Kokova Magazine

Home to 700 peculiar, amazing and fun exhibits, Ripley's Believe It or Not! is the London attraction sure to excite, delight and thrill the whole family.

We popped along with a couple of young explorers to check out just how weird and wonderful this attraction is - and see if it could keep everyone entertained.

Set in the heart of London's West End, a stone's throw away from Piccadilly Tube Station, Ripley's Believe It or Not! is housed over six floors, in an impressive building located where Coventry Street and Shaftesbury Avenue enter Piccadilly.

Robert Leroy Ripley, the man who coined the phrase "Believe It or Not!" is an icon in the world of cartoon art and the founder of an entertainment empire based on the premise that "truth is stranger than fiction".

We were greeted by a five-legged cow, a two headed lamb and a large running tap amongst other items displayed just inside the outer doors - and our young explorers were hooked.

Within minutes we were through the ticket office and being directed towards the lifts, which whisk all visitors up to the fifth floor, where the exploration begins.

At Ripley's everyone starts at the top - and works their way back down. (Although some of us who prefer not to be whisked anywhere in a lift were rescued by staff and escorted safely up to the top via the back staircase).

And once we were on the fifth floor we were away - literally...

Our youngest explorer (aged 7) was everywhere at once, running double speed from one display to the next and back again, eyes wide in wonder. And this didn't stop for the next 4 hours!

A hugely oversized chair demanded our immediate attention, with many people eager to have their picture taken while seated up high. This was followed by an exciting discovery of a hand-knitted, full sized Ferrari, a tiny bubble car and the original Humbug Major Machine, also known as The Toot Sweet Machine created for the film, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.

With the flick of a switch the machine whirls to life, enthralling everyone, young and old, who know the classic children's film.

Behind us we discovered rows of assorted artefacts and items, all neatly numbered so that we could identify them by the guide notes available near each attraction.

As we began our descent to the fourth floor we were greeted by Mr Ripley himself, in holographic form. A nice touch and great for the children, who actually stood and listened to this amazing man while he welcomed us to his world.

Highlights of our day included: -

• The Tongue Curling Challenge - this is one NOT to miss. We won't spoil the fun but trust us, you definitely want to give this a go. Find it in the Remarkables Cafe. There is a film to watch before you can try to perfect your technique in the mirror provided.
• The Shrunken Heads - what a fascinating display. Not only could we see real shrunken heads but we also watched the accompanying film, discovering just how and why they are made.
• The Mirror Maze - Armed with plastic gloves we entered into a maze of mirrors, where we had to feel our way around to find the exit. Disorientated by our own reflections and not being able to judge which way was true, we let our hands do the walking and escaped back into the museum. As a note, we would not recommend this for any one who has a fear of confined spaces.
• The Black Hole (or Vortex) - this certainly tested our skills in walking and although the bridge does not move, many of us were clinging onto a side rail and walking with a heavy tilt in order to stay upright! After finally crossing it we were definitely hooked and managed to go back a few times until we were a little too dizzy to carry on.
• The LaseRace - This was the only attraction that we had to queue for but within 20 minutes we were in. We played as a team of four and managed to exit with only seven lasers crossed. Quite a feat considering our young explorers were adamant that we set it to medium difficulty and spent much time wriggling along the floor! For those who are more competitive you can go it alone and see if you can get your name onto the leaderboard but please bear in mind that this will keep the queue growing a little longer. Your 'race' is viewed by the waiting crowd on a screen above the entrance so that everyone can join in the fun. We think we had our fill of fun, exiting the race in great fits and bursts of laughter.

While the Dungeon Zone is great for many adults, containing informative facts and weapons of torture, it is good to bear in mind that it can be scary for some children. While our youngest explorer assured us he would be fine and was fascinated by many of the items on display, once the electric chair was set in motion it soon became obvious that this was not to his taste and we swiftly moved on.

All children under the age of 10 must be accompanied by an adult when viewing this area and if you would like to bypass this display simply ask a member of staff on arrival and they will take you round it.

The Ripley's Theatre, where a short film highlighting some Believe It or Not! facts from around the world gave us a welcome chance to stop for a while, keeping the children seated for ten minutes while we caught our breath.

If you are looking for a bite to eat then Ripley's Remarkables Cafe is situated on the 3rd floor and boasts fresh handmade sandwiches, salads, snacks and a wide range of hot and cold beverages. We would however suggest taking your own lunch snacks because on our day they only had a few sandwiches left to offer after a busy morning rush.

With a bit more planning the cafe could be improved but at present it makes a welcome pit-stop, at least. And while you grab a coffee the children can try to match their group weight to that of the heaviest man, on the larger than life scales - or pop over to try out the exceptionally amusing Tongue Curling test...

Dotted around the museum are a few 'slot games' with a Change Machine letting you know you are in the vicinity. You could spend a few extra pounds playing on these but they are not compulsory and with plenty of other things to keep you occupied they are not a necessity, although we have to confess to getting hooked on the Pinball machine for a while.

Throughout our visit we noted that all members of staff were genuinely welcoming, friendly and interested in ensuring every visitor had a good time. Many of the displays are interactive and every item is named and explained so there is no doubt about what you are seeing. From an educational view point Ripley's is a true gem.

It would take too long to review and list all of the many attraction housed inside Ripley's Believe It or Not! London and to be honest we think we would need another day ourselves just to go back and see all that we may have missed.

You can save money on entry prices by booking in advance online and Ripley's are always running great offers on entry price throughout the year, so make sure you check out what is happening before you go.

And if you own a Blue Peter Badge then you get in for free...

So if you are looking for value for money for a day out, while it may seem a little steep on the ticket price, you will have guaranteed many hours of discovery and family fun for your money.

From the Mirror Maze we flew past a few more displays before being rushed by our explorers into the LaseRace queue.

The day finished with a little shopping for mementos in the gift shop; which we were pleased to see was reasonably priced and there was something to fit everyone's budget.

Our young explorers went home happy and tired after a long day and a lot of excitement but before they fell asleep, they assured their parents that they definitely wanted to go back again and share the fun with them.

Ripley's Believe It or Not! London is self-guiding so once you are in you can take it at your own pace (or those of your explorers) and stay for as long as you like because it is open from 10am to Midnight (last entry 10:30pm) 7days a week, 365 days a year.

With everything you can imagine and plenty more you can't, Ripley's Believe It or Not! London is certainly the place to visit and definitely a day out of the ordinary!
www.ripleyslondon.com