Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Times Square today unveiled a portrait of President Barack Obama made entirely of gumballs—12,784 of them!
The one-of-a-kind, six-by-six foot portrait of the President, which can be seen for free from Ripley’s street entrance, will become part of Ripley’s Believe It or Not Times Square!’s permanent collection of unique presidential artifacts.
The collection already features a portrait of President Abraham Lincoln made entirely of Lincoln pennies, locks of George Washington’s, Abraham Lincoln’s and John F. Kennedy’s hair, and other amazing historical items.
“Ripley’s Believe It or Not Times Square! is proud to feature this truly unique presidential portrait,” said Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Times Square General Manager Michael Hirsch. “It is a genuine work of art and it makes a wonderful addition to our presidential collection. This is a one-of-a-kind portrait that has to be seen.”
Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Times Square will begin a special gumball promotion Thursday at noon, in which guests can win free entrance into the “Odditorium”. Each guest will have one chance to purchase a gumball (25 cents) from a machine. Anyone drawing an orange gumball gets free admission. (One try per guest) The promotion will run until April 15th.
The portrait was designed artist Franz Spohn, and assembled by dozens of school children as part of a Martin Luther King Day celebration at the King Kennedy Center in Ravenna, Ohio.
About Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Times Square Situated in the heart of Times Square in Manhattan, New York, Ripley's Believe It or Not! offers visitors the ultimate insight into the world of the odd and bizarre. Hundreds of weird and unusual artifacts are displayed in more than 20 themed galleries spanning two floors. Whether examining a six-legged cow, a lock of Elvis' hair, 24 shrunken heads (the most on public display anywhere on the planet), a section of the Berlin wall, or a life-size albino giraffe, the amazing Ripley's Believe It or Not! collection proves that fact is indeed stranger than fiction. Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Times Square (www.ripleysnewyork.com) is located at 234 West 42nd Street and is open daily 9 a.m. to 1 a.m. Call
About Ripley Entertainment, Inc. (http://www.ripleys.com/) is a leading global attractions company with annual attendance of more than 13 million. In addition to its 60-plus attractions, the Orlando-based company has publishing and broadcast divisions that oversee projects including the globally 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 200 newspapers in 42 countries. There are now 30 Ripley's Believe It or Not!® odditoriums (including NYC) in operation. The unique attractions feature exhibits that one must see to believe - exhibits that are so bizarre, so odd, so strange, that even the most worldly and knowledgeable guests will be awestruck.
Bill O’Reilly:
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Madalena Phillips:
Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Times Square
madalena@ripleysnewyork.com
