| The newest Ripley's Believe it or Not | | | | showcases. I'm sure the masks themselves are |
| Odditorium (in Manhattan, 42nd Street between | | | | genuine, but they sure put on a nice show. |
| 7th & 8th Ave.) in their roster of museums | | | | Similarly, a room full of shrunken heads |
| opened to the public on Friday, June 22. I | | | | (also behind glass) is a bit chilling. |
| arrived in the evening - about 9pm - | | | | |
| surprised to find that the attraction was not | | | | The room filled with prison and/or items of |
| crowded. I suspect this is because either (1) | | | | torture is particularly interesting. Torture |
| the word has not yet gotten out, or (2) the | | | | masks and contraptions line the brick-walled |
| crowds had not yet dispersed from the nearby | | | | room, including a "working" electric chair. |
| Broadway theaters. The exterior is a kind of | | | | Photo opportunities abound here. |
| crazy theater marquee, which fits its 42nd | | | | |
| Street location. I paid my admission and | | | | A nautical-themed room has a small Titanic |
| spent the next hour or so wandering through | | | | exhibition, and a glass floor allows visitors |
| the halls. | | | | to walk on top of a collection of oceanic |
| | | | vessels. |
| Having been to so many different Ripley's | | | | |
| attractions, it is becoming difficult for me | | | | The theater (a small room with a |
| to differentiate between them, so instead | | | | rear-projection television showing clips from |
| I'll point out the highlights: | | | | the Ripley's television show), is filled with |
| | | | baseball uniforms that have the team name |
| The holographic "skit" near the beginning | | | | "The Believe It or Nots." The video clip is |
| seems very crowd-pleasing. Behind a pane of | | | | short, but there are seats so it was a |
| glass, a tiny holographic man welcomes | | | | pleasant place for me to rest for a moment. |
| visitors to the museum by singing a "Welcome | | | | |
| to Ripley's World" ditty that I still have | | | | Many of the classic exhibits are there, such |
| stuck in my head. Very cute but not terribly | | | | as the 2-way mirror, the 2-headed animals, |
| informative. | | | | headless chickens, etc. I was disappointed |
| | | | that their staple "bigfoot" illusion was |
| A collection of Ripley's masks dance to | | | | nowhere to be found, but that cool "spinning |
| generic tribal music beind their glass | | | | room" was there. |