Madame Tussauds Hong Kong

Madame Tussauds Hong Kong sits inside the Peak Tower, the wok-shaped building at the top of the Peak Tram, which makes it one of the easiest add-ons in the city: you are already there for the view, and the museum is a few steps from the tram platform. It is the Hong Kong branch of the famous London wax museum, and its point of difference is the local and regional line-up. Alongside the Hollywood actors, royals, world leaders and sports stars you would expect, the galleries give a lot of space to Hong Kong cinema, from martial-arts legends to the actors and actresses who made the city's film industry famous across Asia, and to the Cantopop and Mandopop singers who fill the city's concert halls. The figures are posed in themed sets designed for photographs: a red carpet, a film set, a concert stage, a sports zone, and interactive corners where you can step into a scene or test your skills. Unlike a traditional museum, touching and posing with the figures is encouraged, and the visit is really about taking pictures with people you would never otherwise get close to. Most visitors spend an hour to an hour and a half moving through the galleries. It is not a cultural deep dive, and adults without an interest in celebrity may find it expensive for what it is. But for families with children or teenagers, for fans of Hong Kong film and music, and as a covered option when the Peak is wrapped in cloud or rain, it works well. Opening hours run from late morning into the evening, which makes it easy to combine with sunset on the Sky Terrace or a walk on the Peak Circle Walk. Online tickets are usually cheaper than buying at the door, and combination tickets with the Peak Tram and Sky Terrace are often available.

Timing a visit: the Peak is busiest in the late afternoon and around sunset, when queues for the Peak Tram can be long. A good plan is to ride up in the early afternoon, visit Madame Tussauds first, then walk the Peak Circle Walk or go up to the Sky Terrace for the view as the light softens. If the cloud comes down, which happens often in spring and summer, the museum is the obvious place to wait for it to lift. Weekday mornings after opening are the quietest time inside the galleries, when you can take photographs without other visitors in the background.

What to expect inside: the galleries are arranged as a series of themed rooms rather than a chronological exhibition. Hong Kong film and music get the most space, with figures posed as in famous roles or on stage, and there are international stars, sports figures and a few political and historical figures. Interactive elements change over time, so the exact line-up varies. Staff are on hand to help with photographs, and there is the usual gift shop at the exit. Allow an hour, or longer if you are with children who want a photograph with every figure.

Practical notes: buy timed tickets online for the best price, and look at combination tickets if you are also buying the Peak Tram and Sky Terrace. The museum is fully indoors and air-conditioned, and the Peak Tower has lifts, so it is accessible for pushchairs and wheelchairs. Food is available in the Peak Tower and the Peak Galleria opposite. If time is short and you are not travelling with children, the view from the Peak is the priority, and the museum can be skipped without regret.