Tl:DR: Thinking about visiting Madame Tussauds London with Kids? Do it! We found this to be one of the most fun, surprising and genuinely great value interactive family days out in London. Check Family Ticket Prices Here
As a London content creator, I spend a lot of time searching for the best family days out in London – the places that are genuinely fun for kids but still enjoyable for parents too. The pressure is always on to uncover the newest or most under-the-radar experiences.
Which is why, strangely, I’d always overlooked Madame Tussauds London.
In my mind it was a bit of a tourist trap – somewhere I vaguely remembered visiting as a child when it felt like a traditional wax museum, with figures behind ropes and visitors quietly shuffling past.
Not exactly top of my list for a modern family day out.
But it turns out Madame Tussauds has had quite the glow-up.
Today it’s a fully immersive attraction with themed zones for Marvel superheroes, music and film stars, royals and even London’s darker criminal history. There’s also a fairground-style ride through London’s past and a 4D cinema experience, making it feel much more like a full entertainment attraction than a traditional museum.
And the biggest surprise?
The price was far more reasonable than I expected for a central London day out.
So if you’ve ever wondered whether Madame Tussauds London is actually worth visiting with kids, here’s what our experience was really like.
What Is Madame Tussauds London and What Can You See There?
At its core, Madame Tussauds London is famous for its incredibly lifelike wax figures of celebrities, historical figures and cultural icons. But today it feels far more like a fully immersive attraction than a traditional museum.
From the moment you arrive, the experience feels like a celebration of London itself. Visitors are brought up into the attraction in a lift while London Calling by The Clash plays – and it instantly sets the tone.
If you’re visiting London for the first time, it’s a fun way to immerse yourself in a slightly larger-than-life version of the city, full of the music, celebrities and cultural icons that have shaped it. But interestingly, as a Londoner myself, it didn’t feel overly touristy. Instead it felt like a joyful homage to London and its pop culture.
Inside Madame Tussauds London, the attraction unfolds through a series of themed zones featuring film stars, music legends, sporting heroes, world leaders and members of the British royal family. Unlike older wax museums where figures were kept behind ropes, visitors can step right into the scenes and pose alongside the characters.
There are also several interactive experiences built into the attraction, including the Spirit of London taxi ride through the city’s history and a Marvel 4D cinema experience. Families will also find a large Marvel superhero area featuring characters like Hulk and Spider-Man, as well as sections dedicated to music stars such as Taylor Swift and Ariana Grande.
Overall, modern Madame Tussauds London feels less like a quiet museum and more like a fast-moving walk-through attraction packed with photo opportunities, themed sets and interactive experiences.
But the real question for parents is whether Madame Tussauds London is actually fun for children – and this was where the attraction surprised us most.
Is Madame Tussauds London Good for Kids?
One of the things that surprised me most about visiting Madame Tussauds London with kids was just how engaged they were from start to finish. I took all four of my children – aged 3, 7, 8 and 10 – and even brought their grandparents along, partly because I was half expecting big crowds and the potential chaos of keeping track of everyone! In reality, it worked brilliantly as a multi-generational day out. The kids were constantly spotting familiar characters and racing ahead to the next room, while the grandparents were just as excited to see music legends, royals and political figures they recognised.
That said, if I had to suggest a sweet spot age for visiting Madame Tussauds London with kids, I’d probably say around 5 years and up. My three-year-old did enjoy herself, but much of her enthusiasm came from following the excitement of her older siblings. The older children, on the other hand, absolutely loved recognising famous faces, posing for photos and exploring the different themed zones throughout the attraction.
The Movie Stars & Film Sets
The first area we wandered into was the movie stars section. The boys were thrilled to spot their favourite, Dwayne Johnson, but beyond that most of the actors were definitely more recognisable to the adults than the kids. There are plenty of big names here – including Leonardo DiCaprio, Idris Elba and Morgan Freeman – but for younger children this is probably the least kid-focused section of the attraction.
That said, the film sets made it much more fun for them. They loved climbing onto the famous bike from E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, with E.T. tucked into the basket, and sitting on the train platform next to Paddington Bear. Even if they didn’t recognise every face, the photo opportunities kept them entertained while we moved through this first section.
Pop stars and Sporting Legends
Next up was the pop music section. My kids aren’t massively into pop music yet, but my daughter was very excited to recognise Ariana Grande and Taylor Swift straight away. Like most of the attraction, this room is set up so you can get right up close to the figures and take photos alongside them, which always seems to be a highlight for kids.
There are plenty of other huge names here too – including Dua Lipa, Beyoncé, Harry Styles, Stormzy and Ed Sheeran – so depending on the age of your children they may recognise quite a few more stars than mine did.
