Madame Tussauds has long been the same calling card for London as Big Ben, the Tower or Trafalgar Square. Its exhibits are wax figures of celebrities from different eras. Here are collected sculptures of politicians, show business stars, athletes and other people who have become famous all over the world. Any tourist who finds himself in the British capital includes this museum in the list of attractions that must be visited, because in it you can not only see the wax figures of your idols with your own eyes, but also touch them and even take a picture next to them as a keepsake.
Museum in the capital of Great Britain and its branches
Madame Tussauds wax figures today are presented not only in London. The institution has its branches in different countries. You can admire the wax doubles of celebrities in Berlin, Amsterdam, Tokyo, New York, Sydney and other cities. In total, the museum has 14 branches around the world. From the moment when the talented woman sculptor Marie Tussauds created her first wax creation,several centuries have passed, since then its institution has become a huge entertainment industry. Only its London branch is annually visited by 2.5 million tourists from all over the world.
Maria's life in France
Marie Tussauds (before her marriage she bore the surname Grosholz) was born in 1761 in Strasbourg. Her mother worked as a simple housekeeper in the house of Philip Curtis, a doctor who made wax models of famous people. It was he who became for little Mary the first and only teacher who taught her art, which became the meaning of her whole life. In 1769, Curtis moved to Paris, taking with him a student and her mother. Here he organizes exhibitions of his works and receives orders for the production of wax doubles of Louis XV, Marie Antoinette and other noble persons.
Voltaire was the first celebrity whose appearance the talented student of Dr. Curtis managed to capture in wax. This happened in 1777, when Mary was only 16 years old. It was followed by the sculptures of Rousseau and Franklin. The wax figures of Madame Tussauds were striking in their extraordinary resemblance to their originals, and the craftswoman began to receive many profitable orders. The girl's talent was noticed by representatives of the royal family and she was invited to teach sculptural art to members of the royal family. During the French Revolution, she was assigned to make death masks of political and public figures sentenced to death. After the death of Curtis (1794), his entire huge collection passed toMary. The craftswoman began to replenish it with her creations.
Maria's move to London, organization of a permanent exhibition
In 1802, Tussauds brought wax sculptures of public figures and criminals to London. Due to the events of the Anglo-French War, she was unable to return to Paris and was forced to stay in England, moving with exhibits from one city to another. 1835 turned out to be a pivotal year for Marie Tussauds, as it was then that she managed to open a permanent exhibition of her work on Baker Street. From this moment begins the history of the Wax Museum, which glorified a talented woman throughout the world. At first, about 30 figures were presented at the exhibition, gradually it was replenished with new ones, among which were statues of W alter Scott, Admiral Nelson and other famous personalities. The life expectancy of the sculptures presented in the museum did not exceed three years, so the old figures had to be regularly replaced with new ones. It wasn't until Tussaud's death in 1850 that her sons Francois and Joseph invented a new technique for fixing wax, which made the figures more durable. Mary's children and grandchildren became worthy followers of her cause. In 1884, the Madame Tussauds wax figures changed address, moving to Marylebone Road. That is where the institution is now, welcoming its visitors.
Features of making wax figures
Today, Madame Tussauds is working on the creation of one sculpture for about 4 months. Each figure is worked on by a professional team consisting oftwo dozen people. Making a wax double of a famous person is like a piece of jewelry. Before making a statue, museum staff take several hundred measurements in order to accurately recreate the figure and facial features of a celebrity. Choosing a color to create a natural shade of the skin of a star and shaping her hairstyle is no less painstaking work that requires a lot of time. The result of such work is stunning: the sculpture of a celebrity comes out so believable that not everyone can tell where the copy is and where the original is.
Exhibits of the Modern London Museum
The wax figures of Madame Tussauds are more than 1000 exhibits, accurately depicting famous people from different eras. All members of the British royal family, presidents of the leading countries of the world, writers, scientists, generals, actors, singers, musicians, etc. are represented in the exhibition halls of the museum. Any celebrity is honored to get his double in the museum, because this indicates her popularity and public recognition. Here, under one roof, you can see Princess Diana, the young Beatles, Marilyn Monroe, Michael Jackson, Lady Gaga, Justin Bieber, Britney Spears, Gerard Depardieu, Nicole Kidman, Johnny Depp, David Beckham, Boris Yeltsin, Vladimir Putin and many other famous of people. Some figures move and even talk. In one of the halls, a small old woman made of wax, dressed in a black outfit, modestly stands. This is Marie Tussaud. She seems to be watching from the depths of centuries forthe vast wax empire she created.
Chamber of Horrors
Not only stars are represented in the museum. There is an exhibition hall in the institution, designed for people with a strong psyche. It's called "Chamber of Horrors". Here are collected wax figures of serial killers, maniacs hanging on the gallows of criminals. The collection is complemented by severed heads and instruments of torture. In the same room, you can see the death masks of representatives of the French royal family, made by Marie Tussaud's own hand. The entire hall evokes horror in visitors, so children, pregnant women and people with poor he alth and unstable mentality are not allowed to enter here.
Today it is difficult to meet a traveler who has been to London and has not seen the wax figures of Madame Tussauds. Photos with twins of their idols are the pride of any tourist. It is customary to brag about them, as well as pictures against the backdrop of the Eiffel Tower or the Egyptian pyramids. You can visit the museum on weekdays from 9.30 to 15.30. On holidays and weekends, the exhibition halls of the institution are open for guests until 18.00.
