My parents and niece visited recently. I took them to a couple places that were a first for me as well, so I felt like a tourist in my own town. Funnily enough, they seemed to enjoy those the most. One of them was The Grammy Museum and the other was Madame Tussauds Hollywood. In all my years of living here, I’ve never been to a wax museum. I don’t know why – maybe I thought the whole idea was a bit cheesy. But when I brought up the idea of going to my niece, she got really excited and wanted to go. I’m so glad we went. This is why.
The Wax Figures look realistic and are posed for fun selfies
Madame Tussauds Hollywood is a lot of fun. Each figure is posed according to their personality and there is plenty of room to move around. Wax figures are new to my daughter, so it was kind of funny to see her puzzled look when she realized they weren’t alive. I was surprised my dad really liked the museum. He asked me to take a photo of him with several wax figures, including Carrie Underwood and JLo! As I walked around, I noticed the people having the most fun where senior citizens! They had a blast posing and using the props provided. I even had to skip a few because the wait was too long. Rocky Balboa was very popular among that crowd.
The professional photos are worth buying
When we first arrived, our group was directed to take a photo in front of a green screen. The photographer took three photos and asked us to make a different expression for each. Throughout the exhibit, there are other stations for professional photos with some of the more popular wax figures. One of them was a police line-up (which we didn’t do, because the line for it was long), and the others were E.T. and Barack Obama. There wasn’t a line behind us for the E.T. and Obama ones, so the photographer shot three poses for each of those stations. At the end of the visit, there are different photo packages for purchase. I purchased the digital download package, and am really happy I did. I don’t have it pictured (because my mom would kill me if I put it online), but the green screen photos are of my family and I posing in front of the Hollywood Sign, on a red carpet, and another with dinosaurs in the background. I could never get my parents to pose for photos like that if I were to take the photos myself. So they really are great memories I will treasure.
The New Marvel Superheroes 4-D Cinema Experience
The only other times I’ve seen 4D movies were at theme parks. It was really cool to have this experience in a local museum. Thankfully, my parents were there to take care of my daughter, because she wouldn’t be able to partake in this. My niece and I watched it and enjoyed it. I didn’t know what to expect, and I won’t ruin it for you by telling you. The element of surprise is the best part of a 4D movie. Just know that you WILL get wet (not horribly wet where you will have to wear a bathing suit. It’s more like a sprinkle).
Know before you go
- The lighting on the floors of the exhibit vary – it may take a little bit of time to adjust to some of the darker scenes
- If you have a young child, you might have to explain wax figures to them as well as the “no touching the face” policy
- Go early and mid-week if possible – this will help you avoid the crowds and give you enough time to peruse without waiting too long for your turn
- If you aren’t happy with any of the professional shots, they will let you go back and take your photo as many times as you want (you still have to wait in line if there is one)
- Check the website before your visit (madametussauds.com/Hollywood) because some figures are on display for a limited time (for example, Tupac’s figure is currently on display in Hollywood for three months)
- The cheapest place to park is in the Hollywood and Highland parking structure. It’s $2/hour with validation, as opposed to other garages and lots in the area the charge $10 and over
- Kids go free with coupon at the link below
More photos in the slideshow below and on my Instagram feed (instagram.com/westsidemommy)
Disclosure: Our tickets were comped through a blogger offer with USFamilyGude.com. All points of view are my own and photos are owned by me.
