RIPLEY'S BELIEVE IT OR NOT! ULTIMATE GUIDE
Open: Everyday: 10:00AM to 12:00AM
Time Needed: 3 hours,
Price: £27.95
Please note that Ripley’s Believe It Or Not is currently closed for business, you can however see our City Guide for other fun attractions in London.
For anyone interested in the weird, strange, and downright wacky – Ripley’s Believe It Or Not! museum in London offers hours of fascination and entertainment. From death masks, decorated cannibal skulls, shrunken heads, and even mummified Egyptian hands, there’s no telling what you’ll come across during your visit to Ripley’s.
The museum, which is one of 32 Ripley museums located all around the world, was founded by Robert L. Ripley, (also known as the “modern Marco Polo”), a discoverer who made a name for himself by documenting the strangest individuals, customs and artifacts known to man. During his lifetime Ripley travelled to 201 different countries in 35 years, and opened a chain of museums to show off some of the strangest objects he found during his travels.
Ripley's Believe It Or Not! Highlights
There are over 700 different artifacts located inside Ripley’s London attraction, which range from self-deformed Peruvian skulls, legendary fertility statues, and even a five-legged cow and an albino alligator!
In the “Gallery of the Greats” exhibition, visitors can admire a collection of amazing art which was created from various materials such as stamps, butterflies, laundry lint, matchsticks, and even toast and dung! Some of the many jaw-dropping pieces include an eight-foot tall Optimus Prime made of recycled car parts, a Beatles sculpture made of chewing gum, a candy portrait of Michael Jackson, and a replica of the Titanic made entirely of matchsticks; (over 147,000 of them, to be exact).
There’s also a variety of historical artifacts such as a Christmas card from Prince Philip to Prince Charles, first edition Agathie Christie books, and even the original illustrations from Peter Pan. Visitors can also explore the “Hall of Exotica,” which features exhibitions and displays on how beauty is seen in different cultures around the world.
There’s also a rotating vortex tunnel where visitors can enter a twisting and turning tunnel, and a Mission Impossible-style LaseRace challenge, where you can crawl and twist your way through the various laser beams – just like Tom Cruise. If you have the stamina, you can even try the Ripley’s Marvellous Mirror Maze – will you find your way through the maze without getting lost in the mind-boggling optical illusions?
Special Tips
If you want to have a meal at the Hard Rock Cafe in London after your visit to Ripley's, you can purchase a “Ripley's London + 2 course meal at Hard Rock Cafe London” package for £36 (for adults) or £31 (for children). Tickets can only be bought online.
If you want to visit the London Bridge along with Ripley's, you can purchase a “Ripley's Plus Entry to the London Bridge Experience and Tombs” package for £28 (for adults) and £22 (for children).
If you're going to be using The Original London Sightseeing Tour's hop-on, hop-off bus, you can purchase a super value package which includes a 24-hour ticket on the Original London Sightseeing Tour buses, as well as entry into Ripley's for £35 (for adults) and £25 (for children).
Getting There
Address: The London Pavillion, 1 Piccadilly Circus, London W1J 0DA, United Kingdom (See map).
By Tube: The Piccadilly Circus Underground Station is less than a minute's walk away. Once arriving at the station, be sure to use Exit 4 to Coventry Street.
By Train: London Charing Cross station is a ten to 15 minute walk away
By Bus: If you are arriving by bus, you can get to Ripley's via routes 3, 6, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 19, 22, 23, 38, 88, 94, 139 and 453.
By coach: There is a drop-off location on Shaftesbury Avenue (which is a two-minute walk away from the museum).
Visiting Ripley's Believe It Or Not!
The exhibitions and displays in the museum are spread out over seven different levels and contain a ton of reading material, so recommended visiting time for Ripley’s is between two to three hours (or more).
Bear in mind that there are not many seats inside the museum, so touring through Ripley’s may be difficult for those with mobility issues. Exhibitions like the LaseRace challenge can get incredibly busy during the weekends or over the holidays, so be prepared to wait in a long queue.
There is a small café located on the third floor which offers hot and cold drinks, and there are toilets located throughout the seven floors of the museum.
Ticket prices and Opening Hours
Ripley’s is open every day from 10 a.m. to midnight (with last entry at 10:30 p.m.)
Tickets at the door cost:
- £27.95 (for adults) and £20.95 (for children aged four to 15).
- Tickets booked one to 13 days in advance cost: £23.76 (for adults) or £17.87 (for children)
- Tickets booked 14 days or more in advance cost: £13.98 (for adults) and £10.48 (for children)
Children under the age of four can get into the museum for free.
If you book your ticket from Ripley’s Believe It Or Not’s official website, you can arrive at any time between 10 a.m. and 10:30 p.m.
If you plan on visiting Ripley’s on a weekend or during a holiday, it may be a good idea to upgrade your ticket to include Fast Track Entry for £3. Fast Track tickets are only available online, and must be purchased in advance.
There are also “Evening Saver” tickets available (from £16.95) for anyone who wants to enter to the museum after 5 p.m. However, you must book your tickets more than 24 hours in advance.
If you’re interested in purchasing a ticket for a friend or family member, there are Ripley’s Believe It Or Not! London Gift Cards available which allow the recipient to visit the museum any day of the year, within 12 months. Each gift card costs £27.95 (for adults) and £20.95 (for children) and can only be bought online. The gift card also includes entry into the Mirror Maze, however entry into the LaseRace is not included.
