Madame Tussauds New York: Complete Guide

What to Know About Madame Tussauds

• Madame Tussauds is a wax museum in New York inspired by the Madame Tussauds museum in London. The original museum was founded in London in 1835 by Marie Tussaud, a French artist born in Strasbourg in 1761. During the French Revolution, she was arrested and sentenced to death by guillotine, but was pardoned at the last moment because of her artistic talents. She returned to her craft, creating death masks of Marie Antoinette, Marat, and Robespierre, among others. She later moved to London, beginning an adventure that continues today.
• In recent years, the London museum has expanded to many cities worldwide, from Berlin to Hong Kong, from the Las Vegas Madame Tussauds to Sydney. Each museum has its own character, focusing on local celebrities. The New York Madame Tussauds opened in 2000 near Times Square, on the famous 42nd Street.
• Madame Tussauds is owned by the British company Merlin Entertainments, which also operates the London Eye observation wheel in London, the London Dungeon, and LEGOLAND parks, including LEGOLAND New York.

What to See at Madame Tussauds

• The New York museum lets you take selfies with the world’s biggest stars. The wax figures include George Clooney, Angelina Jolie, Taylor Swift, Beyoncé, Jennifer Lopez, Madonna, Bruce Willis, Lady Gaga, and Cristiano Ronaldo, plus Steven Spielberg and his E.T. You can also pose with U.S. President Donald Trump, or choose his predecessors Barack Obama and Joe Biden.
• Travel through time and meet George Washington, Marilyn Monroe, Gandhi, James Dean, Salvador Dalí, Albert Einstein, and Nelson Mandela. Queen Elizabeth II and her son, King Charles III, are also featured.
• New York itself is well represented with several interactive attractions. Ring the bell that opens trading at Wall Street, sit in the back of a New York taxi, or stroll through Central Park. We’ll let you discover the rest!
• The museum also reveals how wax figures are made and the art of sculpting in wax. Fascinating stuff.

Visiting Madame Tussauds New York

• Address: 234 West 42nd Street, steps from Times Square. Located in Midtown.
• Subway: 42 St-Port Authority Bus Terminal (lines A, C, and E).
• Hours: Madame Tussauds New York is open daily from 10 am to 7 pm (until 9 pm Friday and Saturday).
• Tip: Admission is included in the New York Explorer Pass and the New York Pass. No extra charge. Both passes include entry to the museum and the Marvel 4D film.

Reviews of Madame Tussauds New York

• Vincent P. : “Madame Tussauds New York is fantastic! The 4D cinema room is worth the visit alone. Great memories from this trip—we’ll be back in two weeks!”
• Ingrid R. : “The museum is really nice. Don’t miss the 4D film.”
• Geoffrey Le : “It’s cool but nothing special. Honestly, not the best thing I’ve found.”
• Nath G. : “We had a great time. The museum is really well done and beautiful. We had a good laugh in the 4D room. This museum is definitely worth a visit. It’s fantastic. There’s even a gift shop with various items and a candy shop—yum!”
• Danielle L.-L. : “I’ll never forget the horror movie section I visited in 2007, where real people dressed as Freddy and Chainsaw Massacre chased me through incredibly realistic sets! I’ll remember it forever, and the other visitors crowded at the exit to see who was screaming ‘No no no please don’t touch me!!!’ while clinging to my husband, who was laughing his head off.”
• Steph Anie D. : “I also loved the horror room where zombies and witches are hidden everywhere to scare you. A fun time.”
• Florence C. : “It was nice. The kids really enjoyed it.”
• Melissa L.-G. : “I wasn’t too keen at first, but we ended up having a great time at this museum.”
• Isabelle P.-B. : “Nice but nothing extraordinary!!”
• Sophie R. : “I loved this museum, and so did the rest of the family. A great time.”
• Cécé Line : “I really recommend it. It’s very well done and we had a blast!”
• Adrien F. : “A really nice museum to visit.”
• Audrey D.: “Awesome! But a bit pricey. Then again, it’s New York—you can’t hold back!”
• Oréli Kbd : “Fun! Worth doing once. It’s part of the New York experience!”
• Est Elle : “I recommend it. A good laugh!”
• Chantal Renard : “You can tour all the U.S. presidents in a single room.”

Reviews from our Destination New York Facebook group

Museum Photos

Location Map