GUIDE: Maximizing your experience at Madame Tussauds wax museum in Singapore

Lights, camera, action!

The museum begins with its Ultimate Film Star Experience Zone, which is perfect if you’ve ever wanted a taste of what it feels like under the limelight. The area creates an authentic feel of the Bollywood film industry, with glamorous rooms that make you feel like you’re on your way to stardom.

For instance, you can have a duet with the lovely Kareen Kapoor in a recording studio or bust out some sick dance moves with one of India's highest-paid actors, Varun Dhawan. Or perhaps you’d like to practice your audition with Indian filmmaker Karan Johar.

History lesson

Afterward, you can get a blast from the past at Madame Tussauds’ Images of Singapore Zone, which showcases the rich history of the country and starts off with scenes of a humble fishing village in the late 12th and early 13th centuries.

As you progress through the section, you can see how trading activities eventually began to flourish, leading to an economic upswing and more fruitful opportunities that drew in numerous Chinese and other immigrants.

A little further is a captivating exhibition of Singapore’s Chinatown, a vibrant neighborhood that became the country’s most designated area, filled with businesses, bazaars, restaurants, and more that Madame Tussauds faithfully recreates.

Feel the spirit of Singapore

Wax figures aren’t the only attraction that Madame Tussauds has up its sleeve. For a memorable experience on your visit, it’s recommended that you try the museum’s Spirit of Singapore boat ride.

While the trip is relatively short, lasting only for 10 minutes or so, it’s nevertheless a peaceful and stimulating tour where you can feast your eyes on some of the country’s most famous highlights.

These include the incredible F1 Singapore night race, surrounded by the noise of grand prix cars speeding by, as well as a Singapore Airlines A380 aircraft that’s on its way to the world-class Changi International Airport.

The ride has a fitting finish with its tribute to Chinese Opera, a theater form in China that is known for its elaborate facial paintings and costumes.

Game changers in sports and politics

Those who look up to transformative and historical figures in the realm of politics can get up close and personal with them in the World Leaders Zone. You can see wax figures of former US president Barack Obama, the late United Kingdom Queen Elizabeth II, Indian lawyer Gandhi, and more.

If you’re not much of a history geek and would like to know more about these historical figures, the zone has a large round table in the center where you can look up how these leaders shaped the world. And if you think you’ve learned enough, you can test your knowledge by trying out their quiz

The next room in the museum contains wax figures who went down in history for a different cause—by making the world feel the adrenaline rush through their iconic performances in sports.

Here, you can definitely feel like you’re on the team as you pose with renowned sports stars such as Portuguese footballer Cristiano Ronaldo. You can also feel like a dwarf in comparison to former basketball player Yao Ming, who has an impressive 7-foot-6 height.

But posing for pictures isn’t the only thing you can do. You can work up a sweat with a sensor-powered football game where you must kick the ball to the net to score a goal. Take this opportunity to recreate some of your favorite football stars’ iconic kicking moves.

Faces of film, television, and music

You can also pose with your favorite figures from the entertainment industry at the wax museum. Some of the notable figures that you can see include martial artists Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan, both of whom are immortalized in their action-packed techniques. 

If you want to feel what it’s like to star in your own action movie, you can take a video of yourself doing some cool moves together with Lee and Chan using the museum’s AR Film Camera, wherein you can select a filter for some special effects to your clip. To receive the video, you can choose to scan the QR code or send it via your email address.

A little further is where film icons Audrey Hepburn and Marilyn Monroe are displayed. You can also have fun taking pictures with Steven Spielberg’s E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, Arnold Schwarzenegger’s The Terminator, and Daniel Craig’s James Bond.

Aside from movies and TV shows, the biggest names in the music industry can be found at the museum’s Music Zone. 

The section captures the image and likeness of singers such as Lady Gaga, Ed Sheeran, Taylor Swift, Katy Perry, Harry Styles, Michael Jackson, Dua Lipa, Beyonce, Elvis Presley, and more in their classic outfits and poses.

Swept away by the K-Wave

Has the Hallyu wave taken over your playlists and TV screens?

While some can only wish to set foot in the dreamy country of South Korea, Madame Tussauds’ K-Wave Zone can provide an alternate yet authentic Korean experience. Here, you can pose underneath a large cherry blossom tree with the swoon-worthy statues of Lee Min-ho, Bae Suzy, and Song Seung-heon.

Party with the A-Listers

If you ever dreamed of sharing the same screen with the unreachable stars of Hollywood, then make your way towards the museum’s A-list Zone for a chance to rub shoulders with the best of the best in the acting industry and cement your encounter with a picture on your camera.

The wax figures include Leonardo DiCaprio, Michelle Yeoh, and Johnny Depp.

You'll also be able to see the wax figure of Pia in this zone, which originally came from Madame Tussauds' Hong Kong branch and will be displayed in the museum until Sept. 1.

Avengers Assemble

They say you should never meet your heroes in real life, but Madame Tussauds’ Marvel 4D Universe may change your mind.

Apart from posing with Iron Man, Spider-Man, and the villainous Loki, you can immerse yourself in a cinematic adventure with a thrilling 4D movie that has Captain Marvel, Thor, Black Panther, Rocket, Spider-Man, Ant-Man, and the Wasp battling Loki to protect the world.

This is elevated by wind-chilling, water-soaking, and face-flinching special effects that will make you feel like you’ve been transported into the heart of the action

Leave your mark

You’d probably want to end your Madame Tussauds visit by getting a souvenir. While the museum has a dedicated area filled with all sorts of memorabilia, it’s highly recommended that you try the Wax Hand attraction. 

Here, you can take home a custom-made Madame Tussauds souvenir by having your own hand modeled using wax. And don’t worry, it won’t hurt a bit as the heat from the wax is actually quite therapeutic.

The way it’ll work is that there’s going to be a staff member who will assist you in the process. You’ll first have to submerge your hand in ice-cold water for several minutes to numb it so that you’ll have an easier time dipping your hand in hot wax two times. 

After this is done, the staff member will gently remove the wax from your hand, and voilà, you have a souvenir to remember your Singapore trip forever.

Officially opened in October 2014, Madame Tussauds Singapore serves as the seventh Asian branch of the Madame Tussauds chain of wax attractions worldwide. The museum has other locations around the globe, such as Hong Kong, New York City, Shanghai, Bangkok, and more.

If you’re already set on buying tickets to its Singapore branch, you can purchase your passes through this link. Standard admission is at $300 (P16,881) for adults while it's $255 (P14,349) for children aged 11 below and senior citizens aged 65 and above.

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