Ultimate Guide to Madame Tussauds London

Selfies with Paddington, Iron Man, Harry Styles and Lady Gaga? Don’t mind if we do.

By <a href="#author-bio">Stuart Bak</a>
By Stuart Bak
Published: July 18, 2024
David Bowie at Madame Tussauds London. Image credit: Merlin.

Madame Tussauds London wax museum has been wowing (and startling) tourists for nearly two centuries now, its collection of lifelike models of historic figures, stars of stage and screen, rock legends and other celebrity icons proving an irresistible draw to millions every year. Here’s where you can get up close to the Royal Family, come face-to-face with Jack the Ripper, and experience impossible festival line-ups that team Bob Marley with Beyoncé and David Bowie with Dua Lipa. Read on for our ultimate guide to Madame Tussauds London, including…

  • When to visit
  • How to get tickets
  • Info on the different zones
  • Must-sees and waxwork selfie essentials
  • Transport links
  • Other cool things to do nearby
  • … and more!

What’s included with my ticket?

Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson at Madame Tussauds London
Image credit: Merlin

Standard admission to Madame Tussauds is included with all types of London pass from Go City. This means, that as well as saving a packet on entry to a vast amount of top-tier London attractions, you’ll also get:

  • Entry to all 10+ themed zones
  • The Spirit of London which is a bit like a mini theme park ride through London’’s history 
  • Access to immersive exhibits like the Chamber of Horrors (not for the faint of heart) 
  • Selfie opportunities by the bucketload  

That’s right: everything is included and you don’t need to pay extra for the highlights. However, some interactive areas will of course offer opportunities to pay extra for photos, VR add-ons and merch. 

And when’s best to visit?

Madame Tussauds has shorter opening hours than most London attractions, and these vary throughout the year. It’s generally open from 9AM or 10AM until 3PM or 4PM, with longer hours (usually 9AM–5PM) during school holidays. Check the official Madame Tussauds London website for opening hours on the days you want to visit. 

Generally speaking, the first and last tours of the day (after around 2PM) are less prone to overcrowding, but avoid weekends and school holidays if you can, when the crowds of tourists inside can make getting close to your favorite wax icons… challenging.

Book in advance via the Go City app to lock in your slot; turning up on the day and buying a ticket then and there is possible, but inadvisable. This, after all, is one of London’s most popular attractions.

How do I get there?

Madame Tussauds is a two-minute walk from Baker Street station on the London Underground; access to multiple Tube lines including the Bakerloo, Circle, Jubilee and Metropolitan make this by far the easiest way to get here. Marylebone train station is a 10-minute walk and several bus routes also service the area.

Right, now gimme the good stuff

The Royal Family at Madame Tussauds London
Image credit: Merlin

You mean the museum highlights? Sure! Madame Tussauds London is somewhat mazelike, but there’s a general direction of travel intended to prevent people getting lost and reduce bottlenecks. Though try telling that to the uber-popular Harry Styles waxwork. Here’s an idea of what to expect, in rough order of travel…

A-list award ceremonies, runways and red carpets 

Get ready for your close-up with Hollywood royalty including Angelina Jolie, Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson, Zendaya, Harry Styles and Lady Gaga. You can also bust your best party moves with Lil Nas X and even give your own awards acceptance speech. Just keep it short, eh? Next, style it out on the catwalk and fill your camera roll with selfies alongside fictional faves including Doctor Who, Enola Holmes. E.T. and – everybody’s favorite marmalade-munching Peruvian bear – Paddington.

The Royal Palace 

Practice your best curtsy as you come face to inscrutable waxen face with King Charles III and Queen Camilla, and snap a selfie with Wills and Kate. You’ll also encounter royal guests like Dame Judi Dench, Mo Farah CBE, and former US president Barack Obama. Don’t miss the chance to wave at your adoring public from the Bucky Palace balcony.

Impossible Festival 

Impossible by name, impossible by nature, this dream festival line-up features Jimi Hendrix, David Bowie, Beyoncé, Ed Sheeran, Amy Winehouse, Drake, Rihanna, Taylor Swift and The Beatles. Something for everyone, in other words. Unless of course your favorite band happens to be Einstürzende Neubauten.

Chamber of Horrors

Easily scared? Then you might want to give this one a wide berth. This immersive zone reveals London’s dark underbelly, and features relics rescued from genuine crime scenes. Meet notorious gangsters the Krays and other monstrous mannequins including John Christie, Dennis Nilsen and, of course, Jack the Ripper himself.

