Ripleys Believe it or Not! Odditorium

Ripley’s Believe It or Not! holds an incredibly bizarre array of exhibits. There is undoubtedly something there to dazzle, and perhaps terrify, every member of the family! From a vast array of authentic shrunken heads to a authentic collection of Olympic flames, each exhibit is weirder than the next. Other interesting artifacts on display include a section of the Berlin Wall, a six-legged cow, an albino giraffe, and a lock of Elvis’s hair!

Don’t miss Ripley’s OddShop, which provides the perfect finale to your visit. There you can pick up some freakish items to remind you of your weird New York encounter with the grotesque, from crazy candy and jewelry to more mainstream t-shirts. Ripley’s New York is handicapped accessible and offers loaner wheelchairs for those who may need them. Photography is permitted, and even encouraged in the building, so don’t hold back from snapping shots of the odd things you may encounter! Naturally, Ripley’s Believe It or Not! New York is family friendly, so DO bring your kids. And don’t be ashamed to admit it if you end up enjoying the experience more than they do!

Does this whole place sound a little bizarre? It’s supposed to! Ripley’s New York Odditorium is a great example of the Grotesque. An inherently American idea, the Grotesque was an artistic and literary movement that focused on the distorted, weird, and supernatural elements of life that people find at once both fascinating and disgusting or bizarre. Capitalizing on this fascination, cartoonist and entrepreneur Robert Ripley used his collections of bizarre paraphernalia to entertain and amuse, and the idea has remained popular since the opening of the first Ripley’s in Chicago in 1933.

Ripley’s Believe It or Not! New York City may not be New York’s most famous attraction, but once visited, it is never forgotten. Don’t pass it up on your trip to the Big Apple!