Madame Tussauds London
Madame Tussauds London is theatre you can touch: lifelike wax figures staged under studio lights, built for selfies and playful make-believe. The tradition dates to Marie Tussaud's 18th-century portraits and her macabre Revolution death masks. Today a team of specialists needs around six months and hundreds of measurements to sculpt one star. Expect themed zones, from the Royal Family to sports, film and music, plus the Spirit of London cab ride and a Marvel 4D cinema. It's spectacle rather than scholarship, but great fun with friends or kids. Pre-book a timed slot, arrive early, and allow about two hours if you want photos without the crush.
Opening Hours
What's not to miss inside?
Celebrity Hall
Meet stars face-to-faceFrom Taylor Swift to Dwayne Johnson, lifelike figures sit under studio lights. A single figure can take six months and more than 150 measurements to complete, with teams crafting skin tones, eyes, and costumes in exacting detail.
📍 Ground Floor
Royal Family
Waxworks of British monarchyFrom Queen Elizabeth II to the Prince and Princess of Wales, figures are refreshed after major milestones - coronations, weddings, and new titles - so the line-up mirrors the living story of the monarchy.
📍 Central Gallery
Spirit of London Ride
Immersive history of LondonLaunched in 1993, the black-cab ride whisks you past the Great Fire of 1666, Victorian streets, and the Swinging Sixties - a 400-year whistle-stop tour with moving sets, scents, and sound effects.
📍 Ride Entrance, Ground Floor
Marvel & Star Wars
Film heroes in 4D and waxInteractive zones feature a 4D Marvel cinema with air blasts and seat rumbles, plus Star Wars characters added in 2015 in collaboration with Disney and Lucasfilm.
📍 Upper Floor
Chamber of Horrors
Dark side of historyReopened in 2022, the Chamber revisits Madame Tussaud’s early death masks and notorious criminals. It traces how Victorian fascination with crime shaped exhibits - and why some stories still disturb today.
📍 Basement Level
Inspire your Friends
- Marie Tussaud created her first wax figure in 1777 - of French writer Voltaire.
- The London branch opened in 1835 on Baker Street before moving to Marylebone Road in 1884.
- Each wax figure takes a team of around 20 artists about six months and roughly £150,000 to create.
- The Chamber of Horrors once displayed wax casts taken from guillotined heads during the French Revolution.
- Over 2.5 million visitors pass through Madame Tussauds London each year.
