Just in Time for Valentine’s Day! ❤️

Gatlinburg, TN (January 21, 2020) – The Legendary Fertility Statues that have been credited with helping thousands of happy couples get pregnant have arrived at the Gatlinburg Ripley’s Believe It or Not!. Visit them in the Ripley’s lobby, before they head to Myrtle Beach, February 17! No ticket purchases necessary.

Ripley’s acquired the statues in 1993. The statues are made from ebony wood and were hand-carved by craftsmen of the Baulé tribesman of the West African nation of Cote D’Ivoire in the 1930s. They stand 5 feet tall and weigh over 70 pounds each.

THE LEGEND

According to tribal legend, to ensure a couple’s fertility, the statues should be placed on both sides of the doorway leading into the bedroom. If a woman or her spouse touches either statue as they enter the room, they will soon get pregnant.

While Ripley’s cannot loan the statues to prospective parents for their bedrooms, the power of the statues is still strong. Thousands of women have written to Ripley’s claiming that after years of trying to conceive, one rub of the statues soon brought a bundle of joy.

THE BABY BOOM

When Ripley’s first received the statues in 1993, they were displayed at their Head Quarters. A few months later, Ripley’s experienced a Baby Boom! Six employees became pregnant after touching the statues, and word started to spread. Women were requesting to visit the office just to touch the statues.

Over the years, Ripley’s has received countless messages from couples. Here are a few of their very personal stories: 

VICTORIA
I came to see the statues in London in November, and although it is in its early days, I am pregnant!

MELISSA
I had been unsuccessful for a few months trying to get pregnant through fertility treatments. I went on a two-week European vacation. Our last stop was London to touch the fertility statues. A few weeks later I returned to the States, and my next treatment was successful! We had a baby girl in March!

LAUREN
We had a long road trying to get pregnant. I went to the Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Odditorium and rubbed both statues, and within 48 hours we learned we were pregnant.

SAMANTHA
We were trying for about two years, and the doctors told us they didn’t think it would be possible for us to have children. The statues were something that we thought “Why not give it a try?” So, we did, and here she is, and I would touch them again.

BACK ON TOUR

Take advantage of the opportunity to visit the statues before they leave! Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Gatlinburg is located at 800 Parkway, and is open 365 days of the year. See website for attraction hours.

To keep up-to-date with future tour dates, please visit Ripleys.com/fertility-statues.

ORIGIN OF THE STATUES

Media Contacts
Suzanne Smagala-Potts
Public Relations Manager
Ripley Entertainment Inc.
smagala@ripleys.com
Office: 407-345-8010 Cell: 727-439-0136

 
About Ripley Entertainment
Ripley’s Believe It or Not! is part of the Ripley Entertainment Inc. family of worldwide attractions, the global leader in location-based entertainment. More than 15 million people visit its 100-plus attractions in 11 countries each year. In addition to its 31 Believe It or Not! Odditoriums, the Orlando, Florida-based company has publishing, licensing and broadcast divisions that oversee projects including the syndicated Believe It or Not! television show, best-selling books, and the popular syndicated cartoon strip, Ripley’s Believe It or Not!, that still runs daily in countries around the world. Ripley Entertainment is a Jim Pattison Company, the second-largest privately held company in Canada. Learn more about Ripley’s Believe It or Not! by visiting Ripleys.com and following them on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Instagram.

The post Touch Legendary Fertility Statues in Gatlinburg! appeared first on Ripley Entertainment Inc.

“Best Aquarium in North America” by USA TODAY 10Best Readers’ Choice Award

Gatlinburg, TN (May 3, 2019) – USA TODAY 10Best Readers’ Choice 2019 named Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies the #1 Aquarium in North America! This award comes on the heels of several years of awards for the Gatlinburg based aquarium.

In 2018, USA TODAY 10Best Readers’ Choice named Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies the #2 Aquarium in North America. In 2017, the Aquarium was voted Best U.S Aquarium by USA Today 10Best and ranked 5^th in the Top 10 Aquariums in the World by 2017 TripAdvisor’s Travelers’ Choice.

Between 2014 and 2018, the aquarium received numerous other voters’ choice awards:

• 2015: 3^rd – Best Aquariums in the U.S. by TripAdvisor’s Travelers’ Choice | 5^th – Best Aquariums in the World by TripAdvisor’s Travelers’ Choice
• 2014: 3^rd– Best Aquariums in the U.S. by USA TODAY 10Best Readers’ Choice | 4^th Best Aquariums in the U.S. by TripAdvisor’s Travelers’ Choice | 5^th – Best Aquariums in the World by TripAdvisor’s Travelers’ Choice
• 2017: 5^th in the Top 10 Aquariums in the World by 2017 TripAdvisor’s Travelers’ Choice | Best U.S. Aquarium by USA TODAY 10Best Readers’ Choice

“This award is so meaningful because it was decided by the public, our guests who visit our aquarium and make us a part of their family vacation. We work hard to offer our guests the best customer service at one of the world’s finest aquariums in the heart of the Smoky Mountains, and we cannot thank our guests and community enough for voting Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies the Best Aquarium in North America.” – Ryan DeSear, Regional Manager, Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies.

