Ripley's NYC Discount Tickets & Tips for Visiting

In New York and planning to visit Times Square? Then you need to add Ripley's Believe It or Not! to your itinerary. With twenty-two Ripley’s “Odditoriums” in North America alone, the Times Square location is the largest of them all, at 18,000 square feet. The remarkable pieces in Ripley’s NYC bring to light the inherent schizophrenic joy one experiences when visiting. There is no running theme except for one thing: fun. Check out our helpful guide for visiting Ripley's Believe It or Not! Times Square, packed full of ways to save on admission, tips for visiting, other nearby attractions, and much more.

Looking for Ripley's Believe It or Not! ® Discount Tickets?

We’ve got you covered – Ripley's Believe It or Not! ® admission is available with the below money saving options, so you can choose the attraction pass that’s right for you: 1. Explorer Pass – Choose as you go. Includes admission of up to 5 attractions. 2. Build Your Own Pass – Select the attractions you want to visit prior to visiting. See all available passes, attractions & prices – Learn more.

Nearby Attractions

There are plenty of other fun things to do located nearby.. I mean, you're in New York City. Here are a few we suggest adding to your itinerary...

• Madame Tussauds, the famous wax museum, is right next door. Save 10% off admission when you present your New York Explorer Pass.
• Hop aboard THE RIDE, which is a unique, interactive experience that turns the streets of New York into an entertaining stage for talented street performers.
• Caroline’s is a comedy store a few blocks up that regularly has shows from some of the greatest (and most famous) comics in the country. Ignore the hecklers trying to sell you a comedy show, and go right to Caroline’s if you want to laugh.
• To eat, you can’t miss the iconic Carmine’s, a family-style Italian restaurant with great food, huge portions, and a perfect touch of New York sass

What to Do There

Come for the fun of clambering through the Black Hole, or seeing Dean Cain explain how a headless chicken lived for two weeks. Come for the giant Mastodon skeleton, or to see a real piece of the Berlin Wall. Even just come for the staff, some of the nicest people you’ll ever meet working at a museum.

Let me help set the scene...

You’re walking through Times Square, the intense lights and dense crowds overwhelming your senses. Thirty-foot posters of actors, models, and comedians loom above you, innumerable giant screens flash blinding messages at each other, and a news ticker snakes around a building, endlessly scrolling with current events in gleaming letters. In the midst of all this, you happen upon what looks like a theater, encased in glittering lights. Even in the astounding overload of sights and sounds, the pounding beat of “Holding out For a Hero” is apparent, and draws you in. A kind woman clad in blue opens the door for you, and you enter. You find yourself in a luxurious hall, The entrance floor covered in clay-hued tile. Beyond you can see a balcony with a railing of ornate wrought iron. To your right, there is a massive head of an elephant, born with two trunks (the tusks not real ivory, the elephant died naturally, the docent assures you). Next to it is a gorgeous reproduction of a swirling water vortex, encased in plexiglass. To your left are two hulking statues of Bumblebee, from Transformers, and Captain America. Both are made entirely out of car parts. The effect is astounding, and yet you’ve only just begun your experience at Ripley’s, Believe it or Not! You can put your body through a portal and make yourself look like Johnny Eck, a freak show performer who was born without the lower half of his torso, and who also was a star of the iconic 1932 film Freaks. In the entryway , you’re treated to a sampling of the oddities that Ripley’s is known for: figures of famed individuals with fascinating gifts. There’s the bearded woman, the lizard man (complete with forked tongue), and the fierce Maria Christina, who wears a corset that could be seen in any goth club. There are some unexpected exhibits too, like the jaws of a megalodon, or giant shark. These jaws stand at least twelve feet high. Nearby, a taxidermied albino giraffe stands, quite lovely and serene despite being so near massive shark teeth. On the second floor, you’ll enjoy a tiny holographic man singing a song that could come straight from a Tim Burton film, then a secret panel opens to the next room. There are also two different floor exhibits that you are encouraged to walk on, one a replica of the New York City skyline. You can also take a photo hugging the Empire State Building like King Kong, hold a real piece of Mars, or maneuver through a room of lasers like a superspy. A warning to those with bug phobias: on the second floor there is an exhibit displaying giant hissing cockroaches, and you’re encouraged to put your head into a dome in the center. So if you’re afraid of bugs, keep an eye out. It’s right across from Ripley’s impressive beer stein collection. However, the coup de grace of the interactive experiences at Ripley’s comes nearly at the end, with “The Black Hole.” It’s a cylindrical tunnel with a catwalk suspended through the center, all black but glinting with sparkling stars. The tunnel spins around you, and the effect is exhilarating and disorienting as you enter the maelstrom. Some people go through several times. However, there is also a “coward’s bypass” that leads you to the next room, if you’re concerned the effect will be too upsetting, or possibly nauseating. One of the more interesting features sprinkled throughout the museum are portraits or statues made out of unusual objects. Then also there is a portrait of Lady Gaga made out of crayons, a sculpture of King Kong made out of tires, a likeness of President Obama made out of gumballs, a mural made out of postage stamps, and even the face of Jimi Hendrix made, poetically, out of cassette tape. Perhaps the strangest of these items is a full representation of John Lennon made completely out of dog hair. At the base of one stairwell there is a genuine piece of the Berlin wall, one of only six in the United States.

Need to Know

Hours

• Daily, 9:00 am-1:00 am (last ticket is sold at midnight)
• Open 365 days a year

Directions & Address

234 West 42nd Street, Times Square New York, NY 10036 By Subway: A, C, E, or S trains to Port Authority/42nd Street; 1, 2, 3, N, R, Q, or 7 trains to Times Square/42nd Street.

Save on Tickets with a New York Explorer Pass

Remember, the New York Explorer Pass® is the best choice for maximum savings and flexibility, which includes Ripley's Believe It or Not! NYC tickets, plus admission to your choice of other top attractions. Save up to 50% on top museums, tours, and activities vs. paying at the gate. Visit multiple New York City attractions for one low price.