We came to the museum on a quiet Monday afternoon in summer, so only a few families were around. We entered at street level, and got our first glimpse at the figurines as we were led past a motley crew—Ben Stiller, Steve Jobs, Will Smith—before heading downstairs to the first gallery. With politics so top of mind, it wasn't surprising that this entree to the rest of the museum focused on presidents, from Washington to Trump. The kids were excited to identify the presidents they knew, and fascinated by the strange-looking ones. Each President has an accompanying sign with important information, which had some interesting facts.

A very sweet guide answered my kids’ questions (no, the figures are not made from earwax), and gave us some helpful information: The statues are all made by different artists, and the wigs are regularly maintained. As we walked through, there were other employees dusting and maintaining the various figures. All of the staff was very helpful and kind, pointing out places for the kids to stand and take photos with the statues, and encouraging us to take as many pictures as we wanted. One thing that differentiates Dreamland from other wax museums, according to its creators, is that the figures are more accessible than most, and visitors are encouraged to take selfies and touch the figures anywhere but the hands or face. "We want the museum to be as interactive as possible," says Michael Pelletz, vice president of sales at the museum. "We'll soon have a display in the lobby, in fact, where everyone can touch and play with a wax head to get a sense of what it feels like."

After the presidents, we saw political and religious figures, including Martin Luther King, Jr., the Pope, and Gandhi, before entering a hallway with British royalty. After spending some time with Princess Diana, the Queen, and Prince William and Princess Kate, we entered a gallery with rock stars like Snoop Dogg and Katy Perry. Then came a room filled with sports stars like Tom Brady, Larry Bird, and Ray Bourque. Next was Einstein, and then entrepreneurs like Bill Gates and Oprah. The Museum ended with a gallery full of actors like Brad Pitt and Leonardo DiCaprio, feeding into a gift shop selling photos of visitors and offering personalized wax figures.

The kids liked Dreamland and kept commenting on how realistic the figures were—so much so that they were at times reluctant to stand too close to them because they were afraid they'd move. Their chief complaints were that they wanted even more figures and that there were no Red Sox players in the sports gallery. No Big Papi?!

Probably because the statues are all made by different artists, some are more recognizable than others. Einstein, Michael Jackson, and Princess Kate were among those that were easily identifiable. Others, not so much. Regardless of whether we recognized them, each of the figures was truly lifelike, with tiny details from wrinkles in the hands to delicately braided cornrows in the hair.

The only other consideration was that because of my kids’ ages, they only knew about half the statues. Sure, they knew Ben Affleck is Batman, but who is Clint Eastwood? Dreamland is probably best suited for older kids or younger kids who will appreciate the craftsmanship of the statues, even if they don’t know who they are.

Dreamland isn’t huge and took us about a half hour to walk through. It's impressively clean, and the bathrooms are especially immaculate, which is nice with kids in tow. I liked how it's so different than the surrounding cultural attractions of Boston, and sparked conversations about some famous personalities, from politics to pop. The kids' conclusion of Dreamland was a bit simpler: “It was creepy…and amazing.”

What Else to Know Before You Go

• Dreamland is open 365 days of the year. Hours are Monday to Friday from 10am to 7pm, Thursday to Saturday from 10am to 9pm, and Sunday from 10am to 8pm.
• Tickets are 24.95 for adults, $19.95 for children, and free for kids under five. Tickets can't be purchased via the website yet, but for the next few months, a $10 coupon can be printed from the site and use it at the ticket counter.
• There's no restaurant in the museum, but its central location ensures that it's surrounded by great food options for kids. Consider capping your trip with a meal at the Quincy Market food court, which is just around the corner.

Photos by the author