Marie Tussaud, born in Strasbourg, France, was famous for her wax-making abilities. Her most outstanding work is the wax figure of the French writer Voltaire. In 1835, when she was 74 years old, Madame Tussauds (formerly spelled Madame Tussaud's) was set up in London, which grew to become a major tourist attraction. Now, there are branches in several other major cities, including Madame Tussauds Hong Kong, Shanghai, Amsterdam, New York City and Las Vegas.

Shanghai won out over thirty other candidate cities by taking advantage of its local celebrities and vast market prospects. Madame Tussauds Shanghai, which opened to the public in 2006, is the sixth in the world. It is situated on the tenth floor of New World Mansion, West Nanjing Road , Shanghai.

With the use of new materials and advanced technology, Madame Tussauds Shanghai offers visitors a superior experience. For example, visitors may have interactive contact with some of the wax figures; they can negotiate with Bill Gates, take photos with Jackie Chan and Marilyn Monroe, sing songs with pop singers and compete with Guo Jingjing (a famous woman diver in China).

The highlight of Madame Tussauds Shanghai is an adventurous exhibition, given the name of 'Scream Hall'. Here visitors will experience a heart-stopping adventure with live performances and wax statues that you have never seen before, making the visit a true test of nerves.

There is also the opportunity for visitors to make their own hand models by themselves, which they are then able to take home as souvenir.