Hollywood Wax Museum in Branson, Missouri
Located on Branson’s famed “Strip”, the Hollywood Wax Museum provides a fun look at the stars of yesterday and today. The first Hollywood Wax Museum opened in Hollywood, California on Hollywood Blvd. in the 1960s and the Branson location was opened in 1996. About 10 years later, a third location was added in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. Today, the Branson location is proud of its new $5 million renovation, which promises new stars in new open environments, where visitors can more easily interact with the sculptures. The renovations also earned the museum The Travel Channel’s nod for “Best American Wax Museum.”
The mission of the family that founded the Hollywood Wax Museum was to bring people closer to the stars they loved through the creation of extremely lifelike wax sculptures designed by artists who are experts in their field. The result is a wonderful tribute to television, music, and film stars of the past and present, including many that even young children will recognize.
The focal point of the Branson location is Mt. Hollywood, a whimsical re-creation of South Dakota’s Mount Rushmore. This one, however, includes stars like John Wayne, Elvis Presley, Marilyn Monroe, and Charlie Chaplin. It’s quickly become one of the most photographed attractions in Branson and can be found on the exterior of the building that houses the museum. The newly renovated museum also allows guests the opportunity to climb into the genie bottle from the 60s TV show “I Dream of Jeannie”, sit on a park bench with Forrest Gump, wrestle with Nacho Libre, and sing for the judges on American Idol. There’s plenty of room for picture taking, which is allowed throughout the museum.
In addition, the Branson Hollywood Wax Museum is profiling a bunch of films on the American Film Institute’s list of Top 100 Films of all times, and additional showcases in the museum include Celebrity Quotables, Film Facts, Star Scoops, TV Tips, and Dollar Details. Of course, there’s also a Chamber of Horrors-type display, which includes some of the most well-known figures in horror movie history ranging from Frankenstein to Freddy Kruger. Wax recreations of other stars of now and then include Johnny Depp, Lucille Ball, Will Smith, Lucy Liu, Tom Cruise, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and dozens of others. There are also figures of a number of stars of the music industry, including Michael Jackson.
The Branson location, which is close to Presley’s and the Starlite Theater, is open year round with extended hours from March through December. There’s a Studio Store onsite, which offers a large amount of movie-related memorabilia and other similar items.
Discount tickets are offered for groups of 20 or more
In addition, non-profit groups that purchase tickets in advance can save 50
percent on the price of their tickets. The internet price for individuals is
also less than the price at the museum’s box office. Combination tickets
that also include entrance to other Branson attractions can be purchased at
the Hollywood Wax Museum as well.
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