About the Museum
The Museum of Hoaxes is dedicated to promoting knowledge about hoaxes. (Click here for opening hours, etc.) On our blog we post about dubious- sounding claims, and whatever else strikes our fancy. The site is also home to the Hoaxipedia (the museum's online encyclopedia of hoaxes), and the Hoax Forum.

The museum was created in 1997 by Alex Boese. He's assisted by a staff of deputy curators and docents. Alex is the author of three books, most recently Elephants on Acid: And Other Bizarre Experiments (which has nothing to do with hoaxes). Check out the list of the Top 20 Most Bizarre Experiments of All Time for a preview.



Web Hoax Museum

Prankplace.com
COVERT CLICKER
Secretly control the TV, anywhere, any time! This device is so small it is easily concealed in your pocket. It can control volume, change the channel or turn the TV on & off. It works on 90% of all TV's.

THE TOILET MONSTER
Your wife will never yell at you about leaving the seat up again! The Toilet Monster attaches to the inside of the toilet bowl by suction cups. As the unsuspecting person goes to use the bathroom, they'll scream as they lift the lid and are greeted by the Toilet Monster! Not recommended for the elderly or those with a weak heart.


#11: UFO Lands in London
Branson's UFO Balloon On March 31, 1989 thousands of motorists driving on the highway outside London looked up in the air to see a glowing flying saucer descending on their city. Many of them pulled to the side of the road to watch the bizarre craft float through the air. The saucer finally landed in a field on the outskirts of London where local residents immediately called the police to warn them of an alien invasion. Soon the police arrived on the scene, and one brave officer approached the craft with his truncheon extended before him. When a door in the craft popped open, and a small, silver-suited figure emerged, the policeman ran in the opposite direction. The saucer turned out to be a hot-air balloon that had been specially built to look like a UFO by Richard Branson, the 36-year-old chairman of Virgin Records. The stunt combined his passion for ballooning with his love of pranks. His plan was to land the craft in London's Hyde Park on April 1. Unfortunately, the wind blew him off course, and he was forced to land a day early in the wrong location.

Comments
Listed in chronological order. Newest comments at the end.
Page 1 of 2 pages  1 2 >
 So the policeman ran in the opposite direction - bet he copped for it.
Posted by Linda  in  Hull  on  Tue Mar 30, 2004  at  09:18 AM
nice prank how long did it take you to come up with this one?
Posted by alan  in  pa  on  Thu Apr 01, 2004  at  08:35 AM
Awesome! I would SO love to do something like this. smile
Posted by Jennifer  on  Thu Apr 01, 2004  at  09:37 AM
O my, so I wrote this book it starts in 89. Beaming down space ships in key west. with crystals.Then Mick Jagglur jumps in my dream write before there steal wheels show. In Miami well hmmmmm Email me for the rest.. thefool
Posted by cosmic  in  Land of Dixie  on  Thu Apr 01, 2004  at  10:31 AM
Remember well the interview with Richard Branson a week or three later. He said that he had never laughed so hard while watching the policemans arse rapidly dissapearing over younder fields. "Well worth the fine I incured" said Richard.....
Posted by Colin  in  Spain  on  Thu Apr 01, 2004  at  10:31 AM
It's amazing how stupid people really are.
Posted by ace maverick  in  Wa  on  Thu Apr 01, 2004  at  11:10 AM
Thats so funny! I wish I knew how to build something like that!
Posted by G2  on  Thu Apr 01, 2004  at  11:33 AM
LOL that is amazing!!!
Posted by Letecia  in  Canada  on  Thu Apr 01, 2004  at  12:37 PM
that was ggood
Posted by doug  on  Thu Apr 01, 2004  at  01:15 PM
That is great!
Posted by Sean  in  United States  on  Thu Apr 01, 2004  at  01:39 PM
Great, Richard, you're my kind of guy!
Would have loved to have seen that / been there.

Posted by Philippa  in  Rotterdam, Netherlands  on  Thu Apr 01, 2004  at  07:29 PM
What was the figure that came out?
Posted by shawn  on  Thu Apr 01, 2004  at  09:20 PM
He's lucky he didn't get shot! Still funny though.
Posted by Yuriy  on  Fri Apr 02, 2004  at  11:26 AM
Shawn, it was the man piloting the hot air balloon, obviously.

Yuriy, he could not have been shot, he was in England. Firearms are outlawed, and the police to not carry them.
Posted by Kyle Lees  in  United States of Advertising  on  Sat Apr 03, 2004  at  11:57 PM
Priceless. Branson's a hero.

Hang on, what did he do wrong? :D
Posted by jago25_98  in  uk  on  Fri Apr 16, 2004  at  11:49 AM
lol is that true???
Posted by unknown  in  ghghghg  on  Mon May 24, 2004  at  09:40 AM
this is a very good prank i beileve it is the best prank ever
Posted by melissa  in  ararat/victoria/australia  on  Tue Jun 01, 2004  at  08:43 PM
That was the last time anything of Branson's turned up early
Posted by Ian  in  uk  on  Mon Oct 11, 2004  at  01:12 PM
The prank succeded becoz the ballon landed not on April 1. Had it been on April 1. peole would have looked the other way
Posted by Rituraj  in  Guwahati  on  Thu Dec 23, 2004  at  04:32 AM
that is like tottaly kewl.. LOL but was it ment to be a prank???
Posted by jessica  in  land o lakes florida  on  Sat Mar 26, 2005  at  12:22 PM
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