Movieland Museum in Buena Park is Closing

[Kevy Baby]

Orange County's Movieland Wax Museum opened in 1962 with all the hoopla of the place it was imitating — Hollywood. Searchlights combed the skies above Buena Park, actress Mary Pickford cut a ceremonial ribbon, and a freshly sculpted wax figure of James Dean greeted the guests.

But on Tuesday, citing increased competition from nearby amusement parks and shopping malls, the museum announced that on Halloween it would close. The owners said they also might close the Ripley's Believe It or Not Museum, directly across Beach Boulevard from the wax museum.

The news came as a shock to longtime and first-time visitors who were told at the box office that tickets would be discounted from $12.95 to $5 until closing day.

Full LA Times Story