As a travel enthusiast who wants to experience the most popular destinations across the globe, the thought of going to a wax museum was not exactly on my “1000 t=Things To Do Before I Die” list, or more appropriately called as the “Bucket List”.  So when I was invited for a tour of the new Madame Tussauds in Hollywood, I didn’t know exactly what to expect. I had had a glimpse of how the lifelike wax figures look like during my visit to Hong Kong, where they had Bruce Lee on display to the public, but never had I set foot in a dedicated wax museum.  The thought was cool, but did really I enjoy visiting a building full of wax figures? Read on and you’ll find out.

I was quite impressed when I found out that the building that houses all the wax figures of globally famous personalities, was built from the ground up. Considering the fact that no other Tussauds Museum has been built this way, we can only imagine the amount of planning taken into creating this structure. It is 3 stories high, and you actually start your experience from the top floor and proceed down.

I walk out of the elevator and step onto the 3rd floor. Lights, Camera, Wax Figures!!! You come out of the elevator as if you’ve arrived at a red carpet event. There are wax paparazzi figures aimed at you. Then there are red carpet stars all around, with George Clooney sitting and watching from a distance.

Now when I mention museums, one thing comes to everybody’s mind; non interactive experience; kind of like the way paintings are displayed. But on the contrary, Madame Tussauds is a FULLY interactive experience, where customers can touch, take pictures, and pose with their fellow stars. The wax figures, which take an astounding $300,000 each to make, are standing there in the crowd as if they are one of us! There are no restrictions as to what you can do with the figures, as long as you are not defacing the museum property.  All the props, from the backdrop, clothes, to the small trinkets, are authentic and are relevant to the scene in the movie that inspired the setting.
 

Some of the figures do look more lifelike than others. It is absolutely uncanny how real the Jim Carrey and Steven Spielberg figures look. The hair, makeup, and even the clothes are regularly changed so that there is a sense of relevance.

One of the best features of the museum is that there are different themed rooms, such as a Heroes Room which showcases Comic Book and Action Movie Stars, a Sports room, a Western Room, a Classics Room which is dedicated to the classic stars like Audrey Hepburn, Clark Gable, and Charlie Chaplan.  My favorite theme room is the Mafia Room; where all the famous mob bosses are displayed for your viewing pleasure. You can even sit next to The Godfather himself and take a picture. The themes are not replicated across all the Tussauds, so expect a unique experience from each museum.

If you’re thinking that the visit to the Tussauds might not exactly be entertaining for kids, you’d be happy to know that the museum is stocked with a lot of fun for kids too! The first floor showcases the process in which the figures are made and offers children an opportunity to create a wax molding of their hand. The wax hardens in front of their eyes and they can decorate it with different colors.  This kid-friendly activity costs only $12. This is something that adults can indulge in too! Then another interesting feature about the museum is the green screen where you can get your picture clicked with the backdrop of the famous Hollywood sign. I was pleasantly surprised to find out that the museum has something in store for all age groups!

A lot of people are not aware that there is a Madame Tussauds in Hollywood. It opened up during the recession in 2009, so it wasn’t exactly the preferred timing for a new attraction in Hollywood. It is located right next to the Chinese theatre, occupying some of the most expensive land in Los Angeles. It is the NEW must-see attraction in LA, and recommended for everyone, young and old. One thing that I can guarantee is that you’ll have way more fun than you think.

So what does a person do with all the pictures of the strikingly lifelike wax figures of the superstars? I currently have them assigned as an image for each of my friends on my phone.  I assigned the image of Madame Tussaud herself to my Mom.  Now a life size Pixar-like character fills my screen when someone calls.  Do you want to get your creative juices flowing with the one-of-a-kind pictures clicked at Madame Tussauds? Then, get up close and personal with the world’s most fascinating celebrities and figures. What are you waiting for? Plan a Madame Tussauds Tour in Hollywood and fulfill your dream of hanging out with the legendary stars!