The three-story, $55 million (USD) museum was under construction for eight years before finally opening. It features 115 wax figures of famous celebrities - the first ones made for the location were of singer Beyoncé Knowles and actor Jamie Foxx, at a cost of approximately $300,000 (USD) each. Each wax figure has its own placard placed on a wall in close physical proximity to it, containing information about the portrayed figure. A few matching props have been placed near select figures for visitors to use while taking photos.
The biggest wax figure in the museum is of Shrek. The figure is plastic in composition, however, as it is placed outside each day to attract passersby. If made of wax it would deteriorate in the California sun and heat.
Joining Shrek near the entrance are one or two other figures, kept in the shade as they are made of wax. Marilyn Monroe, Lucille Ball and Johnny Depp are among some of the figures used in the lobby to entice guests to enter the museum.
