If on your next visit to Washington DC and happen to see President Barack Obama hanging out in front of a red sandstone building at 1025 F Street NW, don’t be surprised. But, on closer examination, you’ll discover he’s a dummy.

Despite what Republicans may call him, the figure is a real dummy. It’s a wax duplicate of the President set out there to induce people to cough up $25 each to enter the city’s Madame Tussaud’s Wax Museum.

The original Madame Tussaud's has been in London since 1835. In addition to the Washington DC museum, which opened in 2007, there are branches in Amsterdam, Berlin, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Hollywood, New York City and Las Vegas. French-born Madame Tussaud started sculpting as a teenager during the French Revolution, when earned income creating realistic death masks of decapitated royals. After she moved to England, for 30 years her wax images were in a traveling exhibit going from city to city.

Since then, thousands of wax characters have been modeled, to be replaced periodically as famous politicians, celebrities, heroes and villains come and go on the world stage. What makes the museums especially enjoyable for both young and old visitors is that you may stay as long as you like, and freely shoot selfies with favorite celebrities and historic figures.

Where else can you pray with the Pope, fast with Ghandi, schmooze with Barbra Streisand, spar with Muhammed Ali, vocalize with Frank Sinatra and shake with Elvis?