The world-famous Madame Tussauds wax museum in Hollywood is a fun place to visit. If you’re up for a touristy activity, stopping by to get your picture taken with a bunch of wax stars can be fun!
You’re allowed to touch the wax figures and playfully pose for photos. This report will be mostly photographic in nature, with a few tips tossed in to help you get the best pics and avoid the crowds.
I was amazed at how realistic most of the figures were, from Conan O’Brien to President Obama to Sue Sylvester from Glee. Only a few figures looked a little weird (sorry, Ryan Seacrest.)
Madame Tussauds is often regarded as the best wax museum in Hollywood. Here’s a look at what you’ll see there if you make a visit!
MADAME TUSSAUDS HOLLYWOOD TICKETS:
Statues from the Madame Tussauds Wax Museum
There’s an Old Hollywood room with stars from years gone by. George Burns and Bob Hope look on at Marilyn Monroe:
Hanging with my girl Marlene Dietrich:
I don’t know who Gloria Swanson is, but I wanted to hang out with her:
Sharing a laugh with Jack Nicholson:
Hannibal Lecter is intense:
Baby, I was born this way:
Beam me up Scotty! (I was named after the Star Trek character… for real)
Quentin Tarantino can’t stop filming:
My pals Brangelina:
Holdin’ down the west side with Snoop D-O-double G:
Tips for Taking Photos at Madame Tussauds
The lighting is a little weird. Most figures have a spotlight directly on their face, while the rest of the room is dim.
Be sure to have a flash, and for best photo results, get as close as possible to the figures. You want to make sure your face is in the light.
I was only a couple feet away from Jim Carrey, but check out how poorly the pic came out. This shot could’ve been gold!
When posing, be sure to look in the same direction as the figure, and be sure your photographer takes the shot from an angle that makes it look like the figure is looking directly into the camera.
Many of the figures are staring off into weird directions, so your photos are going to look strange if you are looking right at the camera and your wax friend is staring off in another direction.
As with any tourist attraction, going on weekdays and early in the morning (they open at 10 am) is best to avoid crowds.
That’s especially true with this attraction. It’s going to be much harder to pose with Michael Jackson if there are dozens of other folks in the room.
I went at 10:30 on a Monday morning and there were never more than 5 or 6 people in the same room as me.
How to Buy Tickets for the Best Wax Museum in Hollywood
Buy tickets online to visit. They currently cost $28 each. Or, if you’re really gung-ho about celebrity Hollywood, you can buy a package on the street that gets you admission to a star bus tour and the wax museum.
Look around on the sidewalk on that block for studio reps offering tickets to free show tapings. Minute to Win It and Real Time with Bill Maher were among those being offered to us, but, unfortunately, we were unable to take advantage of these offers.
Watch this one-minute video for a look at more wax figures, including Madonna, Michael Jackson, Elton John, Halle Berry and Denzel Washington:
One minute at Madame Tussauds Wax Museum Hollywood from Quirky Travel Guy on Vimeo.
Hollywood is obviously one of the best Los Angeles neighborhoods for tourists, and it’s easy to get here by bus or train if you’re visiting LA without a car. See also our list of the best songs about Los Angeles!
Check out Madame Tussauds online. Their facility is generally regarded as the best wax museum in Hollywood. So if you’re considering hanging out with fake wax celebs, this is the place to do it!
They have additional locations around the globe, including Las Vegas, New York, London, Bangkok, Berlin, Hong Kong and Shanghai.
Which celeb wax figure would you most like to pose with at Madame Tussauds Hollywood?
Pretty cool shots! I can’t believe I haven’t visited Madam Tussauds museum here in NYC, and I’ve been living here for 4 years already… shame on me!
Thanks, I would like to see the NYC one too!
Clever photography tips – I never would have thought about it until I got home and realized all my photos were crap. 😛
I am not usually in a position to offer photo tips, but in this case hopefully people can learn from my mistakes!
Even though this is only about 15 minutes from my house, we have never been. Looks like you had a lot of fun- definitely good tips about getting tickets to see a show taping. Sometimes in the afternoon, they will be giving out tickets to Jay Leno too.
Ooh, I despise Jay Leno after Conan-gate, but I’d really like to see some other tapings!
Looks like you had a lot of fun visiting Madame Tussauds! I have not been to this museum but have been to Madame Tussauds in London. Wax museums are great!
I’d like to see the London location!
Kind of a fun thing to do, wasn’t it? For a long time I refused to go into any of the Madame Tussauds museums — too touristy. Then in London a few years ago, we were walking by and there were no tourists in line, so we went it. I was glad we did (except for the terrifying Chamber of Horrors experience, which I would never do again). Got my picture taken with Sean Connery, Tony Blair and George Bush.
Yeah, I didn’t really want to do it in the past but for some reason it struck me as fun this time. I was there had been a chamber of horrors, though… that sounds fun!
These are awesome pics. You look so natural with them. Secondly, great tips.
thanks ben!
Funny shots! However I am never going there. Wax dummies are creepy. Fact.
Ryan seacrest was creepy, at least.
I have never ventured inside one of these wax museums. This is really interesting the way you took the pictures with the figures. Some really looked real. Brad Pitt, not. But Merill Strep was very good. Looks like it was a fun day for you and your camera person.
Yes, Brad Pitt was a little too waxy, I think.