The quirky and world famous Ripley's Believe it or Not!, the global authority on the weird, strange and bizarre, opens its doors to the public on Piccadilly Circus in London later this month, bringing with it a host of peculiar and wonderful exhibits never seen before in the UK.

Ripley's Believe It or Not! Museum will offer a unique mixture of entertainment, education and fun for the entire family - appealing to anyone with a basic sense of curiosity. Guests of all ages will appreciate the 500-plus authentic, original and unbelievable exhibits.

"The Ripley's Believe It or Not! Museum will not only be unique, but it promises to be the most incredible visitor experience in London. There's nothing like it. We're looking forward to shocking visitors from all over the world," notes Jim Pattison, Jr., President of Ripley Entertainment Inc., who adds that he enjoys visiting the Ripley's museums and watching people's reactions as they observe outrageous items for the first time, such as Vampire Killing Kits.

From a two-headed calf to a 3,000 pound piece of the Berlin Wall, a Swarovski-Covered Crystal Mini Cooper worth £500,000 and three unbelievable human shrunken heads from Ecuador, the new attraction will feature exhibits so bizarre it will leave visitors wondering if something so outlandish could really be true.

Additional strange items on display include a magnificent portrait of Lady Diana made of laundry lint from a clothes dryer, a copy of The Last Supper painted on a grain of rice, the famous sweater worn by Marilyn Monroe during her last photo shoot on the beaches of Malibu, a mummified man, and a genuine moon rock.

Robert Ripley, the globetrotting creator of the Ripley's Believe It or Not! cartoon in 1918, displayed his first collection of oddities at the Chicago World's Fair in 1933, filling the exhibition hall with hundreds of genuine artefacts he had gathered from his travels to more than 200 countries. Today, his exotic treasures can be seen in 30 Ripley's Believe It or Not ! Museums worldwide.

For more information on London's Ripley's Believe It or Not! Museum, visit www.ripleyslondon.com