Up Close & Peculiar

More than 100 years ago, the globetrotting Robert Ripley began collecting artifacts from his journeys around the world, which today form the heart of the greatest collection of oddities ever assembled. Up Close & Peculiar brings the curious history of these pieces to a personal level as our Exhibits Buyer, Kurtis Moellmann, explores the strange relics that lie within our Warehouse walls! Become a part of the story as we share pieces for every history buff, pop culture junkie, and oddities collector alike.

Today: Sideshow Gaffs 

In this episode, we are diving into the Ripley’s collection and showing off a fur-covered trout, a three-legged chicken, a two-headed baby, a jackalope, and the infamous Fiji Mermaid! Sounds unbelievable right? Let’s determine the legitimacy of these artifacts as we dive into a controversial topic: sideshow gaffs!

Taking a closer look at our sideshow artifacts, we uncover how many of these attention-grabbing pieces were found along with some of their folklore. Understanding the cultural significance of these pieces helps to better put into perspective why so many were fooled by them in the first place. Tell us what you think about some of these iconic sideshow gaffs and whether or not any of them fooled you! We hope you enjoy these rare collectables, straight from the Ripley’s Vault!

EXPLORE THE ODD IN PERSON!

Discover hundreds of strange and unusual artifacts and get hands-on with unbelievable interactives when you visit a Ripley’s Odditorium!

FIND AN ATTRACTION NEAR YOU