The Ripley’s Believe it or Not Museum is what one would describe as extreme. It features the extremes of everything in life in a wacky exiting way. When one asks about the first museum that comes to mind, this would not be it. The museum featured many levels containing a vast array of exhibits. When compared to other museums, it doesn’t fit the typical idea of what a museum is. This doesn’t happen to be the case, as one of the exhibits is a large chunk of the Berlin Wall, graffitied with the words “Made in Germany.”
The museum is located on 42nd Street, surrounded by theaters, and restaurants lit colorfully in the night. The moment you enter you are greeted by a massive elephant wearing battle armor, a Mercedes-Benz 300lL made of wood, and the world’s tallest man. The walls, and decor seemingly have no apparent theme, and are an attack on the senses. The whole museum was a mix of everything the world had to offer; individualistic in every sense of the word.
The piece that I found most relatable was that wooden Mercedes-Benz. Hand crafted by a german artist, the Benz is made of teakwood, and every part of it is was as good-looking as the original. It was the cost of the project that really interested me; 6,668$. That price is very affordable compared to the cost of an original, around 1,000,000$. The seer amount of detail that the artist had put into the car was amazing. How long would it have taken? While it may not function, it captures the essence of what the original was.
In regards to Baruch, it made me feel like anything was obtainable with enough hard work. While it may not be the original, being able to craft the looks of such an iconic piece of automotive history. That along with the immense amount of diversity, and history that can be found at the museum, Baruch, and the world.