Robert Ripley was a cartoonist, explorer, reporter, adventurer, illustrator, collector, and enthusiast of the odd and unusual. He spent part of his lifetime traveling the world, including India and the farthest corners of the Orient, where he fell in love with China. He picked up an extensive collection of oddities and stories while he was there. It was Ripley’s flamboyance and odd nature that made him such a character. Today, Ripley’s legacy lives on in Ripley’s Believe It or Not museums like the one in Branson, Missouri.
The museums got their name from one of Ripley’s sports cartoons that was originally called “Champs and Chumps,” but was renamed “Believe It or Not!” Ripley’s travels fed the cartoon fire. Now, the Ripley’s Believe It or Not Odditorium in Branson is home to a widely varied collection of strange exhibits and artifacts. The building even adds to the strangeness of the museum! The architecture of the building reflects the worst earthquake in the history of the United States, which actually occurred in New Madrid, Missouri, and even made church bells ring in Pennsylvania. Inside the Ripley’s Believe It or Not museum, there are over 400 artifacts and exhibits to see, including a playing card replica of the Roman Colosseum, a model of the U.S.S. Forrestal made out of 48,000 matchsticks, a vampire killing kit, the human unicorn from Manchuria, shrunken heads and more.
You get to tour the museum at your own pace and explore at your leisure. The recommended time allotment is between 1 and 1 ½ hours. Ripley’s encourages photos and videos and also asks you to share your experience on their website when you’re finished with your vacation. Tickets for this well-known attraction are $17.99 for adults, $9.99 for children ages 4-12, and children 3 and under are free. To order tickets, visit ripleys.com/branson or call 417-337-5300. You can also get your tickets that day when you come to the museum, so make sure to get the odd and unusual of Ripley’s Believe It or Not Museum on your list of must sees in Branson.
