Celebrities in Wax
The Panoptikum in St. Pauli is the oldest and largest wax museum in Germany and currently houses more than 120 figures on over 700m² of exhibition space. The museum features wax replicas of well-known personalities from the worlds of art and culture, sports and politics, society and history – including many celebrities and real megastars. The best part: the stars are not camera-shy and wait patiently for you to take your souvenir photo – after all, selfies with the wax figures are part of every visit.
Founded in 1879 by the Faerber family, The Panoptikum wax museum remains a family business to this day, now in its fifth generation. Thanks to the Faerbers' dedication, care, and great attention to detail, the resemblance of the replicas to the originals is no coincidence, but true art: the result is a fascinating world made of wax, where reality and fantasy merge together.
Impressions from Panoptikum
New Arrivals: Taylor Swift and Ed Sheeran
The most recent additions to the exhibition are world star Taylor Swift, who visited Hamburg for her ‘Eras Tour’ in 2024, as well as Singer/Songwriter Ed Sheeran and environmentalist Greta Thunberg. Next to international stars, such as Angelina Jolie and Robbie Williams, and historical figures, for example Albert Einstein or Henry VIII, there are also wax replicas of German celebrities, such as singer Helene Fischer and TV host Barbara Schöneberger, and those with a connection to Hamburg, such as singer Udo Lindenberg, drag queen Olivia Jones, and, of course, the Beatles.
For a visit to Panoptikum, you should expect to spend 45–60 minutes; a free audio guide is available in German and English. There are exhibition-related tours for children and young adults designed to be educational and thought-provoking – but of course, they are also great fun.
For more information and opening hours, see Panoptikum.
Address
Spielbudenplatz 3
20359 Hamburg
Getting There
U3 trains to St. Pauli
Bus lines 12, 16, 17, 112 to St. Pauli
