# Madame Tussauds Hong Kong

Madame Tussauds Hong Kong is a wax museum in Hong Kong which opened in 2000 as the first Asian branch of the wax museum chain founded by Marie Tussaud. Located at the Peak Tower on Hong Kong Island, the museum houses nearly 100 wax figures of internationally known personalities, with Asian figures taking up more than a third of the total, of which sixteen were Hongkongers. The wax figures are featured in a range of themed settings such as Hong Kong Glamour, Music Icons, Historical and National Heroes, The Champions, and World Premiere.

## History

In the late 1990s, Madame Tussauds had outlets spanning worldwide in major cities such as London, Amsterdam and Las Vegas, but none in the Asia–Pacific region. When the "Madame Tussaud's Touring Attraction" ran in Singapore and Australia and proved to be highly popular, the Tussauds Group decided to open a permanent outlet in Asia to cater to such demand, and Hong Kong was chosen for its proximity to the Asian markets.
Madame Tussauds Hong Kong opened at The Peak in 2000, and features nearly 100 wax figures of internationally known personalities and local celebrities to date – with Asian figures taking up more than a third of the total, of which sixteen were Hongkongers. Asian celebrities and superstars have often graced the unveiling of their wax likenesses with sizeable groups of their fans tagging along. In September 2005, it began its renovation in its effort to bring an interactive and immersive entertainment experience to visitors. It re-opened at a cost of 20 million Hong Kong dollars (US$2.6 million) on 18 May 2006, adding a further 700 square metres (7,500 sq ft) of exhibition space on three floors and five themed areas. Visitors can journey through the attraction, stopping to mingle with the 'stars' in a range of themed settings including Hong Kong Glamour, Music Icons, Historical and National Heroes, The Champions and World Premiere.
As of 2008, the museum is headed by Bret Pidgeon, who is currently the general manager of Madame Tussauds Hong Kong and Shanghai. He has previously worked for eight years at the Madame Tussauds in New York. The museum is accessible from Central via minibus, taxi or Peak Tram and opens all year round from 10 am to 10 pm daily. Admission fee is HK$140 (US$18) for adults and HK$70 for children aged between 3 and 11 years old.

## Wax figure making process

In over one or more sittings, a sculptor from Madame Tussauds Studios who is given direct access to the celebrity will record the colours of the hair and eyes. Over 500 body measurements are referenced. The most important task is to capture the celebrity's look to reflect their unique personality. The next task is to make a clay model of the head and body which is used to create a mould. Wax cast of the head and hands are made from the mould, and the eyes are inserted. Each eye is hand-painted to achieve a perfect match of the original. Real human hair is then inserted strand by strand.
The head and hands are coloured using a blend of oil, water and acrylic colour. From the mould, the body is cast in fibreglass, and the head and hands are fitted to the fiberglass body and dressed in clothes that are often donated by the celebrity. The pose, clothes and expression on the face all contribute to making the figure as realistic as possible. The whole process usually takes up to six months by a team of 20 people to create and cost about HK$1 million each.

## Unique figures

* The figure of Miriam Yeung, unveiled in November 2006, is the first in the world designed to giggle via in-built sensors. Yeung is well known for her fun-loving and bubbly personality, an essence that the museum wanted to capture in her figure.
* The figure of Connie Chan, unveiled in August 2006, was the first figure to appear in full Chinese regalia. The model's costume was inspired by the musical Only You, set in the Yuan Dynasty, in which Chan formerly starred.
* The figure of Bae Yong-joon, unveiled in May 2006, is the first Korean star to be included in a Madame Tussauds exhibition.
* The figure of Andy Lau, unveiled in April 2005, was the outlet's first animatronic model that was crafted out of silicone rather than wax. Lau's animatronic heartbeat was modelled on a similar system installed in a replica of Brad Pitt at Madame Tussauds Amsterdam.

## Featured personalities

The list of featured celebrities sorted according to on-site themes are:
* Jay Chou (周杰倫)
* Michelle Yeoh (楊紫瓊)
* Leo Ku (古巨基)
* Madonna

## Madame Tussauds Shanghai

The second Asian outlet is located in the Chinese city of Shanghai. Attracted by Shanghai's growing reputation and tourism volume in East Asia, the Tussauds Group approached Shanghai authorities to discuss the possibility of opening its second Asian location in early 2004. The Shanghai authorities agreed with the proposal and Madame Tussauds Shanghai (Chinese: 上海杜莎夫人臘像館) was opened on 1 May 2006 on the 10th floor of the New World Department Store at West Nanjing Road.
The Shanghai outlet houses nearly 75 wax figures of local and internationally known celebrities to date, and will add more in its second and third phases. The museum opens all year round from 10 am to 10 pm daily and it is divided up into seven themed sections: Glamour, Behind the Scenes, History and Heroes, Music, Film, Speed and Sport. Admission fee is 135 Renminbi (US$20) for adults and CN¥ 135 for students. Madame Tussauds Shanghai is the Tussauds Group's sixth waxwork museum after London, Amsterdam, Las Vegas, New York City and Hong Kong.