The post Level 20 Unlocked with Ripley’s Newest Book in Annual Series: Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Level Up appeared first on Ripley Entertainment Inc.

May 12, 2023 – Ripley’s Aquarium of Myrtle Beach is proud to announce the opening of Sloth Valley! A first-of-its-kind experience for Ripley’s, Sloth Valley is an all-new habitat designed to bring visitors up-close and personal with one of the world’s most fascinating creatures.

In Sloth Valley, guests come face-to-face with the Aquarium’s resident two-toed sloths, Rico and Cleo. This state-of-the-art exhibit is designed not only for guests to encounter a sloth like never before but also to provide the highest standard of animal care.

Look closely and you’ll see enrichment toys for Rico and Cleo to work on their puzzle-solving skills. Listen and you’ll hear rainforest sounds meant to mimic their natural environment and keep them stimulated. Look up and notice the vines and branches are meticulously placed to allow for a sloth to have plenty of mobility and resting spots. Step inside with a Sloth Encounter (coming soon as an add-on experience to Aquarium admission) and feel the humidity of the rainforest!

“Sloth Valley is a welcome addition to the already impressive collection of animals at Ripley’s Aquarium of Myrtle Beach,” said General Manger Pablo Chavez. “Through interactives, thoughtful design, and immersive experiences, we are proud to provide visitors with an unforgettable experience that is both fun and informative.”

Ripley’s Aquarium of Myrtle Beach — the only place you can experience Sloth Valley — has set the standard for the company’s Aquarium ventures, paving the way for two subsequent world-class facilities in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, and Toronto, Canada.

To learn more about Sloth Valley and Ripley’s Aquarium of Myrtle Beach, visit our website. For more information on these amazing creatures, follow us on Instagram.

CLICK HERE FOR PHOTOS AND VIDEO FOR MEDIA USE

Alex McMinn
Ripley’s Aquarium of Myrtle Beach
(843) 916-0888 x3250
amcminn@ripleys.com

“Our mission is to provide a world-class experience that fosters the conservation and research of our natural world through environmental education and exceptional animal care, inspiring and providing fun for visitors of all ages through immersive learning and unforgettable experiences.”

About Ripley Entertainment

Built on the foundation of a daily newspaper cartoon in 1918 — still in print today — Ripley Entertainment has grown to be a world leader in family entertainment, expanding to include more than 100 attractions in 10 countries around the world. Along with Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Odditoriums, Guinness World Records Attractions, Aquariums, WaxWorks, traveling shows, and miniature golf, the world of Ripley’s continues to grow through exciting new experiences, content, and books for all ages. Learn more about Ripley’s Believe It or Not! by visiting Ripleys.com and following on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok.

The post OPEN NOW: Trek to the Highly Anticipated Sloth Valley Habitat at Ripley’s Aquarium of Myrtle Beach appeared first on Ripley Entertainment Inc.

May 5, 2023 – Ripley’s Believe It or Not! recently purchased a torch from the 1968 Winter Games in Grenoble, France, at auction for $200,000! With this purchase, just two torches remain between Ripley’s and a complete collection.

Here’s everything you need to know about the newest addition and the incredible collection it will join.

Rekindling an Ancient Fire

More than 1,500 years after Roman Emperor Theodosius I banned the ancient Olympics in Greece, the Olympic Games were reprised on April 6, 1896. Fittingly, the competition re-commenced in Athens, presided over by Greece’s King Georgios I. A crowd of 60,000 people attended, and athletes from 13 nations participated.

By 1924, the second set of games dedicated to winter sports began in Chamonix, France. Initially called the “International Winter Sports Week,” the event quickly morphed into the cold-weather counterpart to the Summer Olympic Games. Over the years, as the addition of the Winter Games attests, the Olympics exploded in popularity and size. And the 2024 Olympic Games slated for Paris will attract more than 10,000 participants from 206 National Olympic Committees (NOCs). (Technically, athletes are picked by NOCs, not nations, to participate in the Games.)

No matter the size of the competition or distance from the ancient past, the flame remains central to the celebration of athletic achievement. Today, the Games’ organizers still light the torch as the ancients did, relying on a parabolic mirror (known as a skaphia) to direct the sun’s rays inward, creating intense, combustible heat. This torch-lighting ceremony is presided over by priestesses dressed in the white gauzy robes of Classical Greece.

An Ancient Invention Meets Modern Technology

While the torches used during the ancient Olympic Games saw few (if any) innovations, their modern counterparts must meet a few requirements. The need for cutting-edge innovation is driven by the challenges the flames face during their worldwide relay race from Olympia, Greece, to the final Olympiad destination. The first relay was held during the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin, and the Greek runner Konstantin Kondylis made history as the first runner, departing Olympia with the torch in hand.