The ultimate attraction for my boys were the footballers – you can currently see Ronaldo, Mbappé and Mo Salah. Anthony Joshua and Lewis Hamilton also make an appearance,
Marvel Hall of Fame and 4D cinema
At the end of this area you move into the Marvel 4D cinema experience, which lasts around 8 minutes and is essentially a short Marvel animation. Visitors are given 3D glasses before entering the huge domed theatre – a space that actually used to be the London Planetarium, which is now repurposed as part of the attraction.
It’s much more than just watching a film though. The seats shake during action scenes and there are surprise effects throughout – blasts of wind and even little sprays of water that seem to come from nowhere. My boys (aged 7 and up) absolutely loved it and it was also a welcome break from walking around the attraction.
There’s even a small booth outside where you can grab popcorn before heading in.
My youngest, who is 3, did find parts of it a bit overwhelming and got a little scared at times, but she was perfectly happy once she sat on my lap.
The Spirit of London Ride
Another big hit with the kids was the Spirit of London ride, which feels like a fun little novelty tucked inside the attraction. Visitors climb into black taxi–style cars that twist and turn through scenes from London’s history.
As you travel through the ride you pass different eras of the city – from darker moments like the Great Plague and the Gunpowder Plot, through to the colour and energy of the Swinging Sixties and The Beatles mania.
Along the way you’ll spot almost every London icon imaginable – from Tower Bridge to London bobbies, red telephone boxes, royal guards and horse-drawn carriages. It’s essentially a full-on celebration of London.
Yes, it’s exactly the kind of London spectacle tourists might expect – but surprisingly it’s just as entertaining as a Londoner. I’ll be honest, some of the early historical characters went completely over my head, but the ride itself is colourful, quirky and a welcome break for kids in the middle of the visit.
Star Wars
The attraction finishes with a Star Wars zone, which felt very kid-friendly. My children haven’t properly discovered the franchise yet, but they still recognised plenty of the characters and loved getting right up close.
They were especially excited to meet Yoda and challenge Darth Vader. Like the other areas, the sets are designed so you can step right into the scenes, making it feel much more immersive than just looking at the figures.
Even without being big Star Wars fans, this was a fun way to finish the attraction.
Should You Take kids into the Chamber of Horrors at Madame Tussauds London?
About halfway through Madame Tussauds London, visitors are directed down a staircase into the attraction’s Chamber of Horrors. When we reached this point I wasn’t sure whether to take the children through.
A member of staff came over and explained that the section is optional and that families can use a hidden bypass route to skip it completely. She reassured us that it wasn’t too scary because nothing jumps out at you – but my instinct still told me it probably wasn’t right for my kids.
Wanting to see it for myself so I could report back properly, I asked my mum to take the children through the bypass while I went through the Chamber of Horrors with my dad.
I’m very glad we made that decision.
Although there are no jump scares, the atmosphere is dark and unsettling, with eerie sound effects, rattling walls and dim lighting throughout. The displays focus on London’s criminal past, beginning with scenes involving the Kray Twins, before moving through notorious killers such as John George Haigh. There are also historical scenes referencing events like the French Revolution, with fairly graphic imagery including severed heads on display.
Personally, I found it quite harrowing and very different in tone from the rest of the attraction.
Teenagers interested in history or true crime might find it interesting, but for younger children it felt unnecessary and potentially frightening. I did notice some families taking kids through, but they didn’t seem especially comfortable or entertained.
My recommendation: if you’re visiting with children under about 12, it’s best to use the bypass and skip the Chamber of Horrors. You won’t miss anything essential, and it keeps the experience firmly in the “fun day out” category.
Love a fright fest ? Read this: Scary Things to do in London with kids of all Ages
What Adults and Grandparents Will Enjoy at Madame Tussauds London
One thing that really stood out during our visit to Madame Tussauds London was how much my parents enjoyed it too. They both remembered visiting years ago when the wax figures were mostly cordoned off behind ropes, so you couldn’t get close to them. They were genuinely surprised by how interactive and immersive the attraction has become.
They particularly enjoyed seeing the royal family and various British political figures, including Sadiq Khan – my dad took great delight in giving the waxwork version a piece of his mind.
Music and film legends were another highlight, with familiar faces like Judi Dench, The Beatles and Elton John bringing back plenty of memories.
Interestingly, while the kids skipped it, my parents also found parts of the Chamber of Horrors fascinating. Figures like the Kray Twins were part of the news during their younger years, so seeing those stories represented felt oddly familiar to them.
