Madame Tussauds wax museum keeps interest high by staying current

Tourist David Browning was given a choice between fine art or wax figures.

The wax won out.

"I'd rather see Brad Pitt than Picasso. It fits more with the Las Vegas image," says Browning, a Florida resident who visited Las Vegas for the first time last week. "They try to make it sophisticated and fancy but deep down, it's the kind of place you expect to find this."

"This" is Madame Tussauds wax museum at The Venetian. Browning's girlfriend gave him the option of visiting an art gallery or Tussauds. It was an easy decision, he says.

That "natural fit" may be one explanation for why a wax museum has outlived what was supposed to be the pinnacle of the culture movement on the Strip, the Guggenheim Hermitage. Also in The Venetian, the art museum never gained a foothold in town and closed last year.

Meanwhile, Madame Tussauds enjoyed its second most lucrative year in 2008, despite the economic climate, says attraction manager Rosita Chapman.

"I think people look at us as an escape. It puts you into a whole other mindset when you come in," says Chapman, who has been manager for a year.

An average of nearly 1,000 guests visit every day, Chapman says. While they have a strong appeal to tourists, Madame Tussauds has struggled to find a local audience. About 20 percent of visitors call the valley home, she adds.

That is something Chapman would like to change.

"It's funny the number of people I encounter who don't know where we are and that we've been here as long we have," Chapman says. "Since we're on the Strip we're tourist-focused, but we plan to reach out to the local community more. That's an area we would definitely love to grow."

The attraction, which opened in 1999, is marking its 10th anniversary this year. Starting in March, locals can purchase tickets for $10, a savings of $15 off the regular admission price for adults.

Chapman attributes the museum's success largely to a willingness to change displays and stay current with popular figures. Each year, Madame Tussauds adds four to five new figures to its collection of just more than 100 statues. In addition, the museum borrows existing figures from other locations, including New York and London.

Wax figures cost between $200,000 and $300,000 to make, so the museum does a lot of research before deciding who to cast, Chapman says. A booklet in the last room of the exhibits enables guests to list who they'd like to see in the attraction. Aside from the oddball request -- Pancho Villa, for instance -- many names pop up again and again. Recently, President Barack Obama's statue was unveiled after the museum received many requests, Chapman says.

In February, the museum will unveil Denzel Washington and tie it to Black History Month. A prominent local -- and colorful -- political figure will debut in March while Snoop Dogg's statue is scheduled to arrive in April.

Contact reporter Sonya Padgett at spadgett@reviewjournal.com or 702-380-4564.