Madame Tussauds Museum in London

Madame Tussauds Museum in London, located in the fashionable Marylebone district, is deservedly considered one of the symbols of the British capital along with Big Ben, Buckingham Palace, Hyde Park and others. It is also called “a landmark with a human face”. More precisely, with a thousand faces – according to the number of wax figures of famous figures of different epochs, including the living ones, exhibited here. In the halls of Madame Tussauds there is always a place for rising stars of politics or art: no sooner does someone celebrate an election victory or the success of his premiere, than his figure is here, already installed – to the delight of fans and admirers!

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Video: Madame Tussauds Museum in London

Contents

Highlights

Every year, the famous London museum is visited by about 2.5 million people. This figure speaks for itself: the interest in the unique collection is enormous. The characters represented in Madame Tussauds are always relevant. They reflect our past and present, while remaining above time and being perceived as part of world history. The collections gathered by Madame Tussauds and its followers teach us tolerance, the ability to assess different eras from the outside and to do so objectively and without bias.

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Of course, the exposition is not cognitive in nature, and in this respect Madame Tussauds in London is inferior to the Louvre in Paris or the State Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg. But visitors from all corners of the planet come here not for new knowledge, but to look at famous figures and their own idols. And for many it is not an entertainment, but the only opportunity to fulfill the deepest dream to see them, if not live, then at least in copies, as close as possible to the originals, to look them in the eyes. Man is so organized that he always strives for the stars. And it doesn’t matter that they are on Earth and made of wax…

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Who is Madame Tussauds?

To talk about the museum without telling about its founder would be wrong. Who is she, Madame Tussauds? As it turns out, a personality with a distinctive and rich biography.

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Maria Tussaud, born Anna Maria Grosholtz, was born on December 1, 1761 in Strasbourg, in a poor family. Her father was killed in the Seven Years’ War shortly before the birth of his daughter. In this city at that time lived and created Dr. Philip Curtis, in whose house our heroine’s mother worked as a housekeeper. He was engaged in the manufacture of models of wax, giving himself entirely to his favorite business. The girl watched him, showed interest. He readily shared with her the secrets of craftsmanship, taught and instructed, seeing that she has not just a childish curiosity.

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In 1765, Monsieur Curtis made a truly masterpiece – a wax figure of the mistress of the “Sun King” Louis XIV Marie Jeanne Dubari. Five years later, Maria’s teacher presented his first collection, which later enjoyed great popularity. The following exhibitions were organized in Paris: in 1776 in the Palais Palais-Royal, in 1782 – on the Boulevard du Templ. Around the same time the future Madame Tussauds began to make herself known. Her first work was a wax copy of Voltaire, made in 1777. It was followed by models of Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Benjamin Franklin.

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She also created posthumous casts of members of the Bourbon royal dynasty overthrown during the Great French Revolution of 1789. In 1794, an event that became a turning point in her destiny: Philip Curtis died suddenly and a rich collection of wax figures passed to her. This was a reward for thirty years of devotion, for help in organizing exhibitions of the doctor, managing his affairs. In 1795, Maria married the engineer François Tussauds. In the marriage were born two sons: Joseph and Francois. However, this union did not become happy. Her husband began to abuse alcohol and became addicted to cards, in which he lost almost everything that she earned at exhibitions.

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In 1802, having decided to leave her hopelessly downcast husband, Madame Tussauds moved to London with her collection. But a year later, another Anglo-French war broke out, which closed the way for her to return to her homeland. Maria decided to tour with her exhibition in Britain and Ireland, and so it continued until 1835, until on the urgent advice of her sons did not decide to “settle down” at a permanent address. The famous sculptor died in her sleep on April 18, 1850 at the age of 88, leaving behind a one-of-a-kind wax museum. Subsequently, branches of Madame Tussauds Museum opened in cities such as Amsterdam and Washington, D.C., New York and Hong Kong, Las Vegas and Copenhagen, Berlin and Shanghai, Vienna and Los Angeles.

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A tour of the museum’s history

The London authorities in 1835 allocated Mary’s premises on the famous Baker Street, known to us from Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes works. One of the central places in the museum was occupied by the so-called “Cabinet of Horrors”, the predecessor of which was the already mentioned exhibition on the Parisian Boulevard du Temple. In the neighboring rooms were placed figures of the fallen during the French Revolution, as well as murderers and other criminals, whose names were then on the rumor. Later the collection was enriched with models of other famous people. For example, the world-famous writer Walter Scott and the famous British Vice-Admiral Horatio Nelson (of course, wax) have received permanent “residence” here.

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Initially, the total number of figures did not exceed three dozen, and they looked as alive. But then the realism began to be lost as the quality of the material deteriorated over time. Finding a way to prolong the life of the models became the number one task. And it was found and patented. Since then, the figures have not been threatened, except for a big fire that happened in 1925 and the devastating bombing of German aircraft in 1941. After that the museum had to be restored from the ruins, this was done by the great-grandchildren of Tussauds. At that time it was already at a new address – in the Marylebone district.

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Madame Tussauds Museum: what to see?

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The first thing that a visitor to the famous treasure trove of wax masterpieces will have to face is…. queue. It is truly huge and seems endless. But still, you won’t have to wait too long: 30-40 minutes, and here you are at the ticket office, where you can buy the cherished ticket. At the entrance the guests are met by the figure of a thin elderly woman in black, but with a kind face and round glasses on her nose. Meet Madame Tussauds herself. More precisely, a sculpture-autoportrait, which the founder of the museum sculpted from wax – don’t be surprised! – at the age of 81. It’s like an invitation to come in.

