Madame Tussauds is a wax museum displaying wax sculptures of international celebrities and historical figures. Although Madame Tussauds is now an international institution, with branches in four continents, London’s Madame Tussauds was the very first one to open.

The woman who first created the museum, Marie Tussaud, was a French wax sculptor who originally travelled Europe, touring her collection of wax figures. By 1835 she had established a permanent museum made up of around 400 figures on Baker Street. To this day, among the many modern figures you can still see some of the original ones made by Marie Tussauds herself.

Inside London’s Madame Tussauds, you will find 8 themed areas.

• Music: an area dedicated to music legends
• Awards Party: the area features all kinds of international celebrities.
• Royals: this part of the museum showcases figures of the British Royal family
• Marvel: this area is dedicated to Marvel heroes
• Star Wars: where you can find all things related to the Star Wars universe
• Culture: an area dedicated to activists, intellectuals, and public figures who have shaped the world
• Sport: this area features sporting legends
• Film: an area dedicated to the great figures of the silver screen

Additionally, the museum still displays the area that used to be the main attraction of the original Madame Tussauds: the Chamber of Horrors, featuring notorious British criminals. It should take you approximately 90 minutes to 2 hours to see all of these areas and complete your tour of Madame Tussauds. Nevertheless, since the visit is self-guided, you can spend however long you want inside the museum.

Location

Marylebone Road, London NW1 5LR.

Madame Tussauds is located in Marylebone, in northwestern Central London, one street over from Regent’s Park.

Aside from the park, other well-known sights close to the wax museum are the Sherlock Holmes Museum, the Wallace Collection, and the Cartoon Museum.

Tickets

To see Madame Tussauds you will need to buy entry tickets. You can get timed tickets online or just turn up on the day, however, keep in mind that Madame Tussauds London is a cashless attraction, so you will only be able to pay by card.

Ticket prices at Madame Tussauds vary depending on the season, availability, and how early you book. You can get the lowest rates (£36.00 per adult) by purchasing your ticket online on the Madame Tussauds’ website at least a week in advance. If you do book online, try to arrive at least 10 minutes earlier than the beginning of your 15-minute time slot to accommodate for possible lines.

If you buy your ticket in person, you will pay the maximum fee (£42.00 per adult). Discounts for young visitors are available. Remember that Madame Tussauds is included in the 2FOR1 offers, which give you the right to get two tickets for the price of one.

On the website, you will also find fast-track tickets or combination tickets that include other sights apart from Madame Tussauds.

Schedule

Madame Tussauds is open every day of the week, but it does not follow a set schedule. It usually opens at 9:00 am or 10:00 am, and closes at 4:00 pm or 5:00 pm. Occasionally, especially during the winter and autumn, the wax museum closes at 3:00 pm. Visitors are allowed in until closing time.

To know exactly what schedule Madame Tussauds will be following on the day of your visit, you can check opening hours on the official website . Keep in mind that the wax museum is busiest at the weekends and during school holidays (Christmas, Easter, summer holidays, and UK Half Term holidays). The quietest and best times to visit are early in the morning and approaching closing time.

Transport

Madame Tussauds is located in one of the best-serviced areas of London in terms of public transport. If you are taking the Tube, the closest stop is Baker Street station. You can get off here if you are taking lines Bakerloo, Circle, Hammersmith & City, Jubilee, and Metropolitan.

If you prefer taking the bus, we recommend lines 13, 18, 27, 30, 74,189, 205, 274 and 453. They will all drop you off around the corner or directly in front of the wax museum.

You can find a summary of the public transport options in the table below.

Nearby sights

Regent’s Park - 250 m (0.1 miles) north, 3-minute walk.

Sherlock Holmes Museum - 300 m (0.2 miles) northwest, 4-minute walk.

Wallace Collection - 1 km (0.6 miles) south, 13-minute walk.

Cartoon Museum - 1.7 km (1.1 miles) southeast, 22-minute walk.