Branson, Missouri

Fun house music plays, a water faucet floats in mid air and robots made of car parts compose a world of wonder at the Ripley’s Believe It Or Not Museum in Branson, Missouri. Robert Leroy Ripley’s fabulous collection of oddities and artifacts from all over the world greets visitors who come to this out-of-the-ordinary museum.

Ripley began traveling at age 24, and one short trip turned into a lifelong passion of learning about other cultures. Ripley returned home from each trip with new artifacts for his massive collection.

At age 28, Ripley wrote his first collection of facts and feats in a column for the New York Globe and quickly became famous for asking the question, “Believe it or not?” The public became fascinated with Ripley’s treasures, prompting him to display his collection in Chicago at the 1933 World’s Fair. When Ripley died, his artifacts were left behind for the public to enjoy in museums and attractions that continue to show his oddities to the world. The franchise has grown from one exhibit in Chicago to 67 attractions worldwide, from Mexico to Thailand and from Kuwait to Malaysia.

The Branson museum contains many of Ripley’s original artifacts in addition to a country western section representing the culture of southern Missouri. Heather Cognito, public relations director for the Branson museum, said coming to work every day involves encountering something new — or really old — and captivating.

Cognito sat in the middle of the country western section, pointing her favorite exhibits that might be overlooked in the massive room, including a 1936 wood-carved Topolino Fiat. The wooden car is the size of the real car and correct in every detail.

“This car is often missed, though, and it’s one of the biggest things in the room,” Cognito said. “Some people rush through and miss so many things, but that’s what makes it a great museum to return to over and over.”

Each museum is about 80 percent different from the other museums spread throughout the world, Cognito said. Items featured in each museum include original Ripley columns and cartoons, genuine shrunken heads that Ripley received from the Jivaro Indians and wax figures of unbelievable humans, such as the world’s tallest man, the world’s fattest man and the unicorn man.

“What fascinates me about Ripley’s museums is the size of Ripley’s collection and how much he acquired in a time when it was really difficult to travel,” Cognito said. “We have over 400 different exhibits. Visitors can go through in 40 minutes or four hours and still probably not see everything.”

Cognito said it is a challenge not to overlook many of the exhibits in the museum and suggests keeping a sharp eye while winding through. She smiled while listing a few of the exhibits that fascinate her in the museum.

“One of my favorite items is a gorgeous table runner made of lace and the wings of beetles,” she said. “It’s a beautiful piece, and when you look at things like that, you realize the work and the craftsmanship that went into it. And the thought of using beetle wings is so bizarre to me, but it’s just beautiful.”

The vampire killing kit is another piece Cognito said she finds interesting. In the 1800s, it was common to travel throughout Romania and Transylvania with the kit, which contains garlic, a mirror, a pistol, an ivory cross, silver or lead bullets, a Bible, a mallet and a wooden stake.

“The best thing about Ripley’s is that we have license to do just about anything because nothing seems bizarre enough,” Cognito said.

Cognito said she began working at Ripley’s 10 years ago, and so far her biggest challenge has been the struggle to change the public’s perception of the museum due to the building’s outward appearance.

The building was built to look as though it survived Missouri’s most famous earthquakes. According the United States Geological Survey, between December 16, 1811 and  February 7, 1812, a series of earthquakes registering between 7.2 and 8.1 on the Richter scale struck the state. These are the Midwest’s most powerful recorded earthquakes to date –– one even made the Mississippi River run backward for a few hours.

“We have such a fun building, and the outside is so different, [visitors] don’t know what to expect,” Cognito said. “A lot of people have a preconceived notion [about the museum], but when I get them in they’re all so pleasantly surprised. In one sense it’s our biggest asset, but it’s also something to overcome.”

The Branson museum is not the only one with an odd appearance. The Niagara Falls, Canada, museum appears to be a skyscraper on its side and the Panama City Beach, Florida, museum looks like a sinking ship.

Another challenge for Cognito is the preservation of the delicate pieces scattered throughout the museum.

“Every year we go through a really extensive cleaning process during the offseason,” she said. “Many of our pieces will break if you breathe wrong on them, so we are very serious about having good cleaning supplies.”

Ripley’s operations manager John Dixon said he spends much of his time with the visitors, from welcoming them when they enter to asking their opinions when they leave. Dixon said his largest challenge is dealing with different people every day.

“One of the things we try to do here, which I think we have a real advantage with, is to have fun with people by joking around and teasing each other, but every once in a while there is someone who is just not interested in my jokes,” he said.

Dixon said he finds something new or looks at an exhibit he hasn’t seen in a while every time he winds his way through the museum, which he thinks is one of the museum’s strong points.

“The best thing about our museum, in my opinion, is that it’s good for everybody,” Dixon said. “It appeals to adults, kids and teenagers. There’s a little something for everybody through the reading and history for adults and interactive rooms for the kids. Many museums don’t keep this balance or broad base of appeal for everybody.”

The economic slump has been affecting vacationers all over the world, but Dixon said Ripley’s has been lucky to receive the same amount of business thus far.

“Actually, we’ve done very well,” he said. “I don’t think it’s affected us a whole lot. The economy has probably thinned the herd a little bit, but we’ve had a good season so far, so I can’t complain.”

Robert Stemmons of London, England, said he visits Missouri once a year with his family to see his mother. This time, his two sons Robbie, 10, and Jake, 8, begged for a trip to Branson and the museum.

Stemmons said he enjoyed reading Ripley’s cartoons from the 1930s scattered throughout the museum because he had read them as a boy.

“There was one about a man who was imprisoned by the Russians for 100 years,” he said. “I find that a little hard to believe. That’s one I will choose not to believe.”

Stemmons said he enjoyed the museum and the exhibits but thought the price was a bit exorbitant.

“For a museum that doesn’t change, where an adult has to come in with the youngster, the minimum price was about $25, which I thought was a bit too high,” he said. “But they loved it, so it was worth it.”

For Jake and Robbie, the wax figure of the unicorn man and a limousine with a Jacuzzi in the back were enough to leave them happy upon exiting –– whether they believed what they saw or not.