Ripley’s Believe It or Not! London Review
Ripley’s Believe It or Not!
London
Reviewed by Catherine Brown
Be prepared for giggles, grimaces and great works of art while exploring ‘Ripley’s Believe It or Not!’
We visited the attraction as a family of four (2 adults and 2 children aged 8 and 5) during a sightseeing trip to London. Ripley’s is located in Piccadilly Circus, in Central London and is easy to access by foot, bus or underground. It is open 10am to midnight 7 days a week and you can easily fill a couple of hours or more discovering some weird and wonderful facts about our world and the people in it.
After purchasing your tickets (which are reduced in price if you purchase online at least 5 days in advance) your journey begins by catching the lift to the 5th floor. Guide books are available at a cost of £3.50 however there is also an app for Android or Apple phones which allows you to access more information as you walk around by scanning icons around the building.
The first room we entered was so full of objects it was hard to know where to begin. Some were large such as the Ferrari made entirely of wool and the megalodon shark jaw. Others were hard to distinguish what they were but each object had a number next to it so you just had to read the corresponding notices dotted around. This meant that my 8 year old could explore the venue independently but his younger brother needed some help to read and understand what he was looking at.
Lots of the exhibits were interactive such as pushing a button to make the ‘toot sweet’ machine from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang come to life. Many were hung from the ceiling so that even in the busier areas you could still find something to see.
One section of Ripley’s that did make me squirm was the gruesome animals such as a two headed cow. This area, along with exhibits of torture devices and hall of rituals means that this attraction is not for the faint hearted. Some items I did find myself ushering the boys past swiftly so as to avoid any awkward questions.
The exhibits were interspersed with activities such as a mirror maze and laser race. These were enjoyed by both our boys and were apparently the best bits for them. My favourite displays were the art works made from unusual objects. The most impressive included a sculpture of London Bridge made from ¼ million matchsticks and an image of Michael Jackson created only using sweets.
Part way through Ripley’s is a café selling snacks and drinks, although the replica model of the heaviest man may dissuade you from eating too unhealthily. There was also a gift shop with reasonably priced items. There was an option to have photos taken and put into a keepsake book but we prices ranging from £10-25 we felt this was a little expensive. The staff were very polite throughout the venue and helpful when we needed directions.
I think it would depend on your age and open mindedness as to how much you enjoyed a visit to Ripley’s. There were certainly lots of educational facts and the background information on how Mr Ripley started his collection was very interesting. Some sections such as the shrunken heads made me feel a little squeamish. Pop fans would enjoy exploring the costumes worn by singers such as Katy Perry and Madonna.
I would give this attraction a 4/5 and would recommend it to others, with a warning to be prepared to be shocked! It is fairly expensive but worth it for all the interesting objects on show. We will probably return in a few years’ time, so the boys can appreciate all that Ripley’s has to offer without getting nightmares!
Rating: 4/5
Tickets cost from £14.95 per person (if booked online in advance).
For more information or to book tickets online visit www.ripleyslondon.com.
The London Pavilion, 1 Piccadilly Circus, London W1J 0DA | 020 3238 0022
