You’ve seen them on stage, on screen, in the latest copy of Marie Claire and pretty much all over your socials. Now here’s your chance to meet some of the planet’s most famous faces in real life. Well, kind of. Tay-Tay, Timothée Chalamet, Gaga, Bieber, the Kardashians: they’re all here at Madame Tussauds New York. Or, at least, their wax doppelgangers are.
We’ve got the lowdown on...
- What to expect when you visit this Times Square landmark
- Must-sees in each of the different zones
- Interactive fun with your fave A-listers
- Where it is and how to get in
- The VIP add-on options
Ok, gimme the backstory…
Everybody knows Madame Tussauds, the famous London waxworks museum that’s been producing and showcasing wax effigies of the rich, famous and infamous for nearly 200 years. But did you know it now operates in a further 19 locations across four continents? Well, now you do.
Opened in 2000, New York’s Madame Tussauds outpost is located smack bang in the heart of Times Square and boasts a collection of some 200 figures over five floors. We’re talking Hollywood giants like Audrey Hepburn, Angelina Jolie and The Rock, pop icons Drake, Beyoncé and Dua Lipa and sporting heroes Vini Jr and Yao Ming. And that’s just for starters. You can also take a seat in the Oval Office, strut your stuff on the catwalk and enter the Hunger Games with Katniss.
Give me five good reasons why I should visit…
In our humble opinion:
- Glow Gala: For party-time A-list selfies with megastars including RuPaul, Priyanka Chopra, Anna Wintour, Kim Kardashian, Tom Cruise and Katy Perry (dressed as a chandelier, obvs).
- MARVEL Hall of Heroes: Say hey to Groot, Hulk, Loki and the gang.
- Seasons of New York City: Because who doesn’t want to go walking in a winter wonderland with Queen of Christmas Mariah Carey?
- Warner Bros. Icons of Horror: Are you brave enough to face off with Pennywise the clown, creepy doll Annabelle, a demonic nun, or Regan from The Exorcist with her cute lil’ head-rotating trick? Well, are you?
- The Oval Office: See that big red button under the desk? Whatever you do, don’t press it…
How do I find the place?
Easy. It’s on 42nd Street right in the heart of Times Square, between 7th/8th Avenues.
Bus: take the Downtown route to Stop 1 or the Uptown route to Stop 20.
Subway: hop off at Times Square 42nd Street, 42nd Street Bryant Park or Grand Central 42nd Street.
How do I get in with my New York Pass?
No need to book in advance. Just pitch up, flash your pass at entrance staff and take the elevator straight up to the A-list rooftop schmooze-fest.
Ok, tell me a bit more about what I can see and do there…
Sure. There are several zones included with your New York Pass, plus a few add-ons that will cost you extra. Here are the main areas you can expect to encounter…
Glow Gala
Rub shoulders with Hollywood’s brightest stars for the ultimate Insta bragging rights. Grab a drink at the bar and – oh! – is that Kris Jenner over there? This rooftop shindig gets the party started in style with a strictly A-list guest list that includes Anne Hathaway, Johnny Depp and Katy Perry trapped in a chandelier, all set against a glittering Manhattan skyline backdrop.
Star on Broadway
Dance on a giant piano, accompanied by none other than Andrew Lloyd Webber, before diving into scenes from two of the maestro’s most beloved musicals: Cats and Phantom of the Opera. There’s also a chance to recreate several iconic Hollywood moments here: enter the Hunger Games arena with Katniss and take to the skies on E.T.’s magic flying bicycle.
Guest Star on the Tonight Show
Grab selfies with Oprah and Good Morning America’s Michael Strahan, before sitting down to a grilling from the big kahuna: Jimmy Fallon himself. Well, wax Jimmy Fallon. The good news is he’s likely to go easier on you with the questions – and patiently suffer more selfies – than the real deal would.
Sit in the Oval Office
Meet the current POTUS which – at time of writing – is Donald Trump. Ponder just how the waxperts managed to color-match that trademark mahogany tan, before taking your seat at the massive Resolute Desk and signing executive order after executive order with a sharpie.
