World of the Unexplained museum
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

The World of the Unexplained were two museums, opened in 1972 by Ripley's Believe It or Not!, one at Fisherman's Wharf, San Francisco, Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco () and one in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, originally called "Museum of Witchcraft and Magic". Ripley's had acquired the late Gerald Gardner, Gerald B. Gardner's collection of witchcraft items from Wiccan History of Wicca#Development of Wicca, Monique Wilson, and displayed them in the museums. In 1975, due to pressure from the local churches and religious groups in the area, Ripley's changed their names to "World of the Unexplained" and re-outfitted them with new attractions. With the popularity of the television show "In Search of... (TV series), In Search Of", Ripley's hired the show's narrator, Leonard Nimoy, to film a short introduction to visitors at the entrance to the museums. The museums displayed not only witchcraft attractions but new ones that featured Bigfoot, flying saucers, the Bermuda Triangle, werewolves, and a fortune teller with a talking crystal ball. In 1985, the museums closed down for good, due to poor ticket sales. Ripleys' relocated all the attractions to other Ripley's Odditoriums around the US and Canada. The Gatlinburg location is no longer operated by Ripley's. The building in San Francisco is a Ripleys' Believe It or Not Odditorium.


References


Ripley's World of the Unexplained
{{Ripley's Believe It or Not! Ripley's Believe It or Not! Museums established in 1972 Museums in San Francisco Museums in Sevier County, Tennessee 1972 establishments in California 1985 disestablishments in California Wicca in the United States Gatlinburg, Tennessee Defunct museums in California 1970s in modern paganism