Wednesday, November 22, 2017

Just Visited Ripley's Believe It or Not! Museum in Orlando!

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post. All opinions stated are genuine and my own.

 

The building looks crooked, because it is crooked!!! Actually, it was meant to be your typical straight building, but a sinkhole decided to alter those plans. Fortunately, the architect and builder were talented enough to make it work anyway, and it ended up being just perfect for this type of museum, don't you think?

That's just the beginning of the weird, the awesome, and the oh my gosh! Three of us recently took a trip to the Ripley's Believe It or Not! Museum in Orlando, and we're still shaking our heads in amusement/amazement when we think about it. With an awesome collection of items to really be appreciated, whether you like them or not (some you will, some you definitely won't), this museum is a must-see.




Several awesome pictures made of various items met us at the front entryway. It was this portrait of Beyonce, made entirely out of candy that caught my eye. It was one of quite a few items we would come across made of colored sugar or candy. Each one was impressive in it's own right.


The optical illusions on the wall were fun, and there were a whole slew of 'em!


Some I really couldn't figure out how they did it, or I couldn't see what others could...like the lines above. To me they just look slanted.


Others I could detect right away, like this duck/rabbit. I could see both but my youngest son could not. Can you?


Some of the mediums used were surprising. Skill sets were always obvious. Photographs were definitely in order. These were things we were probably only going to see once in a lifetime, and we were going to enjoy every second of it that we could.


This picture I included because it makes me laugh. Word of advice, never reach into an opening that says 'grab the jewel' if you are in an odditorium. ;)


This Elvis picture is made up of, well...Elvis pictures. Pretty fun, right? And pretty awesome. There were other Elvis Presley items...this one was my favorite.


There was a room that was slanted. There was a ball rack on the side, and when you put balls in it, they actually rolled uphill. Yeah, that was a fun thing to do, and we spent awhile playing with it too. :)


The Abraham Lincoln picture you see here is made entirely of duct tape. I wonder how much time it took to make it. This was made long before duct tape art became trendy too. :)


The teeny, tiny displays were a big hit with both my daughter and my son. You literally had to look through a microscope to see the things on display. Each item was perfectly made, which is amazing considering how small everything was to work with for the artist. 



Choosing this type of art must be painstakingly slow, but look how it paid off? The artist's work is now in a world-famous museum.


There was an 'eye of the needle' photo opp that my son thought was cool. He goofed off a little, and then his sister came in to play too.


Yes, her hair is pink...or it was that day. She loves to change her hair color, but a new job had her dying it a 'normal color' now, which she did. I keep telling her she should go into Cosmetology because her friends have her do their hair and nails, and she's great at whatever she does, but that's not where her professional interests rest. She is currently in her first year of college, working towards her Psychology degree, which is way over my head. I do suppose though, that her career choice will pay better than Cosmetology. ;)


Word of Warning: You have to be careful in this museum because it's oh so easy to put on a lot of weight in a very short amount of time. One second my daughter was slender, and the next...well she was downright plump. ;)


No one could resist the body shaper, where you put your hand (or whatever, some people put their face, ick) in the metal pins on one side and the shape pushes through to the other.


This big guy (see his head touching the ceiling?) was made of tires.


Speaking of tires, my son sat right smack dab in the middle of the World's Biggest Tire. He's 54" tall, and look how small he appears in there!


The Mercedes made of wood had everyone taking pictures. The tires, the dash, the body...everything was made of wood. It was really a sight to see!


I thought the graffiti wall was cool. I was using this to write on the air while I took a phone call. That was all well and good, and I was having a grand old time, until my daughter reprimanded me for missing her getting her hand molded out of wax. -_-  Isn't that how it goes though? The only time I got an important work call during the whole trip. Still, the graffiti wall was fun. Playing on it made my boring phone call go a lot faster. :)


I couldn't resist snapping a picture of this Alice in Wonderland scene. This is made entirely of the Alice in Wonderland text (the actual story) and took the artist over 350 hours to make. If you look very closely at the picture, you can clearly see the letters.


In this 10,000 square foot facility, I think the display of the world's tallest man (he really lived and was this tall) was the favorite. No one could resist standing next to him and taking a picture. 


 I thought this Shawshank picture was great, not because of the accuracy of the drawings, which was spot on, but because the artist drew both sides at the same time, using different hands!!

