Ripley Entertainment has announced plans to open a Believe It or Not! museum in China in mid 2007.

The southwestern city of Kunming and the northeastern cities of Tianjin, near Beijing, are likely candidates.

The new visitor attraction is anticipated to be far more ‘bizarre’ than present Ripley museums, as it is aimed at the domestic market.

Ripley’s president, Bob Masterson, said: “Strange and bizarre objects are very popular in China. Anything on the extreme side of nature – such as multi-headed animals and shrunken heads from the Amazon – is immensely appreciated.”

The museums are based on a cartoon magazine called Believe It or Not! in which 1920s, Californian illustrator Robert Ripley presented unusual athletic achievements.

Ripley was considered an oddity who loved to collect strange objects on his many worldwide travels. He visited China many times in the early 20th century and even believed that he had been Chinese in a previous life.

Masterson added: “Ripley loved everything about China. He had a huge collection of Chinese art and a Chinese junk. He even dressed in a traditional Chinese robe.”

The most recent Believe It or Not! museum opened at Panama City Beach in June.

The three-storey building was designed to resemble a 1950s luxury cruise liner run aground on the beach, complete with two 75ft tall smokestacks, a 94ft tall mast and three huge, rotating propellers.

The museum contains hundreds of strange and unusual oddities – such as an 11ft tall matchstick model of the Eiffel Tower – as well as a moving theatre ride. Details: www.ripleys.com