A Visit To A Museum That No Longer Exists

During our honeymoon in Washington, D.C., my wife and I visited Madame Tussauds, and I was completely blown away by how lifelike the wax figures looked. It was almost unsettling—like they might blink if I looked away for too long. I took a lot of photos, trying to capture the eerie realism in their eyes, the meticulous detail in their expressions, and the way the light played on their skin. It was an experience that stuck with me.

Unfortunately, Madame Tussauds Washington, D.C., closed permanently during the COVID pandemic, which makes my visit feel even more like a strange moment frozen in time—much like the figures themselves. Unlike some of the other Tussauds locations, the D.C. museum had a strong focus on presidents and political figures. Standing face-to-face with wax versions of Lincoln, Kennedy, and Trump added an extra layer of surrealism, as if I had stepped into a historical tableau where the past and present blurred together.

A few months later, I visited the New York location and found it just as enjoyable, though with a different focus—more pop culture, more celebrities. The craftsmanship was just as impressive, but the D.C. location had a distinct atmosphere. There, the figures weren’t just famous—they were woven into the country’s history.

It’s sad to kno that the Washington, D.C., location is gone. I wonder where those figures ended up. Were they relocated to other museums? Put into storage? Or, in a more unsettling thought, do they sit somewhere in the dark, still frozen in their presidential poses, waiting for an audience that will never come?

I’m glad I got to experience it while I could. The photos I took now feel like small glimpses into a place that no longer exists—memories of a museum where history stood still, even as the world moved on.