Because of the nature of the relay, torches must withstand extreme weather, including intense heat, snow, rain, and high winds. Torches must also be able to burn well past the forecasted length of a given leg of the journey to account for runner mishaps and delays. But there is more to Olympic torches than practical considerations.

They must also harmonize with the visual themes (and destination) of each year’s Games, making them highly collectible. To achieve the right look, world-famous designers or firms often craft them. Today, Olympic torches are manufactured on a large scale, often permitting runners in the relay to keep the one they carried as memorabilia. Such was not always the case, which makes assembling a complete collection daunting.

As it currently stands, only two private collectors on the planet own every single torch model. But Ripley’s is on a mission to bring these torches to the public.

A Closer Look at the Grenoble Torch

Designed by Roger Excoffon, the 1968 torch is decorated by three unique silver logo plaques on its sides.

The Grenoble flame was lit in Olympia, Greece, on December 16, 1967 with the initial torchbearer being Tassos Bahouros. The relay went first to Mount Olympus and then onward to Athens. From Athens, the torch was flown to Paris with Alain Mimoun (3-time silver  winner in London 1948, 2-time silver winner in Helsinki 1952, and marathon gold winner in Melbourne 1956) being the first torchbearer, and Alan Calmat (figure skating silver in Innsbruck 1964) being the last torchbearer at the Opening Ceremony on February 6, 1968.

Believe It or Not!, 5,000 torchbearers carried the flame through France, sharing the small number of torches made for the relay.

Two More to Go

Collecting Olympic torches comes with a hefty price. Individual pieces can cost tens of thousands of dollars. But as one collector of torches, Lucky Burke, argues, they outperform other sports memorabilia by a long shot: “They transcend age and politics. Young people don’t always know who older baseball players are, but they all know about the Olympics.”

Where can you see Ripley’s expansive collection today? According to John Corcoran, Ripley’s director of traveling shows and Guinness World Records attraction development, “Many of our torches are currently on display around the world. As those attractions are renovated, we are slowly returning the torches to our Archives. Our goal is to develop a display that features all of the torches together.”

To complete the collection, Ripley’s has its sights set on two more torches from the Games in Helsinki, Finland, and Innsbruck, Austria. Why the trouble getting these last two models? The Helsinki Games only have 22 torch models left, with very few in private hands. As for Innsbruck, there are only one or two original torches and very few authorized replicas.

###

Media Contact
Sabrina Sieck
(407) 450-1516
sieck@ripleys.com

About Ripley Entertainment

Built on the foundation of a daily newspaper cartoon in 1918 — still in print today — Ripley Entertainment has grown to be a world leader in family entertainment, expanding to include more than 100 attractions in 10 countries around the world. Along with Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Odditoriums, Guinness World Records Attractions, Aquariums, WaxWorks, traveling shows, and miniature golf, the world of Ripley’s continues to grow through exciting new experiences, content, and books for all ages. Learn more about Ripley’s Believe It or Not! by visiting Ripleys.com and following on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok.

The post Ripley’s Adds Another Historic Olympic Torch To The Collection appeared first on Ripley Entertainment Inc.

February 28, 2023 – Thanks to a video asking Kentucky for Kentucky, a state-devoted souvenir shop in Lexington, to name their price, Ripley’s Believe It or Not! is now in negotiations to purchase Cocaine Bear, the taxidermied bear that inspired Elizabeth Banks’ latest film based on a 175-pound black bear who consumed 75 pounds of the drug.

Responding on Instagram, Kentucky for Kentucky commented, “Oh, it is so on. Bring on the Brinks Truck, baby!” but Ripley’s has some competition. Since the film’s recent buzz, Kentucky for Kentucky has received multiple offers, ranging from $10,000 to $300,000.

With over five million followers across social platforms, Ripley’s reached an audience of 250,000 on Facebook and Instagram, polling them on whether the company should try and acquire Cocaine Bear or not. A strong 77.5% of followers agreed – Cocaine Bear is Ripley-worthy.

Ripley’s fans across social media have tried to put a price tag on the trending taxidermy, from “priceless” to estimating the current street value of the drugs ingested. With that input, Ripley’s has decided to offer an undisclosed amount.

Ripley’s also touts that, if added to its collection of oddities and historical artifacts, Cocaine Bear would be among some of history’s most curious hibernators, like a black bear found with a tire around its waist currently on display at Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Gatlinburg; a grizzly trained in the Russian circus to ride a bicycle; a Kodiak who came face-to-face with a porcupine from Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Amsterdam; and prehistoric cave bear skeletons.

