Ripley’s to Open Believe It or Not! Museum in London
Ripley’s Heads to Piccadilly Circus in August
London (May 14, 2008) – The quirky and world famous Ripley’s Believe It or Not!®, the global authority on the weird, strange and bizarre, will open its doors to the public in the heart of London’s West End at 1 Piccadilly Circus this August. Bringing a host of peculiar and wonderful exhibits never before seen in the UK, the museum of oddities will occupy 24,000 square feet and is set to become one of London’s major tourist destinations and a top family attraction.
Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Museum will offer a unique mixture of entertainment, education and fun for the entire family - appealing to anyone with a basic sense of curiosity. Guests of all ages will appreciate the 500-plus authentic, original and unbelievable exhibits.
“The Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Museum will not only be unique, but it promises to be the most incredible visitor experience in London. There’s nothing like it. We’re looking forward to shocking visitors from all over the world,” notes Jim Pattison, Jr., President of Ripley Entertainment Inc., who adds that he enjoys visiting the Ripley’s museums and watching people’s reactions as they observe outrageous items for the first time, such as Vampire Killing Kits.
From a two-headed calf to a 3,000 pound piece of the Berlin Wall, a Swarovski-Covered Crystal Mini Cooper worth £500,000 and three unbelievable human shrunken heads from Ecuador, the new attraction will feature exhibits so bizarre it will leave visitors wondering if something so outlandish could really be true.
Additional strange items on display include a magnificent portrait of Lady Diana made of laundry lint from a clothes dryer, a copy of The Last Supper painted on a grain of rice, the famous sweater worn by Marilyn Monroe during her last photo shoot on the beaches of Malibu, a mummified man, and a genuine moon rock.
Robert Ripley, the globetrotting creator of the Ripley’s Believe It or Not! cartoon in 1918, displayed his first collection of oddities at the Chicago World’s Fair in 1933, filling the exhibition hall with hundreds of genuine artefacts he had gathered from his travels to more than 200 countries. Today, his exotic treasures can be seen in 30 Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Museums worldwide.
For more information on London’s Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Museum, please visit www.ripleyslondon.com or call 020 3238 0022.
About Ripley Entertainment Inc.
Ripley Entertainment Inc. (www.ripleys.com) is a leading global attractions company with annual attendance of more than 13 million. In addition to its 60-plus attractions, the Orlando, Florida-based company has publishing and broadcast divisions that oversee projects including the globally syndicated Believe It or Not! television show, best-selling books and the popular syndicated cartoon strip, Ripley’s Believe It or Not!, that still runs daily in 42 countries. There are now 30 Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Museums in operation, including the opening of the attractions in Bangalore, India in April 2008 and San Antonio, Texas, on May 1, 2008.
About London Bridge Entertainment Partners LLP
London Bridge Entertainment Partners LLP is a franchisee of Ripley Entertainment Inc. formed to develop and operate the Ripley’s Believe It or Not! ® Museum in London. London Bridge Entertainment Partners LLP is controlled by London Bridge Entertainment Group LLC, an investment vehicle established for the purpose of making investments in entertainment properties worldwide.
For additional information, please contact:
Joanne Shepherd, GolinHarris 0207 067 0603, jshepherd@golinharris.com
Sophie Smith, GolinHarris, 0207 067 0415, ssmith@golinharris.com
Tim O’Brien, Ripley Entertainment Inc., 001 615 646-7465, obrien@ripleys.com