there is so much to do in NYC, I hesitate to say yes Ripley’s Believe It or Not is worth the trip. However, because their exhibits are always changing, I see the appeal to visiting it while there.

This, however, is not something I would put on a must-see list of attractions while in New York. The reason behind this is because Ripley’s has many museums throughout the country that provide similar value in lower attraction locations. For example, in Williamsburg when the kids get tired of the history, they can explore electricity at the Ripley’s museum.

But if you are a diehard Ripley’s fan like myself and my brother, yes, I would definitely recommend this if you are in NYC!