Famous Fertility Statues on Display at Ripley’s Believe It or Not! in Blackpool, England

02. Oct, 2009 Comments Off

BLACKPOOL, England (Oct. 2, 2009) -Ripley’s Believe It or Not!, the global authority on the weird, strange and bizarre has added an unusual twist to it’s collection of weird and wonderful exhibits in the form of two authentic African fertility statues – which more than 2,000 woman say helped them become pregnant.

The statues are on display in the lobby of Ripley’s Believe It or Not!, at the Pleasure Beach, Blackpool until early November.

The five foot high wooden statues originate from the Ivory Coast of West Africa and during the time they were originally displayed at Ripley Entertainment’s head office in Orlando, Florida in 1994, some 13 office staff and visitors became pregnant.

: Andrea Law Revisits the statue she touched 10 years ago shortly before becoming pregnant!

: Ripley’s Manager, Jean Boorer, left, and Supervisor Allison Hume pose with the Fertility Statues

Following a world tour of Ripley’s museums in 1996 the company received more than 2,000 letters from women who had become pregnant shortly after touching the statues, even though many had been told by doctors they would never conceive. The good news for any would-be mothers who are having problems is that the statues are now back on the road and have arrived at the Blackpool Ripley’s Believe It or Not! museum at Pleasure Beach – ready and waiting to be touched completely free of charge.

Andrea Law, a former ice skater and current member of staff at Pleasure Beach conceived shortly after touching the statues 10 years ago, the last time they were at Ripley’s in Blackpool.

She comments, “I had been trying for a baby for some time and when I heard about the statues and their reputation I decided to give them a try. I touched them and just over nine months later I gave birth to my daughter Ana, who has just turned 10. I can’t say for definite that the statues helped me but it certainly is a coincidence.”

Ripley’s officials make a note that they can’t explain the phenomenon. ”We are not making any claims for the statues, but it is amazing just how many women have told us they became pregnant after touching them, even though some of them had been told they would never give birth.”

Ripley’s Believe It or Not is situated on Ocean Boulevard, just outside Pleasure Beach, Blackpool and is open daily from 10 a.m.

About Ripley’s Believe It or Not!

Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Blackpool Pleasure Beach is part of the Ripley Entertainment Inc. (www.ripleys.com) family of worldwide attractions, the global leader in location-based entertainment. More than 13 million people visit its 70-plus attractions in 11 countries each year. In addition to its 30 Believe It or Not! museums, the Orlando, Florida-based company has publishing, licensing and broadcast divisions that oversee projects including the syndicated Believe It or Not! television show, best-selling books and the popular syndicated cartoon strip, Ripley’s Believe It or Not!, that still runs daily in 42 countries. Ripley Entertainment is a Jim Pattison Company, the third-largest privately held company in Canada.