Spirit of London

Cute as the proverbial button, this tiny theme park adventure takes you on a whistle-stop black cab ride through London’s turbulent history from the plague to the Great Fire of London, and Carnaby Street in the swinging ‘60s. No need to tip the driver.

Marvel Hall of Heroes

More movie magic awaits here in the Marvel Universe, where you can hang out with Spidey, meet Iron Man in the lab and (ahem) marvel at the Black Panther’s amazing glowing body suit. Star of the show here, however, is the Hulk. This not-so-jolly green giant has eyes the size of cricket balls and stands 4.5 meters tall in his (enormous) bare feet, making him (it?) the largest waxwork ever fashioned by Madame Tussauds. HULK SMASH!

Star Wars

Space cadets, rejoice! Here’s where to spot Chewbacca helming the controls of the legendary Millennium Falcon, encounter C-3PO and R2-D2 on the shifting sands of Tatooine, and watch Luke and Darth battle it out on the Death Star. Meanwhile, in the swamps and forests of his native Dagobah, Yoda you must meet.

A short history of Madame Tussauds London

Taylor Swift at Madame Tussauds London
Image credit: Merlin

It’s nearly 250 years since the teenage Madame Marie Tussaud, then a trainee wax sculptor in Paris, fashioned her first waxwork, a likeness of writer and philosopher Voltaire. Tussaud’s journey to fame and fortune was long and arduous, taking in imprisonment during the French Revolution, a spell in swinging London in the early 1800s, and a 33-year-long tour of Britain with which she finally made her name. In 1835, she finally settled in a permanent exhibition space on Baker Street, a stone’s throw from the larger Marylebone premises opened by her grandson in 1883, where the frequently updated collection of wax figures has been on display ever since.

Marie Tussaud died in 1850 at the ripe old age of 88, leaving behind a wax legacy that included a sculpture of herself. The immortal figure of Madame Tussaud can still be seen today, welcoming guests through the museum’s entrance on Marylebone Road.

Fun Facts About Madame Tussauds London

Beyoncé at Madame Tussauds London
Image credit: Merlin
  • Waxworks at Madame Tussauds take around six months to create, from concept to completion. They are groomed and touched up throughout their lifetime and, when retired, have their heads and extremities removed and placed in storage. Those archives must be a sight to behold!
  • Figures are made 2% larger than the human (or movie character) they represent, to account for melting during the modeling process.
  • The museum’s oldest waxwork is of Louis XV’s last mistress Madame du Barry, sculpted by Marie Tussaud’s teacher Philippe Curtius in 1765.

I’ve got an appetite bigger than the Hulk's... where can I get a bite to eat?

The Incredible Hulk at Madame Tussauds London
Image credit: Merlin

There’s no full café or restaurant inside Madame Tussauds, but you can grab snacks and drinks near the Marvel Hall of Heroes and cool off at the Ben & Jerry’s ice cream kiosk afterwards. You also don’t need to be Sherlock (or Enola) Holmes to detect decent dining options in and around Baker Street; there are loads, from Mediterranean and Indian cuisine to fried chicken joints and family-friendly chain restaurants like Honest Burgers and Bill’s.

And finally, is there anything else I can do nearby?

Regent's Park

Indeed there is. You’re right next door to Regent’s Park for scenic strolls amid perfectly manicured rose gardens and regal fountains. The park is also home to London Zoo; just follow the sound of the lions and monkeys and you can’t go too far wrong. There are also plenty of open-air events, including music and theater, in Regent’s Park during summer. Also in the warmer months, head a little way west into Little Venice for boat rides along the Regent’s Canal on the park’s northern edge. 

All images shown depict wax figures created and owned by Madame Tussauds.

Looking for more things to do in London? Give those calves and glutes a gentle workout with our favorite London walks and discover the city’s most fun-tastic attractions.

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Stuart Bak
Stuart Bak
Freelance travel writer

Stu caught the travel bug at an early age, thanks to childhood road trips to the south of France squeezed into the back of a Ford Cortina with two brothers and a Sony Walkman. Now a freelance writer living on the Norfolk coast, Stu has produced content for travel giants including Frommer’s, British Airways, Expedia, Mr & Mrs Smith, and now Go City. His most memorable travel experiences include drinking kava with the locals in Fiji and pranging a taxi driver’s car in the Honduran capital.

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