Madame Tussauds London With Kids: Why It’s Worth Visiting
When planning our family trip to London, Madame Tussauds wasn’t the attraction we were most excited about. But visiting Madame Tussauds London with kids was unexpectedly the highlight of our whole trip.
Like many UK travellers, we had never been to Madame Tussauds before. I had always thought of it as somewhere that appealed mainly to overseas tourists wanting photos with the Royal Family or famous celebrities. While attractions such as the London Eye, Tower of London and Buckingham Palace tend to dominate London itineraries, Madame Tussauds wasn’t particularly high on my list.
I couldn’t have been more wrong.
Our boys completely fell in love with Madame Tussauds London. It was also much more interactive than we expected. From seeing how they measured up to realistic wax figures of their favourite footballers to the immersive Marvel and Star Wars experiences, it was an epic attraction for whole family.
With more than 2.5 million visitors every year, Madame Tussauds remains one of London’s most popular attractions. Now we’ve been, I can completely understand why.
Here’s everything you need to know about visiting this essential London attraction:
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Madame Tussauds is one of London’s busiest attractions. Buying tickets in advance not only guarentees entry, it is also the cheapest way to visit
👉 Check prices and availability and book your Madame Tussauds tickets here
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Is Madame Tussauds Worth Visiting With Kids?
We had such a fun family experience at Madame Tussauds, and now I will say that it’s well worth visiting with kids.
Before visiting, I had expected a museum-style attraction where we’d spend an hour wandering between celebrity figures. I also expected the figures to be kept (museum style) behind red velvet ropes. In fact the exhibits were of such high quality, and the experience so interactive, that I walked into the first room, momentarily forgot the theme of the attraction, and earnestly told my husband that the man standing opposite us “looked just like Morgan Freeman!”
The attraction is much more than a collection of wax figures. We didn’t just look at ET, for example, we rode on his bike. The boys got to walk across Abbey Road with the Beatles. We took so many photos because of how immersive and interactive the set displays were.
Our boys loved posing alongside their favourite superheroes and movie characters, and there was a surprising amount to keep them engaged from start to finish. For this reason I strongly believe that ifyour children enjoy Marvel, Star Wars, movies, celebrities or simply taking funny photos, there is a good chance they will enjoy Madame Tussauds far more than you expect.
What Surprised Us Most About Madame Tussauds
The quality of the figures was genuinely incredible. You often see photos online, but standing next to them in person is a completely different experience. The attention to detail is remarkable, from facial expressions and hair to clothing and accessories. I was also surprised by how tall so many of the celebrities, especially the female celebrities were.
Many of the figures looked so realistic that we found ourselves doing double takes as we walked through the attraction. I don’t think Mike will ever let me forget my “is that Morgan Freeman?” moment!
What surprised us even more was how relaxed the experience felt. Visitors are encouraged to get close to many of the figures, pose for photographs and interact with the displays. This makes it much more engaging for children than a traditional museum where everything is behind ropes or glass. I was actually expecting everything to be behind ropes or glass, so I was very pleasantly surprised.
The Star Wars Experience
Right at the end of your Madame Tussauds adventure (the last exhibits before you leave) is the Star Wars Experience. And for our family, the Star Wars section was the highlight of the entire attraction. We are a family that love Star Wars! In fact, my oldest son went to the midnight premier of the newest trilogy when he was just 5 years old, dressed in a full Stormtrooper costume.
If you have Star Wars fans in your family, this area alone makes Madame Tussauds worth considering.
Rather than simply displaying characters in a room, the attraction recreates some of the most iconic scenes from the films. Walking through the experience feels like stepping into the Star Wars universe, with detailed sets, atmospheric lighting and incredibly realistic character models.
You can stand opposite Darth Vader like Luke, sit on a log in the swamp with Yoda, see who shot first with Hans Solo. The highlight was Chewbacca in the Millenium Falcon: you could be his co pilot and actually reach light speed.
Our boys absolutely loved exploring this section and taking photos with their favourite characters. It was one of those rare attractions that exceeded expectations rather than merely meeting them. Even we adults were excited and getting photos in our favourite movie scenes.
For Star Wars fans visiting London, this was genuinely one of the standout experiences of our entire trip.
Marvel Super Heroes Area
The Marvel area was another huge hit: in logistical terms, this is the attraction just before the Star Wars experience. This area was much smaller than the Star Wars Universe, but if you’re a Marvel fan you’ll really love this! Hang upside down on his bedroom ceiling with Spider Man, be captured by the invisible Hulk.
Although it wasn’t operating when we visited, there is also a 4D cinema here showing a Marvel short. You can buy popcorn, sweets, and other movie snacks right outside.
Despite not seeing the 4D film, we still enjoyed the Marvel section. The superhero figures are incredibly detailed and make for some brilliant family photos.
