The Science of Ripley’s Believe It or Not

By Lynette Carrington

Oddities, fantastic feats and the downright unbelievable… You’ll find all of this and more at The Science of Ripley’s Believe It or Not running as a special exhibit at Arizona Boardwalk in Scottsdale at least through Fall 2021. Plan for at least one full hour of family friendly fun that will take you on a self-guided wild ride through history and all the fun things that make being a part of the human race so downright fascinating.

One of the more compelling displays involves the world’s tallest man, Robert Wadlow. Visitors can see him “stand” to a towering 8-feet, 11-inches and learn a bit about the challenges he faced in life. Sadly, had he lived today, doctors could have curbed his astronomical growth and extended his life.  

This exhibit truly has it all. There is an impressive full-size Rolls-Royce made entirely out of matchsticks, a look at how other cultures embrace and enhance human features, a huge display of a megalodon shark jaw, and various wall displays throughout the exhibit reveal fun, crazy and unbelievable facts related to people of the past.

Art rendered in unique ways is also on full display. Visitors will encounter Justin Bieber made of candy, Michael Jackson created out of dog hair, a life-size cheetah intricately built from beads, Dr. Martin Luther King rendered in postage stamps and an iconic image of Albert Einstein made entirely of burnt toast.  

Almost all exhibits are hands-on, include science-based information and include video, sound, light and other enhancements that make the displays come to life in a variety of ways. Nearly all exhibits are family friendly, although the real shrunken heads display, although somewhat cartoonish in looks, may frighten some younger children. That display can easily be bypassed by those who are sensitive.

Tickets are $21.95 each for adults and $16.95 for kids ages 2-12. Ripley’s Believe It or Not is located at Arizona Boardwalk at 9500 E. Via de Ventura, Suite E250, Scottsdale. Visit https://www.ripleysaz.com/tickets/ for more information and tickets.