This post will help you plan your visit to Ripley's Believe it or Not!, including tickets, discounts, as well as what exhibits you will see.
NOTE: Ripley's Believe it or Not in Times Square permanently closed on November 28th, 2021. It is no longer possible to visit this attraction.
TICKETS
We highly recommend that you buy your tickets online in advance as you will save 30%.
TIP: Entry to Ripley's is FREE with the purchase of several tourist discount passes.
Online Ticket Prices
- Adults $22
- Child (4-12) $16.80
- Under 4 years old FREE
- Click here to purchase tickets.
In-Person Ticket Prices
- Adults $32.00
- Child (4-12) $24.00
- Under 4 years old FREE
DISCOUNTS AND DEALS
This section lists the various ways to find discounted tickets or even free entry.
Discount Attraction Passes
Tourist passes work by bundling admission tickets to allow for better discounts. These tourist discount passes include free admission to Ripley's Believe it or Not!
Often, they include Fast Track entry so you can skip the line.
Passes that Include Admission:
- New York Explorer Pass
- Build Your Own Pass by Smart Destinations
- New York City Sightseeing Pass
If you would like to learn more about tourist discount passes and which one would work for you, read our post: New York City Attraction Passes: Which One Is Best?
Bus or Boat Tour Combos
By pairing your Riley's ticket with a bus tour or boat ride, you'll pay up to 50% less than you would if you purchased each attraction separately!
City Sightseeing Boat Cruise + Ripley's
- In addition to your Ripley's admission, you can explore NYC from the water with a narrated ferry cruise with 4 convenient locations to hop on and off.
- Adults $35.00
- Child $25.00
- Click here to purchase.
City Sightseeing "All Around Town" Bus Tour + Ripley's
- In addition to your Ripley's admission, you get a choice of a 2-day hop-on-hop-off bus tour through NYC's most popular neighborhoods. You also get a bonus Night Tour and Sightseeing Ferry Tour.
- Adults $98.00
- Child $88.00
- Click here to purchase.
For more information on Bus tours or Boat tours, see our posts:
Combine Attractions
Save 36% off of regular box office prices when you combine Ripley's with another fun nearby attraction.
Ripley's + Gullivers Gate
Includes admission to Ripley's and to nearby Gulliver’s Gate, an interactive and immersive world of miniatures.
The 50,000 square-foot display features small-scale reproductions of cities around the world. It is located just blocks away from Ripley's.
Learn more by clicking here.
Ripley's + National Geographic Ocean Odyssey
Includes admission to Ripley's and to nearby National Geographic Ocean Odyssey which uses photo-real animation with giant projection screens and immersive sound, to simulate an ocean voyage.
Learn more by clicking here.
Military Discount
Unfortunately, we could not find a military discount for Ripley's in Times Square.
Coupons
Make sure to check coupon sites like Groupon and LivingSocial for occasional discounts.
AAA Discount
If you show your AAA card at the box office you'll receive $1 off admission.
PLAN YOUR VISIT
The following section will provide information about how to get to Ripley's, the best times to visit, how much time to set aside for your visit and what to expect to see.
How to Get There
Ripley's Believe it or Not! is located at 234 West 42nd St between 7th and 8th Avenues.
Subway
- 1, 2, 3, 7, N, Q, R, S (at 42nd Street-Times Square)
- A, C, E (at 42nd St & 8th Ave)
- B, D, F, M (at 42nd St & 6th Ave)
Bus
- M57, M16, M11, M27, M42 or M104 buses.
- Most hop-on-hop-off bus tours have stops in the Times Square area which will leave you just a few streets away from Ripley's.
Click on this link to a Google Map that can give you exact directions from your point of departure to Ripley's via public transport, car or by foot.
Hours and Best Times to Go
Ripley's is open 365 days a year from 9:00 am - 1:00 am. Note that the last ticket is sold one hour prior to closing.
If you want to avoid crowds, then visit on a weekday (Mondays-Fridays).
To guarantee lots of space, go between 9 am-12 pm. It begins to get a little busy around late afternoon, but still, you will not feel packed in.
Mid-week evenings are also a very good time to go. You may want to even go after your dinner meal since Ripley's is open until 1:00 am.
Ripley's is one of the many options of things to do at night in NYC.
To avoid any possibility of a crowd, avoid Saturdays and Sundays between 12 pm-9 pm when Ripley's is as busy as it gets.
Again, if you are looking for a weekend evening activity, Ripley's is a good bet.
How much time will I need?
Visitors report that the wait to get in is very short. You will minimize any wait if you have purchased your tickets in advance on their website.
Most visitors spend between 90 minutes to two hours exploring the two floors off artifacts and exhibits.
Do They Have Storage Lockers?
No. We recommend that you do not bring large bags or luggage with you as there is no bag check. Smaller bags are permitted and are subject to search upon entry.
If you need to find a place to store your luggage cheaply nearby, see our post Where to Store Luggage in New York City.
Is Ripley's Handicap Accessible?
Yes, this location is accessible.
Are Photographs Allowed?
- Photographs and videos are allowed and indeed encouraged!
Is this attraction for children?
- Some younger children may find some exhibits scary, though it depends on your child.
- Strollers are permitted.
Is there somewhere to eat inside?
- NO food or drink is permitted inside, including chewing gum. Ripley's unique artifacts are irreplaceable. They do not have a snack shop inside so be sure to eat something before you enter.
EXHIBITS
Ripley’s Believe It or Not! covers two floors, with 20 themed galleries filled with over 500 weird, wacky and unusual objects.
Examples include the world’s largest collection of shrunken heads, a lock of Elvis’s hair, a section of the Berlin Wall, and a two-headed calf.
This photo of Ripley's New York City is courtesy of TripAdvisor
In addition to the freaky artifacts, there are interactive experiences like you have never experienced.
The “Little Apple”
An interactive gallery which shrinks the 301-square-miles of New York down to a size small enough to let you see it all in one place.
Do NOT miss the Empire State Building exhibit which gives the illusion that guests are hanging on to the top of the skyscraper, or even flying by it.
The LaseRace
The only LaseRace in New York City and tests the guile and agility of New Yorkers as they duck, shimmy, pivot, and crawl through a maze of brilliant red laser beams in an effort to achieve the best possible time.
Touch a laser, and time is added to your score.
New York Baseball Exhibit
TIP: If you are here between April and October, you can enjoy a real baseball game. We've got the Yankees and the Mets (you can even tour Yankee Stadium).
The Black Hole
This dark, rotating vortex tunnel simulates the illusion that you are in a black hole, twisting and turning as you walk through the exhibit.
Rails are along the walls if you need to grab on! (You can bypass it for anyone who is not up for this wild ride).
There's so much more to see and experience. Find out for yourself!
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