Ripley's Believe It or Not!

Ripley's Believe It or Not!

A sprawling three-floor museum on the Gatlinburg Parkway packed with hundreds of unbelievable-but-true artifacts, interactive exhibits, optical illusions, and stories from the world's most extreme corners.

Based on the lifelong adventures of Robert Ripley, who traveled to over 200 countries collecting the world's strangest curiosities, the Gatlinburg Odditorium is the original Ripley's location and one of the most visited attractions in the Smokies. Plan at least two hours — it's bigger and more absorbing than it looks from the street.

Looking for a base nearby? Our Gatlinburg cabin rentals put you minutes from the Parkway.

What's inside

The Odditorium houses hundreds of extraordinary exhibits across sixteen themed galleries — a mix of authentic artifacts, interactive experiences, and displays that stretch the definition of what's possible. A few standouts:

• A real shrunken head — one of the most talked-about artifacts in the collection, and genuinely hard to believe
• A crystal-covered Mini Cooper — a full-size car encrusted in over a million crystals
• A dragon built from recycled materials — Harry Potter-inspired and considerably larger than expected
• Kaleidoscope light show — an immersive, full-room light experience
• Optical illusions throughout — rooms and installations designed to trick your brain at every turn
• Interactive games and challenges — hands-on exhibits that engage every age

The collection spans art, science, human achievement, natural history, and the outright bizarre, connected by the single thread that every exhibit is completely true. Photography is encouraged throughout.

Accessibility

Ripley's Believe It or Not! is wheelchair and stroller friendly, with ramps, wider corridors, and elevators throughout. Restrooms are ADA accessible with handrails and grab bars.

Service animals: guide dogs and ADA-defined service dogs are permitted. Emotional support animals are not.

Tickets and discounts

Buy tickets in advance at ripleys.com. Nothing needs printing — tickets are retrieved from your phone via email confirmation.

Combo tickets are the better value. Ripley's operates nine attractions in Gatlinburg, and bundles combining the Odditorium with the Aquarium and others save significantly over individual purchases. If you're visiting more than one, a combo is almost always worth it.

Hours and location

Open daily, typically from 9 AM until late evening. Hours vary seasonally — confirm current hours at ripleys.com before visiting.

Tips for visiting

• Budget two hours minimum. Three floors of exhibits takes longer than most guests expect, especially with kids who want to touch everything
• Bring a charged phone. Photography is encouraged and nearly every exhibit is worth photographing
• Buy online for speed, in person for discounts. Advance tickets skip the counter line, but military, first responder, AAA, and senior discounts are counter-only
• Bundle if you're doing more than one. Combo tickets with the Aquarium or Haunted Adventure save real money
• Accessibility isn't an afterthought here. Strollers and wheelchairs move through the whole building without difficulty

Other Ripley's attractions in Gatlinburg

Ripley's operates nine attractions within walking distance of each other along the Parkway. Beyond the Odditorium:

• Ripley's Aquarium of the Smokies — a shark tunnel, touch tanks, and a penguin playhouse; one of the most popular family stops in town
• Ripley's Haunted Adventure — a year-round haunted house with live actors and pitch-black corridors, inside a former casket factory
• Ripley's 5D Moving Theater — motion simulator theater with multiple film options
• Ripley's Marvelous Mirror Maze — disorienting and surprisingly fun at any age
• Ripley's Mini Golf — two themed 18-hole courses
• Ripley's Mountain Coaster — a separate coaster attraction on the Parkway

Nearby

800 Parkway puts the Odditorium in the heart of downtown Gatlinburg, steps from everything. See our things to do guide for more.

• Anakeesta — mountaintop gondola and adventure park, with Astra Lumina after dark
• Gatlinburg Space Needle — a 407-foot observation tower just off the Parkway
• Ober Gatlinburg — Tennessee's only ski area, reached by aerial tram from downtown
• Crockett's Breakfast Camp — the breakfast to start the day with
• Riverside dining, moonshine tastings, and dessert stops — several within a short walk along the Parkway
• Great Smoky Mountains National Park — the entrance is minutes from downtown

Frequently asked questions

How long does it take to go through?

Two to three hours for a thorough visit. Three floors across sixteen galleries takes longer than guests expect, particularly with children who engage with the interactive exhibits.

Do I need to print my tickets?

No — tickets arrive by email and are retrieved from your phone.

Are combo tickets available?

Yes. Bundles combining the Odditorium with the Aquarium and other Gatlinburg attractions offer the best per-attraction value.

Are military and first responder discounts available?

Yes, with valid ID, and they extend to additional guests in your party. These discounts are only available at the ticket counter, not online. Check ripleys.com for current terms.

Is it wheelchair accessible?

Yes — ramps, wide corridors, elevators, and accessible restrooms throughout, and wheelchairs are accommodated at nearly all exhibits. Note that some other Ripley's attractions in town, including the Mountain Coaster, are not.

Are service animals allowed?

ADA-defined service dogs and guide dogs are permitted. Emotional support animals are not. If you're traveling with a pet, our pet-friendly cabins give them somewhere comfortable to stay.

Is photography allowed inside?

Yes, and encouraged.

Is it worth it for adults without kids?

Plenty of guests think so. The artifact galleries and optical illusion rooms hold up on their own, and the collection is stranger and more substantial than the storefront suggests.