Madrid Wax Museum

The Museo de Cera at Paseo de Recoletos 41 is Madrid's wax museum, with more than 450 life-size figures drawn from history, politics, sport, film and music. It opened in 1972 and remains a classic family stop in the centre, diagonally across from Plaza Colon. Alongside Spanish monarchs, writers such as Cervantes and bullfighters, visitors find international figures including Picasso, Einstein, the Beatles and current Hollywood stars, plus reconstructed historical scenes such as the fall of Granada. A separate Tren del Terror takes riders through a ghost-train ride in the basement. The display now feels a little dated, but the museum still draws families, school groups and Spanish tourists for an hour-long selfie tour among the wax celebrities.