DeSear also noted that one of the reasons for their high visitor return is because the aquarium is always adding something new, including changeable shows.

The newest exhibit at Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies is Savage Seas.

Savage Seas is an all-new exhibit, but life on the savage seas isn’t for everyone! Find out what it takes to survive on the open waters.

It’s a Pirate’s Life For Me!

• Learn about daily Pirate life- what they nibbled on after a good plunder, their weapons of choice, and what they did when they weren’t causing trouble..
•  What did Pirates do for fun? Play a quiz game to find out what kind of Pirate you are.
• Turn yourself into a pirate or parrot, but beware the kraken!

Pillage and Plunder

• Dispel common myths.
• Learn what job you’re cut out for.
• Dig through magical sand to uncover buried treasure.

Sea Monsters Past and Present

• Use a 16th century map to determine where the sea creatures live. You’ll need to avoid them at all costs!
• Quiz yourself on your sea monster knowledge. Can you correctly identify the most infamous?
• Take your picture with our resident sea monster.

Discovery and Ruin

• Hop aboard the S.S. Nose Dive and examine Pacific sea life.
• Climb beneath an ancient shipwreck and explore the treasures she hides.
• Experience how divers work to uncover buried vessels using special diving gloves.
• Take part in a discovery mission to expose rare artifacts in a giant fish tank.

Mysteries and Tall Tales

• Learn about mysterious ships and shipwrecks-can you discern what is fact or fiction?
• Grab a friend and use your sharp mind and steady hands to navigate the Map Maze.
• Repair Billy the Skeleton as fast as you can before he disintegrates.
• Test your knowledge on ghost ships and stories.

Mother Nature

A force of destiny, destruction, and discovery, the sea has the power to control the fate of those who brave her waters.

• Brave hurricane-force winds in a mighty storm simulation.
• Learn about a small little worm with a big, destructive past.

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MEDIA CONTACTS

Dee Lundy
Media
Ripley Attractions – Gatlinburg
lundy@ripleys.com
Office: (865) 755-2128

Suzanne Smagala-Potts
Public Relations Manager
Ripley Entertainment
smagala@ripleys.com
Office: 407-345-8010 Cell: 727-439-0136

About Ripley Entertainment
Ripley Aquariums is part of the Ripley Entertainment Inc. (www.ripleys.com) family of worldwide attractions, the global leader in location-based entertainment. More than 14 million people visit its 100-plus attractions in 10 countries each year. In addition to its 30 Believe It or Not! Odditoriums, the Orlando, Florida-based company has publishing, licensing and broadcast divisions that oversee projects including the syndicated Believe It or Not! television show, best-selling books and the popular syndicated cartoon strip, Ripley’s Believe It or Not!, that still runs daily in countries around the world. Ripley Entertainment is a Jim Pattison Company, the second-largest privately held company in Canada.

The post Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies Voted “Best Aquarium in North America” by USA TODAY 10Best Readers’ Choice Award! appeared first on Ripley Entertainment Inc.

Gatlinburg, TN (March 28, 2019) – USA TODAY 10Best Readers’ Choice 2019 has nominated Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies for the Best Aquarium in North America, and they need your votes to get to #1!

“These awards are very meaningful to us because a panel of judges does not decide them – they are voted on by the public, our guests who visit our aquarium and come back year after year.” – Ryan DeSear, Regional Manager, Ripley Aquariums.

To vote, visit Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies website at www.ripleyaquariums.com/gatlinburg or their Facebook page for a link to the USA TODAY 10Best Readers’ Choice 2019 voting poll.

People can vote once per day, and voting ends on Monday, April 22 at noon ET.

In 2018, USA TODAY 10Best.com named Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies the #2 Best Aquarium in North America, and in 2017 they named Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies the #1 Best U.S. Aquarium.

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MEDIA CONTACTS

Dee Lundy
Media
Ripley Attractions – Gatlinburg
lundy@ripleys.com
Office: (865) 755-2128

Suzanne Smagala-Potts
Public Relations Manager
Ripley Entertainment
smagala@ripleys.com
Office: 407-345-8010 Cell: 727-439-0136

The post Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies Nominated for Best Aquarium! appeared first on Ripley Entertainment Inc.