Five things you never knew you could do at Madame Tussauds London

We’ve all been there: you clamber into the back of a black cab after office drinks on a Friday night and, peering out groggily as you cruise the streets of central London, feel like you’ve been thrust into a world of medieval war, plague and pestilence.

But did you know you can also experience this – in rather more sanitary circumstances – at Madame Tussauds? That’s right: the Spirit of London is an incredible fairground-style attraction that twists and turns along a narrow track, taking you on an immersive cab ride through some of London’s most essential historical moments. And when we say immersive, we mean you can actually smell the Great Fire of London, hear the booming voice of Churchill as the Blitz bombs rain down, and be dazzled by the bright lights of 1960s Carnaby Street. Fear not though: we’ve been assured by our lawyers that you can’t actually catch the plague from this ride.

The whole experience is a bit like a carnival ghost train, but minus the jump scares and kidney-mortgaging entry fee. It’s a wild ride, to be sure, whisking you through a whopping 2,000 years of London’s rich history as it cruises over Pudding Lane’s sweltering cobbles, circles St Paul’s Cathedral and even soars across the top of Nelson’s Column. But will it go south of the river? Not a chance.

This one goes out to all the incurable souvenir hunters, narcissists and practical jokers out there: a chance to immortalise your own hand in wax. Simply book the required add-on ticket, select a colour, dip your hand into the goo and hey presto: your own paw, perfectly preserved in wax for all time. Well, as long as you don’t leave it by the radiator or in a hot car.

What’s your flavour? Give a thumbs up, make the peace sign, go for a clenched fist, a friendly wave or a claw, rawk out with devil horns or – ok go on then, if you must – flip the bird. Don’t worry, the staff here have seen it all before, and then some.

You can book this experience in advance or on the day, but be prepared to queue at busier times. It’s surely worth the wait for such a unique piece of art though. Not to mention that a wax appendage is, ahem, hands-down the best way to creep out your friends with the old ‘fake arm in sleeve’ trick. And hey, if being immortalised in wax is good enough for the Hollywood A-list, it’s good enough for you too, Barbara from Bracknell. Yes and you, Simon from Stevenage.

The Star Wars zone at Madame Tussauds is an absolute treasure trove of interactive fun. You can face off with the galaxy’s worst dad, Darth Vader, shuffle through shifting Tatooine sands with R2 and C-3PO, and like Yoda learn to speak. Best of all though is the chance to come over all Han Solo aboard the legendary Millennium Falcon, accompanied by the silver screen’s hairiest icon. No, not Burt Reynolds. Not Hugh Jackman either. We are of course talking about Chewbacca, Han Solo’s towering Wookiee sidekick, who you’ll find manning (wookieeing?) the controls on the Falcon’s flight deck, recreated in all his hirsute, two-metre-tall glory.

Join Chewie in the cockpit for some of Madame Tussauds’ most stellar selfie opportunities plus, of course, the chance to call him fuzzball, moptop, hairnado, teddy bear, Tom Selleck or, indeed, anything else you fancy. Bonus points for donning a Solo-style white v-neck shirt and black Corellian spacer vest (thanks, Google!) for those essential Falcon photo ops.

To enter the Fashion Runway at Madame Tussauds is to feel instant regret that you opted for baggy joggers and a plain white tee today. But style it out and you’ll get the opportunity to snap some of the best starstruck selfies in the building, as you take to the catwalk alongside veritable modern style icons including Victoria ‘Posh Spice’ Beckham, Harry ‘the clue’s in the name’ Styles, and Kendall ‘one of the Kardashians’ Jenner.

Strike a pose, give it your best duck face, and sashay down the runway as the music pounds, neon lights swirl, paparazzi flashbulbs pop, and mirrors show off all your best angles. You’ll be in fine company: in addition to all the aforementioned A-listers, you’ll also rub shoulders with fashion-forward royalty including Rihanna, RuPaul, Cara Delevingne and Zendaya. It’s a star-studded celeb showcase that’s all-but guaranteed to get your socials popping, whether you came catwalk-ready or not.

What’s better than watching Marvel superheroes save the day? Stepping right into their world and coming face-to-face with them. At Madame Tussauds London, the Marvel Super Heroes zone brings you closer than ever to some of the most well-known characters in the universe.

Strike a pose alongside legends like Hulk, Spider-Man, Captain Marvel and Thor, and see just how you measure up against Earth’s mightiest heroes. From larger-than-life strength to godly power, each figure is crafted with incredible detail, making it feel as though you’ve stepped straight onto a blockbuster set.

Get ready to test your best action stance as Spider-Man swings into position, or stand your ground as Thor readies his hammer. Whether you’re assembling your own Avengers team or just snapping the ultimate superhero selfie, this is your chance to be part of the action.

Sure there is! The fun doesn’t stop at our Madame Tussauds big five. You can also take to the skies with E.T., share a marmalade sandwich with everyone’s favourite Peruvian bear, photobomb a Royal Family portrait and unleash your very best Freddie Mercury impersonation in the presence of the man himself. Go wild, why don’t you: the wax figures won’t judge, even if your Insta followers will. All together now: “Scaramouche! Scaramouche! Will you do the fandango?”