Whether your children are fans of Spider-Man, Iron Man, Captain America or the wider Marvel franchise, this section adds another layer of excitement that helps Madame Tussauds appeal to families rather than just adults. And just like the Star Wars area, it feels much more immersive than simply walking through a museum exhibition.
The Royal Family And Celebrity Zones
Of course, no visit to Madame Tussauds would be complete without seeing the Royal Family and celebrity figures that have made the attraction famous around the world. This is what most people think of when they think of Madame Tussauds, and is one of the reason why international visitors are so drawn to the attraction.
Being able to pose for photographs alongside members of the Royal Family or world-famous celebrities is a unique experience and one that many visitors travel specifically to enjoy.These areas are beautifully presented and feature many recognisable faces from television, music, film and sport.
The boys loved being able to pose alongside some of their favourite footballers like Christian Ronaldo, and standing alongside David Attenborough also got them much more excited than I expected. My husband posed like he was the new James Bond, and I took E.T. for a ride.
While these exhibits were impressive, it was actually the movie and entertainment-themed sections that stole the show for our family.
How Long Do You Need At Madame Tussauds?
I would allow at least two to three hours for your visit.
While it’s possible to move through more quickly, we found ourselves stopping frequently for photographs and spending much longer than expected in areas such as Star Wars and Marvel.
If you’re visiting during a busy period or travelling with enthusiastic movie fans, you could easily spend half a day here.
Top Tips For Visiting Madame Tussauds London
Book Tickets In Advance
Madame Tussauds is one of London’s most popular attractions and tickets can be more expensive if purchased on the day. If you leave booking to the last minute, you could also end of missing the experience completely, as tickets often sell out.
👉 I recommend checking availability and booking your tickets in advance here.
Consider A Multi-Attraction Pass
If you’re also planning to visit attractions such as the London Eye, SEA LIFE London Aquarium or Shrek’s Adventure! London, it is often worth looking at combination tickets. This is one of the best ways to save money on your London adventure.
Individually, attractions like the London Eye, SEA LIFE London Aquarium, and Madame Tussauds cost around £39 per person. However, booking a multi-attraction pass reduces the price to £18 per attraction, making it a much more affordable way to explore London as a family.
👉 You can explore these money-saving passes here.
Arrive Early
Like many popular London attractions, queues can build quickly during weekends and school holidays. Arriving early can help you avoid some of the busiest periods. We booked tickets for the earliest 10am arrival time and then arrived at the venue at 9.30am so that we were one of the first families to get in the line.
This made such a different to our experience, we didn’t queue for anything and the attraction never felt crowded.
Bring A Fully Charged Phone
You’ll take far more photographs than you expect: my camera roll is absolutely stuffed full of photos from our Madame Tussauds experience. Between the celebrity figures, Marvel displays and Star Wars scenes, there are endless photo opportunities throughout the attraction.
There is also a paid photo opportunity: half way through the attraction, you can have your photo taken with the full UK Royal Family. For some people this will be a must-do, but we chose to take our own photos with the late Queen instead, and save the money.
Allow Extra Time For The Spirit of London Ride
Most people don’t realise that Madame Tussauds has a ride that lasts approximately 5 minutes and is such a highlight of the visit. We didn’t have to wait at all due to our early arrival time, but I know in busier periods there can be a long wait for the ride. It’s worth waiting for!
The ride is called The Spirit of London and you board a classic London black taxi and then take a journey through the history of London. You’ll experience everything from the Great Fire of London to the Blitz and then end in the Swinging 60s. My boys are huge history buffs, and so they really loved this ride.
I wish we’d gone on it a second time, because it was packed full of so many details that I don’t think we truly appreciated everything the ride had to offer. Definitely don’t miss this one!
Final Thoughts and Further Reading
Before visiting, I expected Madame Tussauds to be one of those iconic London attractions that you do once simply because it’s famous.
Instead, it became one of the highlights of day in London. To read more about thay check out:
One Day in London With Kids: Our Easy 3 Attraction London Itinerary
The combination of realistic figures, immersive experiences and family-friendly entertainment meant Madame Tussauds was much more engaging than many people assume. While the celebrity and Royal Family exhibits remain impressive, they weren’t what stole the show for us: it was the Marvel and Star Wars areas that completely won us over.
If you’re visiting London with children, especially older children, teenagers or movie fans, I would highly recommend adding Madame Tussauds to your itinerary.For our family, it wasn’t just worth visiting—it was unexpectedly one of the very best attractions we experienced in London.
Looking for other things to do in London with kids? Check out:
👉 Is the London Eye Worth It? What You Really Need To Know Before You Go
👉 Bubble Planet London: Full 2026 Review With Kids, Practical Information, And Tickets
👉Visiting Skate Leicester Square and the Leicester Square Christmas Market, London
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Heads up! This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click and make a purchase, I might earn a very small commission – at no extra cost to you. This helps to keep the blog going. Thanks for the support!