This display tricked me!
I'm almost embarrassed to admit that this guy was wax, and I only saw him out of the corner of my eye. The light on his phone flashed every few seconds, and I was patiently waiting for him to finish before passing him and whatever it was he was taking a picture of, until I realized he wasn't moving, lolol.


Of course there were a lot of weird things in the museum too. It wouldn't be Ripley's, if there weren't some really crazy things to see.


The craziest thing I actually took home from the gift shop is in the picture above (the cuckoo little boy, not the snake). ;)  We picked up some trinkets to share with friends on the way out, and got a shark's tooth for my son. He proudly displays it on his desk, right alongside his new Ripley's book he got upon entry (that tells you what you're seeing as you walk through the museum and allows you to participate in a scavenger hunt while you're there!!).

We had a great time, and are so happy to have made the visit. I think a trip here, or tickets as a gift are a great idea(stocking stuffer?) for most anyone, adult or child. The Ripley's Believe it or Not! Museum is located on International Drive in Orlando. It is open daily from 9 a.m. - midnight (last tickets sold at 11 p.m.) You can learn more by visiting their website. You can also follow them on Facebook, Instagram and/or Twitter.

65 comments:

  1. We try to visit Ripley's whenever we take a vacation to that part of Florida. We always have so much fun there, especially the kids.

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  2. That looks like such a fun place to take the kids. I love to take the kids places where learning becomes something fun for them!

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  3. Ripley's Believe it or Not is somewhere I would love to visit one day, it looks from your photos like there is so much to see as well! I want to know more about that Mario!

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  4. What an interesting day this museum tour would be! But I love the most is that it appears you can touch and experience the displays rather than just walk around looking. Thanks for sharing this I have two kids and I think they would be fascinated!

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  5. That is so much fun! I have always wanted to visit a museum like this, I believe I saw one when we were in Lake George, NY but I could be mistaken. I will have to see if there's one close by, those are some awesome photos!

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  6. We have to see this place. I mean, I read the books but it would be better to see those items in person. I can't believe that portrait of Beyonce is made from candy and Abraham Lincoln's portrait made out of duct tape! Awesome!

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  7. My son is very into Ripley's Believe it or not. I have always wanted to take him to one, although now that I see this building it must be here that I take him. I love the Elvis stuff and all the other oddities!

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  8. Now this was super fun! The exhibits they have are so interesting and impressive!

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  9. Fun place. I've visited the one in San Francisco. Grand fun.

    Have a fabulous day and may you have a blessed Thanksgiving. ♥

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  10. This is pretty amazing! It's been a long time since I last visited a Ripley's museum. I should totally take the kids there.

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  11. There is a Ripleys a few hours away and I have never been in it. I wonder if my kids would like it?

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  12. I've been to a couple of their museums, and there's always a lot of interesting stuff to see.

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  13. We took our teenagers to one on a San Francisco vacation and they loved it.

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  14. I have always wanted to visit Ripleys Believe it or Not. It sounds like so much fun.

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  15. I have always wanted to visit a Ripley's. We were supposed to go when we went to Wisconsin Dells, but ran out of time. I know it's a place my girls would love to explore.

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  16. Wow... so much fun. Would love to take my kids there, I can just hear the laughter that we would all have.

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  17. This sounds so awesome! My family would love to visit. That is crazy that the building is crooked! How crazy! My son would love that wooden Mercedes! Very neat!

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  18. My partner would LOVE that. I might find it hard to get him to leave.

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  19. Wow, so many fun things to see here! I can't believe they continued to build this place over a sink hole. I mean wow! What guts!

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  20. It's been years since I have been to Ripley's and it looks like I've been missing out! We've got some time off for the holidays, and I need to take the kids.

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  21. I would have a hay day at Ripley's. There is so much to do!

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  22. I am so jealous. They have the neatest stuff on exhibit.

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  23. Okay, that line thing is freaking m e out. That is so cool! I wish I could go there!

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  24. You just brought back so many memories. Last time my girlfriend and I were in Orlando, we stopped by and completed this attraction. I enjoyed the one where you could watch other people through the mirror unknowingly. So much fun!

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    1. You can rewind that too, and find yourself making goofy faces at one of the displays that asks you to do so. You're right that display was so much fun!!

