Schools writing to complain have been told that the attraction, which is owned by the Dubai Government, wants to focus on the world of celebrities and fame. Tussauds is working with Aardman Animations, the producers of the Wallace and Gromit films, to make a movie about celebrities.
Diane Moon, the communications manager of Madame Tussauds, said yesterday: “While our main experience moves away from the educative towards the world of entertainment, so the Planetarium becomes a bolt-on to the attraction rather than part of it.”
Robin Scagell, the vice-president of the Society for Popular Astronomy, said: “The Planetarium has inspired generations of schoolchildren and their parents, and to lose it now is a tragedy.
“They (Madame Tussauds) have a valuable resource that they are squandering through a lack of imagination." Nicky Marsh, the marketing director for Madame Tussauds, said: “The future shows in the Planetarium space will be a filmic experience and have nothing to do with stars and planets. People just weren’t interested in attending the space shows.”
Roger Jones, the headmaster of St George’s School, an independent prep school in Windsor, Berkshire, said: “It is obvious that it’s just another classic example of dumbing down. We used it regularly for our 11-year-olds and found it a worthwhile and educational experience. The children talked about it for a long time after and would often visit again with their families.”
Ms Grafton* said: “Tussauds has decided that people are more interested in Big Brother, The X Factor and Heat magazine than in anything educational.”
