Wax Museums in New York City: Madame Tussauds Guide

I have to admit it took me a long time to make up my mind about visiting the New York wax museum, the famous Madame Tussauds New York. With so much to see in NYC, I kept putting it off because it struck me as a tourist trap.

After going through it, now I wonder why I waited so long to check out Madame Tussauds, easily one of the most fun places I've visited in years, and full of nods to New York.

What to see at Madame Tussauds New York

The New York wax museum is a franchise born from Marie Tussaud's original idea in 18th-century London. The Manhattan location is on 42nd Street, right in Times Square, and it's one of the city's most popular attractions (now I get why!).

On each of the wax museum's 5 floors you'll step into some corner of New York or meet one of its most iconic figures, like a shy Andy Warhol welcoming you at the entrance to the exhibit.

You can also walk into Broadway dressing rooms, get up close to famous Yankees players, chase Slimer from Ghostbusters, sit in Don Draper's office or watch Marilyn Monroe playfully holding down her dress over a subway grate.

Plus, just like at the other Madame Tussauds wax museums around the world, you can pose with more than 200 wax figures of celebrities: Hollywood actors, fictional characters, world leaders and public figures, athletes…

You can also interact with nostalgic figures like E.T., or terrifying ones like King Kong. And get ready, Marvel fans: the wax museum has all the famous superheroes and villains, including their creator, Stan Lee himself.

A guide to visiting Madame Tussauds New York

Visiting the New York wax museum is a seriously fun plan for groups of friends or if you're traveling to New York with kids. A good time is guaranteed for everyone.

The tour of Madame Tussauds Times Square starts on the 5th floor and works its way down floor by floor.

Each floor groups together different themed zones, among them movies, television, music, fashion, sports and politics. The figures change from time to time, but the sections stay the same.

Glow Gala: a party with celebrities

The exhibit starts on the wax museum's 5th floor in the middle of a party packed with celebrities. The party theme changes, and so do the «guests». I got the «Glow Gala», inspired by the over-the-top gowns of New York's Met Gala.

The room is full of famous faces, including Lady Gaga, Ariana Grande, Justin Bieber, P Diddy, Angelina Jolie and even a few of the Kardashians.

I had a hard time deciding whether to go to the party with Johnny Depp or with Brad Pitt. I went with Brad (that's my annoyed face, thanks to all the paparazzi who wouldn't leave us alone 😜)

Movies and Broadway

The fourth floor of Madame Tussauds belongs to the movies and Broadway musicals.

Here you'll walk past the Phantom of the Opera, a few Cats and Glenn Close putting on her makeup in her dressing room before a show.

You can sit down to breakfast with Audrey Hepburn and watch Marilyn Monroe laughing over a subway grate on 52nd Street in Midtown East.

You can also pedal to save E.T., fight ghosts, try to escape King Kong's grip or get close to Professor Indiana Jones.

Political leaders and historical figures at the wax museum

On the wax museum's third floor you'll come face to face with political leaders and historical figures of international importance.

From presidents like Barack Obama and Donald Trump to leaders like Martin Luther King Jr., Nelson Mandela, Queen Elizabeth and Pope Francis.

You can also sit in the studios of famous TV shows like Jimmy Fallon's Tonight Show. Though I preferred chatting with Don Draper at his Madison Avenue office.

Marvel superheroes

Also on the third floor, you can dive into the MARVEL Heroes hall, where Stan Lee himself welcomes you in.

You'll rub shoulders with your favorite heroes, including Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, Hulk, Nick Fury, Spider-Man and many more. And the very handsome Loki, one of the museum's newest wax figures.

You can also enjoy a Marvel 4D movie if you bought all-inclusive Madame Tussauds tickets.

Fashion, music and sports at Madame Tussauds

When you reach the 2nd floor of the New York wax museum, you'll find music stars like Frank Sinatra, Elton John, Jimi Hendrix and the Spice Girls.

You can also strut down a runway alongside famous models and designers, or take photos with elite athletes like Lionel Messi, Serena Williams and Cristiano Ronaldo.

Tips for visiting the wax museum

Here are my tips for getting the most out of a visit to Madame Tussauds in New York:

🎟️ Buy your tickets in advance: you'll skip the long box office lines and save time.

🗽If you're planning to visit several museums, get a discount tourist card like Go City or the New York Pass, which include admission to the wax museum. You'll save both time and money!

📆 Visit the wax museum in the morning and on weekdays. There will be fewer tourists and you can take photos at your own pace.

📸 Bring your camera or phone fully charged, and ideally a power bank. Taking that many photos and videos drains the battery.

🎥 Buy the ticket that includes the 4D experience: the film has special effects like the ones at the Orlando theme parks.

🏢 Give yourself time to explore every floor of the museum: each one has plenty to discover.

Practical info for visiting the wax museum

The wax museum is open every day of the week, generally from 10 am to 10 pm.

Hours can vary by day and time of year, so I recommend checking the schedule on the official site before you go.

How long does a visit to Madame Tussauds New York take?

The answer to how long it takes to see the wax museum depends on what time you go and how many photos you want to take.

In general, my advice is to allow at least 2 hours. It's way too much fun to rush through.

Wax museum ticket prices

Ages 3 and up: US$52.88 (taxes included)

Children under 2 free

I'll say it again: Madame Tussauds in New York is very popular and the box office is always packed. To avoid the wait, buy your tickets online.

As you can see, the tickets are pricey, and this is exactly where discount tourist passes come in handy, like Go City, the Sightseeing Pass or the New York Pass, all of which include access to the wax museum.