The recent Daves Zoo Tour 2014 had so many great experiences that when one came along that didn’t live up to expectations, it was huge. This was the case with The National Aquarium, which was not only grossly overpriced but was the biggest disappointment of the two-week journey. Thankfully though, the day in Baltimore was not a complete loss. First off, we got to hang with one of our friends Brian Maze, who provides much of the artwork on our monthly Horror Host Report. Second, we discovered quite by accident, a really fun place that ended up being a huge highlight of the trip. I am talking about the Ripley’s Believe It Or Not Odditorium.

Growing up I was a big fan of the Ripley’s Believe It Or Not books. I remember taking them out of the library in elementary school and thoroughly enjoying the short descriptions and fun drawings illustrating countless numbers of amazing facts and weird tales. In recent years I have seen this very same book still for sale, usually on the reduced racks of many book stores. Gone are the fun illustrations but the fun facts remain. When we stumbled across the Odditorium, we knew this was some place we had to visit. It did not disappoint.

We now got to see in person so many of the things that I only read about as a kid. Though I have seen, and owned, shrunken heads and feejee mermaids, there was just something surreal about seeing them in the Odditorium. We also got to see, in all of their glory, scale models of Hogwart’s Castle made out of toothpicks as well as a tribute to Chessie, the local sea creature reported to live in the Chesapeake Bay, where the Odditorium can be found. Even the restrooms were fun, full of interesting tidbits of information to read while you do your business.

If you are in the Baltimore area, lock your car doors and close your windows and make your way to 301 Light Street at the Light Street Pavilion. You will have a great time and while you are at it, take your time or you will miss something truly unbelievable!

~David Albaugh