Madame Tussauds Wax Museum

A popular tourist attraction in Amsterdam, located on Dam Square, is the Madame Tussauds Wax Museum. The museum can be found in many cities around the world as it is part of a chain of museums that share the same basic idea, that of exhibiting a series of life-size wax reproductions of famous people from the present and the past: they range from scientists to actors, from political leaders to sportsmen.

The idea behind the wax museum was taken from the work of the French artist Marie Tussaud, after whom the museum is named, during the 18th and 19th centuries. The woman was a master in the art of wax modelling, and during her life in Paris she devoted herself to making wax figures of the faces of men, aristocrats and others, who were victims of the French Revolution.

At the time of her death, her collection numbered around 400 wax works.

The first Madame Tussauds museum was opened in London and exhibited the artist’s works. When the museum came under the ownership of Merlin Entertainment, a company involved in the amusement and entertainment industry that also owns Gardaland and Legoland, among others, the management chose to create an all-round immersive business out of the idea of creating wax sculptures.

Visiting the museum

The Amsterdam location of Madame Tussauds Wax Museum has recently been modernised and equipped with multimedia effects and a team of actors and extras. The museum offers a number of attractions that make it a real amusement park, which is especially aimed at children and young people. There are many life-size wax figures on display, the most photographed of which are undoubtedly those of Elizabeth Taylor, Albert Einstein, Michael Jackson, Ronaldinho, Anthony Hopkins and James Bond.

When you visit the museum, you will have the chance to come face to face with international stars, entertainers, politicians and footballers of the calibre of Barack Obama, Dali, Picasso, Rembrandt, Messi, David Beckham, Lady Gaga and George Clooney, and of course the Dutch royal family.

Tickets for the Wax Museum

To visit Madame Tussauds Wax Museum you can buy a single ticket or an Amsterdam City Card, which also offers free access to other attractions in the city, such as the canal cruise or the Rijksmuseum. All tickets can be purchased online, thus avoiding queues at the ticket office and benefiting from discounts and reductions.

Combined tickets

If you are planning to visit other attractions in addition to Madame Tussauds Museum and would like to save money on admission tickets, purchase a combination ticket from one of the following.

Opening Hours

The museum is open daily from 10 am until 6 pm. In summer, when there is the greatest influx of tourists, the museum opens at 07.00 and closes at 20.30.

How to get to Madame Tussauds Museum

Located on the city’s main square, Madame Tussauds Wax Museum is a 10-minute walk from Central Station along Damrak Street. If you want to use public transport, take one of the trams number 4, 9, 14, 16, 24 or 25 and get off at the Dam stop.

Madame Tussauds Museums around the world

The Madame Tussauds museums, invented by French sculptor Marie Tussaud in late 18th century London, are a chain of museums currently owned by Merlin Entertainments. Some of the most famous museums in Europe include the original in London (opened in 1835), Berlin (2008), Vienna (2011) and Prague (2019), while outside Europe the museums in New York (2000), Las Vegas (1999) and Dubai (2021) stand out. The venues offer visitors the opportunity to take pictures and interact with the statues, thus becoming some of the main tourist attractions in many cities, with millions of visitors each year.