Branson's Hollywood Wax Museum gets $5M upgrade

Several celebrities - including Jack Black and Ben Stiller - are leaving Hollywood for Branson this spring in a $5 million renovation to the Hollywood Wax Museum.

Work has been under way for about three months, and interior upgrades at the 13-year-old museum, 3030 State Highway 76, have wrapped up. The museum opens with its new look March 17, according to a news release from the Branson/Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce.

Exterior upgrades, meanwhile, should be finished by June 1. The museum, which is owned by Los Angeles-based Kuvera Attractions, will be closed because of the work for five undetermined days in April and May.

The renovated museum will offer new interactive opportunities for visitors, including riding aboard the Titanic, sitting on the bus bench with Forrest Gump, wrestling with Nacho Libre and singing for American Idol judges, according to the release. Showcases will include Celebrity Quotables, Film Facts, Star Scoops, TV Tips and Dollar Details.

The Travel Channel recently named the museum the "Best American Wax Museum" and plans to feature it in a segment scheduled to air this spring.