Madame Tussauds unveiled wax figures of President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris in the newly refreshed Oval Office Experience to commemorate the one-year anniversary of their inauguration ceremony on Jan. 20. Madame Tussauds traditionally only creates wax figures of sitting U.S. presidents. However, this year the museum honored Harris with her own effigy, the museum said in an official press release sent to Blavity.
Guests will have the opportunity to pose and interact with the replicas of Biden and Harris in the re-creation of his office that features the classic resolute desk and the blue rug with the presidential seal. Visitors can also get up close and personal to inspect an actual Cross Century II rollerball pen, the same model Biden used to sign his Inaugural Day proclamations.
"It's our goal to deliver our guests the most exciting, authentic experience when visiting our attraction. Having figures of President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris is extremely important to us, and with that said, so is getting all of the details just right," Joerg Hanel, general manager of Madame Tussauds New York, said. "We are offering our guests the opportunity to feel as if they're right in the Oval Office with our country's leaders, and we're eager to launch this new exhibit."
It took an estimated six months to complete the wax figures; a team of studio artists in London combed through hundreds of images to capture every intricate detail of the two political figures.
The outfits Biden and Harris wore at the 46th inauguration ceremony were also duplicated. Guests can view the midnight blue Ralph Lauren suit, white dress shirt accented with a French cuff and lavender tie worn by the president, according to the wax museum.
Fashionistas will appreciate Harris' re-created elegant purple coat and dress by designer Christopher John Rogers that she wore on Inauguration Day. Harris' figure also boasts a gold and pearl necklace, pearl earrings, bracelets and rings to give the look an authentic finish.
In the past, Madame Tussauds' previous wax figures of notable personalities have not faired well with the public. In 2017, the wax museum faced backlash when they unveiled mega-pop star Beyoncé's statue.
Beyonce's wax figure at @MadameTussauds looks like Kate Gosselin from 'Kate Plus 8' wearing a purple ensemble. Um, can we get a re-do? ???? pic.twitter.com/GmW7ysBWsE
— Ricky Davila (@TheRickyDavila) July 19, 2017
Rihanna's fans wanted her wax figure melted down expeditiously.
Melt this wax IMMEDIATELY…Rihanna WHERE?? https://t.co/MxihO2sQDZ
— nathan (@868nathan) December 16, 2021
Naomi Campbell's figurine drew the ire of her fans.
Meanwhile I’m still not over this wax figure of a Naomi Campbell ???????????????? pic.twitter.com/zsX6p5UgJ9
— Jord ✨???? (@_Jordk_) September 25, 2020
Supporters of former First Lady Michelle Obama felt disrespected by her wax figure.
y'all talking abt nicki minaj's wax figure but WE ALL KNO this don't look like no 1st lady michelle obama or president barack obama ???? https://t.co/KIT6LRFS4s pic.twitter.com/zKPypo7BSP
— YuKwon Toney ✪ (@ayeitskwon) January 8, 2020
Nicki Minaj fans felt her replication was cheaply made.
It’s like when you buy generic instead of name brand. You know what you have but it’s just not quite as good ???? This is a wax figure of #NickiMinaj pic.twitter.com/IipmKGzLTK
— Liz On The Radio ???? (@LizOnTheRadio) January 8, 2020
Attendees can view the new wax figures at the Oval Office Experience at Madame Tussauds in Times Square starting on Wednesday.