Madame Tussauds Wax Museum/Behind the Scenes Review

by Angela Pounders

Madame Tussauds Wax Museum in Washington D.C. is far from your typical museum.  It is an interactive, hands-on attraction that brings historical as well as popular figures and events to life through life-like wax figures that visitors can touch, see and even hear.  There is something for the entire family to enjoy and 
this summer, the museum is offering something special.

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Those at Madame Tussauds Washington D.C. know that looking for things to do with your family that are entertaining, educational and budget-friendly can sometimes be challenging.  They want to help make that task a bit easier via their exclusive new Mommy Blogger campaign that is designed to offer a distinctively fun, yet educational experience for families this summer.

From June through August, Madame Tussauds Washington D.C. will be presenting their brand new “Bringing History to Life” campaign. This inclusive and entertaining package offers great value and includes:

• Admission to Madame Tussauds Washington D.C., where your family will meet all 44 presidents as well as get to socialize with your favorite historical figures, sport stars, celebrities and TV icons.

• FREE “Behind the Scenes” Educational Seminar, where your family will get a private behind the scenes look at all things Madame Tussauds. The session is held in a private room within the museum.  Your guide will show and tell you how the museum makes their figures, sharing secrets that date back more than 200 years!  You will even get to touch and hold the props used for the seminar and have the opportunity to ask questions of your experienced guide

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• FREE Wax Hand as a keepsake of your visit. (Recommended for ages 5 and up, but they will do it for younger children.)

• All of this will be included complimentary in the standard admission price of $21.50 per adult and $17.00 per child (ages 3 and under are free). This is a special offer for Mommy Blogger site users only and cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer. It is offered on a first come-first served basis.

After the Behind the Scenes tour, which lasts about half and hour, you are free to visit the rest of the museum.  Start off your visit with two short videos on the history of Madame Tussauds and how the Beyonce figure was made.  Then, take a walk through the Presidential Gallery where the presidents are arranged 
in chronological order and visit with prominent historical figures.  Many of the figures have props such as coats that you can use to enhance the experience. There are interactive picture frames on the walls with trivia questions.  The answers are hidden behind the frames.  There is so much to touch and do at this museum!

Next, you will come to the “Behind the Scenes” section where you can see Madame Tussaud in action—in wax, of course!  This is also where your child can immortalize his/her hand in wax.  They will also do adult hands.  The process is not quick, but the results are impressive.  It is suggested that you buy a preservation kit ($3.00) to preserve your wax hand.  Children of all ages will have fun interacting with the next part of the exhibit where they can compare their hands, feet, and eye color with their favorite historic figures and celebrities.

The tour ends with the Glamour, Music and Sports sections.  Take time to 
mingle with the likes of Will Smith, George Clooney, The Beatles (visiting for the summer), Bruce Springsteen, Babe Ruth and Tiger Woods.  A lot of the figures are staged in such a way that you can take some fun pictures with your family.

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Insider Tips

• Behind the Scenes tours are held on Wednesday mornings on specific dates and need to be booked prior to arrival.  To check for availability or to register for a tour, contact the museum.
  
  
• You can reserve and pay for a parking spot online for the parking garage of your choice and many have valet parking.
  
  
• The Madame Tussauds website is a great resource for planning your visit and prepping your children ahead of time of what to expect.
  
  
• The museum is not large as it only houses 100 figures, but plan on being there for at least an hour.
  

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Madame Tussauds Wax Museum Washington D.C. is open 7 days a week, 365 days a year.  The hours from April 8 - September 2 are Sunday – Friday from 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. (Last ticket sold at 6:00 p.m.) and Saturday from 10:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m.  The museum is located at 1025 F Street, NW Washington D.C. 20004.  There is street parking available and there are numerous parking garages available in the surrounding area.  In general, the Behind the Scenes Tour and the museum are best suited for children seven years old and up, but there is enough to keep younger children engaged as well.


Madame Tussauds
1025 F Street, NW
Washington DC
202.924.7304
Email: info@madametussaudsdc.com
www.madametussauds.com/Washington/


About the Author: 
Angela Pounders is a transplant to Prince William County from Arlington, VA.  She is blessed to be a stay at home mama to two beautiful girls.  As a former teacher (as well as preschool director and Children and Family Director), she is always on the look out for fun, easy and educational things to do with her girls.  She also loves to share her ideas and you can find more crafts and recipes at her blog,The Master’s Daughter. You can also find her on Facebook.


Pictures are courtesy of Madame Tussaud's Press Room. 

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We received complimentary tickets to review the venue.  All opinions are our own.