Funny story – my wife and I visited a wax museum on vacation once.
We stopped, politely, at the entrance as a woman snapped a picture of an extremely life-like wax figure of Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. The woman was bent down, trying to frame the picture just right, presumably so she could post it on Facebook and pretend she’d met the real thing.
My wife and I chatted while we waited, not really paying that much attention, but after a minute or so, my wife – not a patient woman – clicked her tongue in frustration as the photographer took her sweet time.
That’s when the security guard couldn’t hold it in anymore and busted out laughing. The photographer was as wax as the Rock. We hadn’t even paid for our tickets and we’d already been fooled.
It’s hard to understand the fascination with wax figures. But their popularity all over the world – for more than a century – speaks to just how much we enjoy a good replica of our favorite stars.
What celebrities are in the Hollywood Wax Museum in Pigeon Forge?
This two-story museum in Pigeon Forge contains famous figures including Dolly Parton, Johnny Depp as Jack Sparrow, Elvis Presley, Brad Pitt, Will Ferrell and more.
Walk the red carpet. Pose with Sandra Bullock. Pretend to do the moonwalk next to Michael Jackson.
The figures can also rotate. With four facilities around the country, the Hollywood Wax Museum is able to keep new faces appearing in each facility regularly.
There are also characters and scenes from movies and TV shows like Charlie’s Angels and Star Trek – in which case many of the wax figures are at least as good at acting as the actual stars of the show.
Inside the wax museum is a fun and diverting family getaway.
Along the way, you will also learn more about the person behind the wax figures, including their accomplishments, pet peeves or other fun facts.
The Pigeon Forge museum cuts a striking figure on the landscape of the main drag. The front of the building features a Mt. Rushmore of Hollywood Royalty with giant busts of celebrity figures like Charlie Chaplin, Elvis, Marilyn Monroe and John Wayne.
Now, you and I, lovers of cinema as we are, may quibble with the selection process of this particular Mt. Rushmore. Frankly, including Elvis is an outrage.
But as much as it may hurt, we must recognize the famous Hollywood Wax Museum is a capitalistic endeavor. Elvis has always had a way of putting butts in the seats.
The back of the building is actually cooler with a six-story tall Empire State Building being climbed by a giant King Kong, whose gargantuan posterior has provided my young son with hours of delight in the same “joke.”
“Look, dad! There’s King Kong’s butt,” he’ll yell before erupting in peals of laughter.
Is the Hollywood Wax Museum in Pigeon Forge worth it?
The rotating cast of stars includes Hollywood icons consisting of some characters that your kids will be unlikely to recognize.
Still, there are also a wide variety of modern stars of movie, TV, music, politics and athletics that will likely have something for everyone.
In addition to the wax museum, there are also a handful of additional attractions on site.
In the maze of mirrors, you rescue Princess Hannah of Savannah from Ugly Hetty’s vortex. There’s also a zombie experience, where you can make your way through a ransacked lab where a gone-wrong experiment resulted in an undead outbreak.
Finally, the Castle of Chaos 5D adventure ride thrusts visitors inside a movie with an interactive story.
An All Access Pass will grant access to all of these attractions and the wax museum itself.
How much does it cost to go to the Hollywood Wax Museum in Pigeon Forge?
At the time of this writing, All Access Passes run right at $39.99 for adults and $19.99 for kids. Children ages 3 and under are free.
To visit only the wax museum, adult tickets are $29.99-32.99 and children aged 4-11 are $17.99. Prices are subject to change.
Get tickets directly on the attraction’s website. If you want to save a few bucks, you can sometimes find a decent deal on Tripster.
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How long does it take to go through the Hollywood Wax Museum in Pigeon Forge?
It depends. If you take your time, you could stretch it to about one or two hours.
So is it worth it? In my opinion, yes it is.
Ultimately, the wax museum is fun. As a bonus, there is nearly unlimited dad joke potential around every corner.
The wax museum feeds our need to be a little silly, and our love of bigger-than-life personalities and it allows us to get maximum mileage out of our selfie culture.
It also allows us to pretend we met Sam Jackson on our Smoky Mountain vacation and fool our friends.
There are only a handful of locations in the United States. For example, there is a Hollywood Wax Museum in Myrtle Beach and Branson, Missouri as well.
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The Hollywood Wax Museum in TN is the largest Hollywood Wax Museum. It is located at 106 Showplace Blvd in Pigeon Forge.
Do you think the Hollywood Wax Museum is worth it? Let us know in the comments!