And like the kids, they really enjoyed the Spirit of London ride, which sparked plenty of nostalgia as it travels through different eras of the city’s history.
How Long Do You Need at Madame Tussauds London?
Most people spend 2–3 hours exploring Madame Tussauds London.
Our visit took about three hours, including a toilet stop, an ice cream break and plenty of time for the kids to pose with their favourite characters.
We visited on a Saturday, so it was fairly busy – but not overwhelming. Occasionally we had to wait a minute or two to get photos with popular figures, but overall the attraction moves along at a steady pace.
The only real bottleneck came after the Marvel 4D cinema, when everyone exits the theatre at once. This area felt briefly crowded, but once people moved on the flow opened up again.
One thing that really helped was pre-booking tickets with a timed entry slot. Because we had booked in advance, we didn’t have to queue to get in at all.
🎟️ Tip: If you’re planning to visit, it’s worth booking ahead to secure your time slot and avoid queues. You can check ticket prices and availability here.
Is Madame Tussauds London Worth the Money?
In short – yes, it’s surprisingly good value.
Tickets for Madame Tussauds London start from around £24 for children and £27 for adults when booked online, which is actually very reasonable for a central London attraction.
The experience easily fills 2–3 hours, with loads of interactive sets, photo opportunities, a ride and a 4D cinema included. It’s also fully indoors, which makes it a great weather-proof London activity.
I’d say the sweet spot is ages 5+, but younger children can still enjoy it, especially if they’re tagging along with older siblings. It works particularly well if you have Marvel fans, thanks to the large superhero section featuring characters like Spider-Man and Hulk.
It’s also one of those rare multi-generational days out where kids, teens and grandparents can all find something they enjoy.
🎟️ Tip: Prices are usually cheaper when you book ahead – you can check ticket prices and availability here.
Tips for visiting Madame Tussauds London with Kids
- Pre book tickets online for Best Prices
- Buggies are not permitted but can be left collapsed in the cloakroom free of charge
- There is a charge for leaving coats – only bring what you need!
- Bring drinks and snacks to avoid overinflated treats!
- There are toilets at the start, midpoint and end – make sure everyone uses the toilet at the Beginning if possible
- If using Baker Street station be aware there are no lifts/escalators and two sets of stairs to get to street level.
- Skip the Chamber of Horrors with younger children.
FAQ’s about Visiting Madame Tussauds London
Is Madame Tussauds good for rainy Days?
Yes the experience is fully indoors
Is Madame Tussauds accessible for wheelchairs?
Yes there are lifts for wheelchairs and staff were extremely helpful attending to those in need – do give them advance warning if you require assistance. Buggies and strollers are not permitted and need to be collapsed and left in the Buggy storage.
Can you take photos inside Madame Tussauds London?
Yes – photos are very much encouraged inside Madame Tussauds London. In fact, the attraction is designed around photo opportunities, with lots of interactive sets that let you step into famous film scenes, pose with celebrities and get right up close to many of the figures.
There are also a few professional photographers stationed throughout the experience who can take official photos if you want them, although these are optional to purchase.
The only place where photography is a little more restricted is in the current royal family section, where visitors aren’t able to get as close to the figures unless the official photographer is taking the photo.
How long are the queues at Madame Tussauds London?
Madame Tussauds London has historically had a reputation for long queues outside the entrance, particularly during peak tourist seasons. However, the system has improved a lot in recent years thanks to timed entry tickets.
When we visited at 1pm on a Saturday, we actually walked straight in with no queue at all, as we had pre-booked a time slot. Once inside, the attraction moved along at a steady pace, with only occasional short waits for popular photo spots.
Is Madame Tussauds London suitable for toddlers?
Madame Tussauds London isn’t really aimed at toddlers, as there’s quite a lot of walking through the different zones.
Older toddlers may still enjoy parts of it – particularly the Marvel area with characters like Spider-Man and Hulk, as well as some of the colourful photo sets.
Overall, the sweet spot is around age 5+, but if toddlers are coming along with older siblings they can still have a nice time.
Does Madame Tussauds London have a café?
No but there are a few pitstops dotted throughout including a tuck shop, an ice cream stop after the Pride of London ride and a popcorn selling cinema style stall before the 4D cinema.
The Merlin Pass
If you’re planning to visit several attractions, it’s worth looking into the Merlin Annual Pass. This pass gives you access to many of the UK’s most popular attractions, including Madame Tussauds London, The London Eye, SEA LIFE London Aquarium, and Shrek’s Adventure! London, as well as a range of theme parks and attractions across the UK. If you’re thinking of visiting a few of these during the year, the pass can work out far cheaper than buying individual tickets, so it’s definitely worth considering.