Cocaine Bear has gone on quite the journey since he was discovered in 1985, from storage facilities to pawn shops, even by way of country star Waylon Jennings – finally landing at the Kentucky for Kentucky Fun Mall in 2015, where they have worked hard to preserve the story of Cocaine Bear and warn visitors on the dangers of drug abuse.

Ripley’s offer is now in the hands of Kentucky for Kentucky.

For more information on Cocaine Bear’s unbelievable history: https://www.ripleys.com/weird-news/cocaine-bear/

Reel for embed: https://www.instagram.com/reel/CpDgPO1jtNq/

###

Media Contact
Sabrina Sieck
(407) 450-1516
sieck@ripleys.com

About Ripley Entertainment

Built on the foundation of a daily newspaper cartoon in 1918 — still in print today — Ripley Entertainment has grown to be a world leader in family entertainment, expanding to include more than 100 attractions in 10 countries around the world. Along with Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Odditoriums, Guinness World Records Attractions, Aquariums, WaxWorks, traveling shows, and miniature golf, the world of Ripley’s continues to grow through exciting new experiences, content, and books for all ages. Learn more about Ripley’s Believe It or Not! by visiting Ripleys.com and following on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok.

The post Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Makes Offer to Purchase the Real Cocaine Bear appeared first on Ripley Entertainment Inc.

The post For Valentine’s Day, Ripley’s Acquires Forrest Gump’s Box of Chocolates, Among Other New Memorabilia appeared first on Ripley Entertainment Inc.

The post With the Help of a Sloth, Ripley’s Aquariums Penguins Predict Chiefs Will Win Super Bowl LVII appeared first on Ripley Entertainment Inc.

Myrtle Beach, SC – Jan. 24, 2023 – From Ocean Boulevard to Broadway at the Beach, Ripley’s Attractions are introducing all-new, exciting experiences in Myrtle Beach this spring! Notably — hang in there, as things are a little upside down now but slowly coming together — Ripley’s Aquarium of Myrtle Beach will be opening the all-new Sloth Valley habitat!

In Sloth Valley, Aquarium guests will come face-to-face with two-toed sloths to learn about this adorable, slow-moving species. They will then be able to set sail on adventure as Ripley’s Aquarium brings new excitement to its Discovery Center, inviting guests to walk the plank and dive into oceans of family fun with a brand-new play structure, interactive experiences, and hands-on animal encounters.

The family fun doesn’t stop at the Aquarium! Ocean Boulevard will be welcoming four fresh Attractions:

• Ripley’s Illusion Lab – Switch up your perspective, challenge your senses, and spark your curiosity as you engage with optical, photographic, and interactive illusions. At Ripley’s Illusion Lab, visitors are invited to step into a world of optical trickery and view things from a totally new — and bizarre — perspective!
• Ripley’s Crazy Golf – You’ve never played miniature golf like this before — it is Ripley’s, after all! From zip-lining holes to selfie-worthy shots and epic glowing lights, this isn’t your average course. Grab a drink from the bar and put your and your family’s skills to the test!
• Ripley’s Mirror Maze Expansion – Already a family favorite on the Boulevard, Ripley’s Marvelous Mirror Maze is expanding with even more endless mirrored hallways, infinity rooms, and surreal surprises!
• Ripley’s Haunted Adventure – The horrors remain as Ripley’s Haunted Adventure grows and transforms into a 1908 macabre manor. A murder mystery comes alive through the twists and turns of each room. Can you find the clues needed to catch the killer, or will you become the next victim?

Ripley’s new experiences will be opening late spring, beginning with Sloth Valley at Ripley’s Aquarium of Myrtle Beach. Think you’re already a sloth expert? Test your sloth knowledge for a chance to win early access to this all-new habitat! Play Here!

For the latest on opening dates and sneak peeks inside, follow Ripley’s on Instagram or Facebook, or sign up for email updates online.

To learn more about Sloth Valley and Ripley’s Aquarium of Myrtle Beach, visit RipleyAquariums.com/MyrtleBeach/SlothValley.

Media contact:
Alex McMinn
(843) 916-0888, ext. 3250
amcminn@ripleys.com

The post Hang in There: Sloths and More Coming to Ripley’s Myrtle Beach Attractions This Spring! appeared first on Ripley Entertainment Inc.

(Phelan M. Ebenhack/AP Images for Ripley Entertainment Inc.)

At Ripley’s, Sultan stopped to pose next to the tallest man to have ever lived, Robert Wadlow, of Alton, Illinois. When last measured in 1940 at age 22, right before his death, Wadlow was 8 feet 11.1 inches.

Believe It or Not!, there are only ten reliable cases in history of a person reaching 8 feet or more. In 2009, Sultan Kösen became the first man over 8 feet to be measured by Guinness World Records in more than 20 years.

