Among the bizarre oddities on display are 24 shrunken heads, a section of the Berlin Wall and a 1.5-tonne meteorite. Visitors to the Odditorium can also see locks of hair that belonged to Elvis Presley, John Fitzgerald Kennedy and George Washington, Ripley’s collection of Olympic torches, and animal oddities including a two-headed calf, a six-legged cow and an albino giraffe.

"Ripley’s Times Square Odditorium will house the greatest collection of unbelievable odd and unusual items ever assembled under one roof, from this world and beyond!" said Bob Masterson, President, Ripley Entertainment Inc. "This fantastic collection captures the essence of Mr. Ripley, the eccentric collector who proved to the world that truth could indeed be stranger than fiction."

The Times Square opening was marked with a VIP extravaganza in the quirky spirit of Robert Ripley, with celebrities such as Kelly Osbourne, Jenny McCarthy and Carmen Electra who walked a red carpet of hot coals along with performers from all walks of life including Lizardman, Catman and the woman with the world’s longest fingernails.

"We are thrilled to bring ‘Believe It or Not!’ back to the city where, in 1918, Ripley coined that now famous phrase," said Masterson.