Ripley's Believe It Or Not Branson

Branson's Ripley's Believe It or Not! is the building that looks broken on purpose — its cracked facade a nod to the 1811–12 New Madrid earthquakes — guarded by a two-story robot welded from hundreds of used car and motorcycle parts. Inside: roughly 450 exhibits across eight galleries, rotating so repeat visits differ.

We visit Ripleys Odditorium & Museum - Believe it or Not! Branson, MO #youradventurecompass

YourAdventureCompass

YourAdventureCompass tours Branson's Ripley's Odditorium end to end: outside, the two-story robot welded from hundreds of used car and motorcycle parts in front of the cracked earthquake building; inside, gallery after gallery of oddities, an authentic Wells Fargo stagecoach and the interactive shooting gallery. The definitive full visit on film.

Key takeaways

A two-story robot built from hundreds of car and motorcycle parts guards the entrance
The building's cracked facade nods to the 1811–12 New Madrid earthquakes
An original Wells Fargo stagecoach is among the exhibits

PlayBranson 394: John Kelley with Ripley's Believe It or Not!

Play Branson

Play Branson interviews John Kelley, general manager of Ripley's Believe It or Not Branson, on the museum today: around 450 exhibits across eight galleries, an experience that starts in the parking lot with a 360-degree view of the building's art and paintwork, and a collection that keeps rotating so repeat visits differ. The operator's own account of the Branson Odditorium.

Key takeaways

The Branson museum holds roughly 450 exhibits in eight galleries
GM John Kelley says the visit starts outside — the building itself is the first exhibit
Exhibits rotate, so the collection changes between visits

Newly Remodeled! Ripley's Believe It or Not - Branson, MO - World's Largest Ball of Twine

The Carpetbagger

The Carpetbagger — who has visited every Ripley's in the United States and Canada — checks in on Branson's after its remodel: refreshed galleries, switched-out artifacts and one of his favorite Ripley's shooting galleries, where retired exhibits get a second life as targets. A completist's review of the current state of the museum.

Key takeaways

The host has visited every Ripley's in the US and Canada
Branson's museum was freshly remodeled for this visit
Its shooting gallery reuses retired artifacts as gallery targets

The tours

YourAdventureCompass's end-to-end visit leads: the robot, the crack, gallery after gallery, an authentic Wells Fargo stagecoach and the interactive shooting gallery. BunnyPlaysHere works the signature pieces: a mammoth built entirely from used tires, a traditional shrunken head, New Guinea nosebone ornaments and a kangaroo-tooth necklace — two world records under one roof, per her title. Fantabulous Travels' ultimate tour opens with Robert Ripley's own story — the cartoonist voted the most popular man in America, whose first Odditorium opened at the 1933 Chicago World's Fair.

The authority

Two films carry unusual weight. General manager John Kelley tells Play Branson the operator's view — the experience starting in the parking lot, the building itself as first exhibit. And The Carpetbagger, who has visited every Ripley's in the United States and Canada, reviews Branson's after its remodel — including its shooting gallery, where retired exhibits get a second life as targets.

Sources: the 6 videos on this page.

Watch: Ripley's Believe It Or Not Branson, guided

3 videos · summaries from the actual guides

Branson Ripley's Believe It Or Not: 2 World Records Under One Roof

BunnyPlaysHere

BunnyPlaysHere works through the Branson Odditorium: the car-parts robot and the hulked-out crack in the building, a traditional shrunken head, a mammoth built entirely from used tires, New Guinea nosebone ornaments and a kangaroo-tooth necklace, and the dancing room — the two world records under one roof that give the film its title.

Key takeaways

A mammoth sculpted from used tires is a signature exhibit
The collection runs from shrunken heads to New Guinea ceremonial pieces
The building's earthquake crack is part of the show