The Fiji Mermaid: History’s Most Infamous Maritime Hoax

Long before Hollywood special effects and digital editing, one bizarre oddity captured the world’s imagination and completely fooled the public.

Known as the Fiji Mermaid, or Feejee Mermaid in Barnum’s day, this eerie sideshow specimen remains one of history’s most famous maritime hoaxes.

P.T. Barnum and the Birth of a Legendary Hoax

The man most responsible for turning the Fiji Mermaid into a household curiosity was famed showman P.T. Barnum.

In 1842, Barnum launched a brilliant publicity stunt, convincing New York newspapers to publish “exclusive” stories about a mysterious mermaid supposedly discovered near the Fiji Islands. When crowds rushed to his American Museum in New York City, they didn’t find a beautiful singing siren. Instead, they came face-to-face with a grotesque, mummified creature that shocked naturalists and everyday gawkers alike.

For decades, people debated whether the creepy fish-like creature could actually be real.

Did You Know? Research suggests the original Fiji Mermaid may have been crafted as early as 1822 by Japanese makers, who created similar figures as curiosities, folk objects, or sideshow pieces.

Barnum’s famous specimen is believed to have been lost in a museum fire, but its legend lived on. Soon, sideshows around the world began “discovering” their own mysterious mermaids.

Robert Ripley Sets the Record Straight

Nearly a century later, Robert Ripley helped expose the truth behind the myth while still celebrating the object’s strange appeal.

Displayed in Ripley's New York City Attraction, the Fiji Mermaid was presented not as a real sea creature but as an incredible work of sideshow craftsmanship. The classic version was said to be made from the upper body of a monkey sewn to the back half of a fish, then dried and preserved.

Today, the tradition continues through talented modern artists. Creature creator Juan Cabana of Tampa, Florida, crafts modern replicas using carved styrofoam, real fish skin, and even alligator or chicken feet for hands.

See the Fiji Mermaid In Person

Photos don’t do it justice. To really appreciate the strange history of the Fiji Mermaid, you have to see it up close.

Step right up and explore the legendary lore of the Fiji Mermaid at Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Discover original traveling sideshow pieces, modern replicas, and thousands of other bizarre, extraordinary artifacts that will leave you questioning reality.

Find a Ripley’s Believe It or Not! near you and grab tickets today!