Warner Bros. Icons of Horror
Buckle up for the next section, in which horror fans can board a freaky-looking subway car to enter the terrifying world of Hollywood’s most-feared characters. We’re talking shapeshifting clown Pennywise from IT, head-spinning sweetie-pie Regan from The Exorcist, and Annabelle and the utterly demonic Nun from The Conjuring universe. Accordingly, this one is recommended for ages 13+. Indeed, anyone of even a vaguely nervous disposition might want to consider giving this frightfest a wide berth.
Seasons of New York City
There’s Insta gold to be had here, where you can pose for selfies beneath pink cherry blossoms with Selena Gomez, perform with the famous Radio City Rockettes, hail a classic yellow cab with Drew Barrymore, have breakfast with Audrey Hepburn and – surely the pièce de résistance – hang out with Mariah in her winter wonderland. It’s all you ever wanted for Christmas… and then some.
MARVEL Hall of Heroes
Meet your favorite Marvel superheroes and some of the bad guys, too. Get smash-happy with the Hulk, go barking up the wrong tree with Groot, and strike a selfie pose or six with Spidey, Loki and Captain Marvel. Marvelous.
Walk the Runway
Ready for your close-up? Strut your stuff on the catwalk as flashbulbs pop just for you. Bit camera shy? Fear not: Brazilian supermodel Alessandra Ambrosio is there to boost your confidence with fashion tips and runway knowhow. Your catwalk strut will be captured for posterity on video, meaning you can share it with your thousands of adoring Insta followers or, y’know, quietly delete it and pretend it never happened.
Music
Your dream festival line-up is right here at Madame Tussauds. Well, it is if your dream festival line-up includes Beyoncé, Harry Styles, Elvis, Johnny Cash, Bad Bunny and Megan Thee Stallion which, quite frankly, why wouldn’t it? Dazzle with Dua, dance with Drake and shake it with Shakira: the stage is yours.
Anything else to see?
Of course. With over 100 figures in the collection there’s always something or someone else you can goggle at. Presidents, Hollywood royalty, actual royalty, moon landers, sport stars and giants of art and science: they’re all here. You can even take a deep dive into the life and times of Madame Marie Tussaud herself, complete with death masks and the story of how she first discovered her aptitude for wax art (and nearly got herself beheaded) during the French Revolution.
What other facilities are there?
- There’s a bar in the Glow Gala zone, and you can get snacks and drinks with Leo DiCaprio at the Park Corner Café and Bar in the Seasons of New York City area. There are also a couple of other concession stands inside the attraction.
- The gift shop carries a veritable treasure trove of (mainly) I Love NYC products – everything from socks to keychains and tumblers. You can also stock up on NYC apparel, backpacks, ornaments and more here.
I’m done here, where should I go next?
The Times Square location puts you handily close to several other Big Apple big-hitters. Not only does your New York Pass get you into Madame Tussauds, it also grants you access to the following (very) nearby attractions:
- Big Bus hop-on hop-off tour of Downtown and Uptown
- Top of the Rock observation deck
- Rockefeller Center tour
- Museum of Modern Art (MoMA)
- Radio City Music Hall tour
- Museum of Broadway
- Broadway and Times Square tour
You mentioned optional extras…
Wait, all that wasn’t enough for you? Ok, here are some of the add-ons you can book…
- Photo Pass: buy this for unlimited digital downloads at Madame Tussauds photo kiosks. You can download straight to your mobile and share your celeb selfies right there on the spot.
- Wax Hands: Incurable souvenir hunters, rejoice! For here’s a chance to immortalise your fingers (and thumb) in wax. Simply stump up the required $18 (per hand), select a colour, strike your favorite hand pose (peace sign, devils horns or clenched fist for the win) and hey presto: your own fair hand, perfectly preserved in wax for all eternity.
Enjoyed this little slice of New York?
Take your trip to the next level with our complete guide to using The New York Pass or check out our local expert's NYC must-sees, all filled with visitor hacks and money-saving tips.
With The New York Pass®, you can skip the stress and save big on Empire State Building tickets plus dozens of other must-see attractions, all with one easy-to-use pass.
🗽 Don't explore the Big Apple without this
💰 How much can you really save in NYC?