“After that day [that I was announced the tallest man in the world] I was born,” Sultan explained to Ripley’s. “Before that, I was a very silent person. Now, I can talk. I’m happy. I’m funny. I enjoy my life.”

Gaining international recognition for his lofty stature, Sultan has visited 127 countries. Celebrating another year, he blew out his birthday candles at the Orlando attraction wishing to “travel the remaining countries which I have not visited so far… and to keep my record title. I hope there will be no one taller than me,” he joked.

Born on December 10, 1982, Sultan didn’t start his incredible growth spurt until he was 10 years old. His unique stature is caused by a condition known as “pituitary gigantism,” which is the result of an over-production of growth hormone. In Sultan’s case, his pituitary gland was damaged by a tumor, releasing an excess of the hormone.

Sultan also holds the record for largest hands on a living person, each one measuring 11.22 inches from the wrist to the tip of the middle finger.

(Phelan M. Ebenhack/AP Images for Ripley Entertainment Inc.)

Media Contact
Sabrina Sieck
sieck@ripleys.com
(407) 450-1516

About Ripley Entertainment

Built on the foundation of a daily newspaper cartoon in 1918 — still in print today — Ripley Entertainment has grown to be a world leader in family entertainment, expanding to include more than 100 attractions in 10 countries around the world. Along with Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Odditoriums, Guinness World Records Attractions, Aquariums, WaxWorks, traveling shows, and miniature golf, the world of Ripley’s continues to grow through exciting new experiences, content, and books for all ages. Learn more about Ripley’s Believe It or Not! by visiting Ripleys.com and following on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok.

The post World’s Tallest Man Celebrates 40th Birthday with Visit to Ripley’s Believe It or Not! appeared first on Ripley Entertainment Inc.

Orlando, Florida – November 14, 2022 – In 2019, worldwide news broke about the ‘lost’ Apollo 11 moonwalk reels selling at auction for $1.82 million – officially deemed “erased and reused” by NASA in 2006. The buyer remained anonymous… until now, with the tapes proudly on display at Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Orlando, in the attraction’s all-new Out of This World gallery.

The case of the missing film reels is a true Believe It or Not! story. In 1976, a young intern at NASA named Gary George attended a government auction where he paid $217.77 for three truckloads of reels. In the process of selling some and donating others, George came across a few reels labeled “Space Secret” and decided to hang onto them for safekeeping. It wasn’t until NASA’s announcement years later that he realized what he had.

The two hours and 24 minutes of “unrestored, unenhanced, and unremastered” footage features: Neil Armstrong’s lunar declaration, a solar wind experiment, and a lunar gravity demonstration by Buzz Aldrin. They also record the moment Armstrong and Aldrin planted the American flag on the moon as well as a long-distance phone call with President Richard Nixon.

Many things distinguish these tapes from network television broadcast copies. Not only are they among the only surviving first-generation recordings of the Apollo 11 expedition, but their image quality is sharper and more distinct.

“Ripley’s Believe It or Not! is honored to be a part of giving this near-tragic tale of lost media a happily ever after,” said Ripley’s Exhibits Director, John Corcoran. “These tapes are a pivotal part of history. We are proud to be the stewards of such an iconic artifact and are excited to be able to tell their unbelievable story.”

Visitors to Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Orlando can now see these historic tapes, among many other unique space exhibits, in the attraction’s new Out of This World gallery.

For an out of this world experience, guests can touch a 3,197-pound meteorite or a piece of Mars, and even get hands on with a pair of gloves to work in a vacuum, as an astronaut would in space. The pièce de résistance – aside from the original Star Wars® Lightsaber® used by Luke Skywalker™: a 16-foot-tall interactive video wall that will also stream live launches.

Learn more about the Apollo 11 moon landing and these amazing, historical tapes at Ripleys.com.

For photos of Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Orlando’s Out of This World gallery and the moonwalk display: CLICK HERE

Media Contact
Sabrina Sieck
sieck@ripleys.com
(407) 450-1516

About Ripley Entertainment
Built on the foundation of a daily newspaper cartoon in 1918 — still in print today — Ripley Entertainment has grown to be a world leader in family entertainment, expanding to include more than 100 attractions in 10 countries around the world. Along with Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Odditoriums, Guinness World Records Attractions, Aquariums, WaxWorks, traveling shows, and miniature golf, the world of Ripley’s continues to grow through exciting new experiences, content, and books for all ages. Learn more about Ripley’s Believe It or Not! by visiting Ripleys.com and following on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok.

The post Lost and Found: Ripley’s Resurfaces Lost Apollo 11 Moonwalk Reels appeared first on Ripley Entertainment Inc.

The post Escape the Ordinary with Ripley’s Newest Book That Goes Beyond Your Wildest Imagination appeared first on Ripley Entertainment Inc.