Wax museums as such are more on the traditional side, I feel
What are you doing if you are in Los Angeles and want to meet some stars? You could head to Rodeo Drive or other fancy places and hope to be lucky… Or, alternatively, try the good old wax museum attractions. You know what you get, they might not sign your autograph book but at least, they are quite patient even if you want to have a series of selfies with your stars. Not too surprisingly, Madame Tussauds is running an outlet in the capital of the Western movie industry. Here are my thoughts about visiting Madame Tussauds Hollywood.
Madame Tussauds – Location & Admission
Madame Tussauds is located really in the heart of Los Angeles, right next to Chinese Theatre many other major attractions. Even the peer attraction, the Hollywood Wax Museum, is just a block away. Hollywood Blvd, where the museum is located, of course also features the Walk of Fame – so you might spot your idol on a star and in wax more or less at the same time. If you arrive by local transport, the Hollywood / Highland metro station is right next to the place as well.
Madame Tussauds Hollywood opened daily at my time of visit, 10:00 to 20:00 hrs. The adult admission was roughly 28 USD including tax – however, they more or less gave away 50 per cent gift vouchers to everybody at my time of visit. At the time of publishing, there was an online ticket price of 20 USD, including the admission to Marvel 4D, which I did not visit.
Madame Tussauds – The Visit
Madame Tussauds typically does quite a good presentation of their figures – and so does their Hollywood outlet. There are signs in English and Spanish for all of their stars giving some bio. Some general signs even add Italian, French, Hindi and German, e.g. the warning about pickpockets I added below. There are also some items you can wear to make your pictures even more beautiful – it may however be that they will stop this after their Covid-19 reopening.
Just after entering and passing the first chargeable photo spot, you are right in the middle of the first set of celebrities. The first people you “meet” are more on the current celebrity side.
After that, there is a large section for Hollywood legends – not just US superstars like Charlie Chaplin, but even German Marlene Dietrich is among the people you can have a selfie with. A really nice travel through the history of Hollywood movies. Later in that section of the exhibition, you meet Elvis Presley or John Wayne.
You may bypass the horror section, but you would miss some nice scenes here. Take a picture with Dracula or maybe being close to Hannibal Lecter? Scary!
If you took the detour, you immediately reach the movies of the 1970’s and 1980’s. THere are John Travolta, Rock, Stephen Spielberg, Star Trek and many more. As you can see, the figures are not only not too bad, but the scenery is cool you might also for example sit in a Star Trek chair for your picture or raise your fist with Rocky – don’t know down the statue, please. Later in this section, you move towards the music industry and have a chance to take a snap with Madonna or Lady Gaga.
Finally, there is a section which explains how the figures are created, including a bust of the legendary French founder of this global franchise, Marie Tussaud.
Madame Tussauds – Interactive Places
Apart from the core business of displaying wax statues, Madame Tussauds nowadays offers you quite some extra. The most prominent interactive and action place is the Marvel Heroes 4D, which requires and additional ticket, so that I did not give it a try. In other places, you may for example do your own moderation cut.
Madame Tussauds – Shop
At the end of your visit, you of course have the opportunity to exchange some of your dollars into memorables. Madame Tussauds are not really surprising you with super-posh items – they know what their customers are going to spend funds at – and frequent customers know most of the stores before. Posters, shirts, Oscar figure replicas and similar stuff – just pretty solid.
Madame Tussauds – My View
Madame Tussauds is just another level of wax museums. The figures look better, more human, the light is better, so that it is really fun to go for some pictures with the images of your idols. On a day like the one I had there in late Feburary 2020, it is a fun time even for people like me, who are not the die-hard wax museum fans. Nice location, nice presentation and a really fair price – if you find a half price coupon (it is still somehow fine if you don’t…)
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