A ghost train driven by Sparky. Photo by the author.

Madame Tussauds revamped its museum to add the multifloor Ghostbusters Experience to its galleries of wax statues. The Ghostbusters Experience exhibit is on the seventh floor, and is a departure from what you might expect from this museum. While the legendary wax statues are a part of the exhibit, it is a multimedia, interactive experience packed with animation and plenty of surprising elements to keep you on your toes as you embrace the illusion of a haunted NYC.  

It opens in a dark subway tunnel where a train is barreling down upon you driven by Sparky, a terrifying ghost conductor brought to life through incredible animation. From there you enter recreated scenes from the upcoming remake, including the creepy Aldridge Mansion Museum, with haunted rocking chairs, paintings and Gertrude, a slime-spitting ghost that spooks its halls; a replica of the Ghostbusters Headquarters, now in Zhou’s Chinese Restaurant (not the famous Hook & Ladder #8 in Tribeca as in the original film) and packed with movie props and a ghost or two. The exhibit continues in the lobby of the Mercado Hotel, where you meet Slimer, a hologram version of the poltergeist prankster, and try to take him down with the help of the hotel's doorman and two lady Ghostbusters from the 2016 movie.  

The exhibit culminates with Ghostbusters: Dimension, a cool, virtual-reality, or hyper-reality as organizers are calling it, adventure that costs an additional $20. The game is well worth the additional fee in my opinion. Players are part of a squad of rookie ghostbusters on a training assignment. They are suited up with a helmet and proton pack to take part in a 15-minute simulation. Created by VR innovators The Void, Dimensions was incredible and unlike anything I've done before. More than just a game where you're standing still and looking at things, maybe raising your arms from time to time, you'll actually be walking around, actively participating in the experience, not just looking at it.

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Ghostbusters battle Slimer in a NYC apartment.

Without giving too much away, players enter a NYC apartment to rid the dwelling of ghosts. As they physically and virtually move through the space they come across some famous characters from the film—including my favorite, the Stay Puft marshmallow man—and take them down with the proton blaster. Players battle demon gargoyles, the marshmallow man, and other scary creatures together as they continue through the apartment, take a moving elevator, head outside on a rickety balcony on a gusty evening and try to stay alive as flooring is destroyed during battle. During the experience players feel the wind in their hair, the blast of their gun, the thud of falling debris, heat of their proton pack, and even get a whiff of toasted marshmallow when they down the giant candy man. It's an immersive experience I won't forget and my 11-year-old thoroughly enjoyed. It's likely to be enjoyed by fans and non-fans of the franchise alike. It lasts about 15 minutes, including the time to put on and take off the suits and gear.

Players get suited up in VR gear for the Ghostbusters: Dimension portion of the exhibit.

To visit the Ghostbusters galleries you are escorted to the ninth floor on a glass elevator that overlooks 42nd Street. You must walk through other exhibits on your way back to the seventh floor, which can add to the fun. We mugged it up with likenesses of Pope Francis, George Washington, the Kennedys and the Obamas. We also saw MGM monsters and plenty of television and pop stars. These sections offer fun photo-ops and interactive experiences to make the most of your visit.  

During our visit, some of the technology that runs Ghostbusters: Dimension crashed, forcing us to wait in line for more than an hour for the reboot. Staffers assured us it was a rare glitch and fans would not have to wait more than 10 minutes on an average day. Kids must be at least 48 inches tall to experience Ghostbusters: Dimension and those under 16 must be accompanied by an adult. Equipment is heavy and the concept is a bit disorienting and at times frightening, so use your best judgment. 

The Ghostbusters Experience is a new permanent attraction at Madame Tussauds in Times Square, 234 West 42nd Street, between Seventh and Eighth Avenues. Admission to the museum is $29.75; Ghostbusters: Dimension is an additional $20. Advance ticket purchases are suggested.   

Top image: Slimer. All photos courtesy of Madame Tussauds New York unless otherwise noted.