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  25. First one gives a new definition to eye candy lol yeah, no way I'd be sticking my face in that, ick indeed. And no sticking hand into an open mouth, check. Can't hurt to have a shrink in the family, unless she starts on you lol run.

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  26. Those things are absolutely amazing. I remember watching the show on my teenager days. So much fun

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  27. I love Ripley's. I missed watching the show I hope they get it back. It was so awesome to get general knowledge and astounding facts you can't get anywhere but with Ripley's.

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  28. Truthfully I never wanted to go in here because I thought there would be lots of gross stuff but this looks like so much. I would love all the things you showed here. I did see both the duck and the rabbit!

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  29. What a fun place to visit! I would love to be there and look at those believe it or not displays. They are awesome! Your son sure looked like he had loads of fun!

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  30. These are really cool. What fun. My husband and I went to a Ripleys Believe It or Not museum years ago. It was much fun. I wish I could remember it more. I guess we need to go again.

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  31. What fun! There's a Ripley's Believe It or Not Museum in San Francisco, and it's fantastic like the one there in Florida. It's a great way to spend the afternoon with family and friends.

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  32. I would love to take my whole family to the Ripley's Believe it or Not museum. That would be so much fun! I will make sure we drop by when we visit Orlando next year.

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  33. Oh wow, such a cool and funny museum! Loved your pictures, you sure enjoyed this visit!

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  34. My teen grand son was just telling me a week or so ago that he wants to visit this place. I always buy him books (he probably has every edition) and now his curiosity wants to expand that to seeing Ripley's Believe it or Not Museum.

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  35. That place sounds amazing and looks like you guys had tons of fun. I love going to museums and seeing cool stuff and learning new things.

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  36. Ohh, I want to go here too! I am always amazed by what I see with Ripley's Believe it or not. I never know there is already a museum like this.

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  37. How funny that the building wasn't actually originally meant to be crooked! I haven't been to a Ripley's in a long time!

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  38. Wow. So many interesting things! I would love tot visit. I like all your photos!

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  39. This Ripleys believe it or not museum looks interesting and so much fun. I really love to visit this kind of museum. It seems that your kids enjoy this museum. They learned about new things.

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  40. I've never been to a Ripley's museum before but would love go to someday. I think I could spend hours looking at the displays. Seems very interesting. I was able to see the duck/rabbit in the pic.

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  41. My son loves Ripleys. This seems like something he would love!!

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  42. This seems like it would be quite the adventure. I enjoy the picture of Lincoln and that Elvis picture too.

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  43. I always enjoy the optical illusion pictures. It never fails - there is always one person in the group who can't see it.

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  44. The Ripley's Believe It or Not! Museum in Orlando looks like a fun place to visit! It's in my bucket list for sure!

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  45. I've been going to ripleys in st Augustine since I was a kid and have always loved it! I've never been to Orlando but it looks just as interesting!

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  46. I always love going to these. My family has been to the one in Gatlinburg, TN.

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  47. I never knew there was a Ripley's Believe it or Not! Museum! It looks like loads of fun for all ages!!!

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  48. This looks like a really awesome museum.

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  49. I would love to see this. It looks like a lot of fun. If you ever vacation in Maine, you might enjoy this museum. http://cryptozoologymuseum.com/

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  50. Ripley's Believe It or Not! Museum in Orlando would be fabulous to visit! I did visit the museum in NYC previously.

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  51. This would be a fun place to visit. As a kid, I remember reading Ripley's Believe or Not fact in the Sunday newspaper.

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  52. I seen the book, this is awesome to be able to see it in real life

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  53. This place is so interesting. I can't wait to take my kids here when they get a little bit older.

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  54. This would be such a fun place to visit with my family!! So interesting!

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  55. this is awesome I saw it when I was there but it was closed that day.

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  56. I have never been! I absolutely need to plan a trip here! Thank you for the information and pictures

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  57. Never heard of this museum before! It looks awesome!

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  58. Now this is something I would love to see for sure. We have one right here in NY (Times Sqaure), and I was planning to check it out when Covid hit. But I'll get these eventually, and the one in Florida, too!

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  59. I thought the picture of Elvis was really cool and Abe was an interesting piece of work . Were there any other displays about the Presidents ? I would love to visit it one day .

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  60. Can't believe I haven't been there already?

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