So, let’s enter… In front of us there are several thematic halls, where exhibits are scattered. To see everything in a short time will not work, it will take two or three hours, or even more. All the figures in Madame Tussauds are so remarkable that literally every one wants to take a picture for memory. You can also make your own picture on the background of this or that celebrity, so even before the excursion take care that your camera has enough charge. And try not to use it up at the “World Arena” – the largest hall where the figures of politicians and cultural figures covering the period from the Middle Ages to the present day are collected. The oldest of them are particularly awe-inspiring, as they were made by Madame Tussauds herself.

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Oscar Wilde and William Shakespeare, Queen Elizabeth II and her husband Prince Philip, Princess Diana and her sons Prince William and Harry, Duchess of Cambridge Kate Middleton – this is not a complete list of famous people whose figures are in this hall. All the more so because the other half of the hall is home to the most important political and religious figures whose decisions have had a significant impact on the course of human history. Among them are the most famous British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and the odious Nazi leader Adolf Hitler, Indira Gandhi, who died from the bullets of Sikh separatists, and the former French leader Nicolas Sarkozy. Around the figure of the 44th President of the United States Barack Obama is even recreated the atmosphere of the famous Oval Office in the White House. To the left of his American counterpart stands the figure of Russian President Vladimir Putin, keeping calm and poised.

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The most famous room of Madame Tussauds Museum in London is the “Room of Terror”. Already the name says that children under 12 years old, expectant mothers and people with a labile psyche prefer not to look here. The exhibits collected here show us dark and frankly bloody pages of human history. Instruments of medieval torture are the most harmless thing you can see here. The real horror is instilled by the severed heads of all eight wives of the English King Henry VIII Tudor, figures of egregious killers and maniacs, “famous” for terrible crimes for the whole world.

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Adrenaline and thrills are added by the museum staff. They, dressed in black, suddenly emerge from the darkness and grab the hands of visitors. If they hit a woman, a loud squeal is guaranteed. However, such “special effects” do not stop other tourists, who in pursuit of thrills express a desire … to stay here for the night. 100 pounds sterling in the cash register – and the dream comes true. And they say there are plenty of such daredevils.

To take your mind off politics and horror, another part of the hall, the World Arena, will help. It is devoted to music and musicians. Here on the sofa is the famous Liverpool four “Beatles”. Robbie Williams and Freddie Mercury in the company of Jimi Hendrix and Beyonce seem to be looking somewhere in the audience and waiting for applause. And there is a flirty Christina Aguilera, ready to give an autograph. Justin Timberlake, a nine-time Grammy winner, looks incredulous: maybe it’s just me? Placido Domingo, as befits a legend of the opera stage, aristocratically seated a little away from everyone.

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Let’s look into the next room of Madame Tussauds. It’s called the “A List Party.” Here, as if in an elite club for a select few, world celebrities gathered. The inseparable Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt sit at the same table with George Clooney. Next to them is the star couple David and Victoria Beckham. Fans of the sensational movie-catastrophe “Titanic” with pleasure shake hands with Leonardo DiCaprio, who played the role of Jack Dawson. A lot of people want to get a photo with Robert Pattinson, who played Edward Cullen in the vampire saga “Twilight”. There is no shortage of those who want to take a closer look at the erotic forms of American actress Jennifer Lopez.

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A real mecca for movie buffs was “Premiere Night” – a hall where wax figures of American Hollywood stars are collected. The eye immediately focuses on Arnold Schwarzenegger, who is represented as his iconic hero Terminator. There are also copies of Michael Douglas, Jim Carrey, Harrison Ford. The stars of the Indian “dream factory” are not neglected. Famous Bollywood is represented by the figures of such actors as Amitabh Bachchan, Aishwarya Rai, Shahrukhk Khan, Mathuri Dikshit, Salman Khan, Ritik Roshan. The latter, one of India’s sexiest actors, is among the top ten most kissed sculptures at Madame Tussaud’s Museum in London.

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Next to the sculptures of real actors are copies of cartoon characters: Spider-Man, Hulk, Shrek. Other Marvel Comics characters can also be seen at Madame Tussauds. They were filmed in a 10-minute 3D-movie, which was loved by both children and adults. Moving chairs, wind and even real splashes add to the realism of the animated action.

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Features of figure creation

The wax figures at Madame Tussauds are not just impressive – they are literally stunning in their realism. Celebrities are often photographed here with their doppelgangers and put the pictures on social networks. Looking at them, it is not always possible to distinguish a living person from a museum clone. This resemblance is the result of painstaking labor of a team of talented craftsmen, whose hands create real works of art.

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Before starting work, they carefully take all the measurements. Stars of politics and art, it happens, linger at the sculptors for several hours. But they stubbornly endure this routine, because to be immortalized in wax is considered an honor.

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And what if the prototype of the future model is no longer alive? From whom to take the measure? In such cases, photographs come to the rescue.

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The actual making of the sculpture begins with the choice of pose and its fixation. This stage dispenses with wax: the legs are made of hard metal, and hands – from pliable aluminum. After a week, when the frame is ready, it will be covered with a layer of clay. The casts are then used to cast the wax parts. The higher the quality of the cast, the more realistic the future exhibit.

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Then in clay molds poured purified and heated to 74 degrees beeswax, which is mixed with dye to give it a natural shade of human skin. The final stage is called “cosmetic”: bumps and burrs are removed from the cooled surface of the figure. Work on one model usually lasts more than a month, so the collection of Madame Tussauds in London is replenished slowly, only 15-20 copies a year. Each one costs $50,000 and up.

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Opening hours, how to get there, tickets

The location of Madame Tussauds has remained unchanged for almost a century and a half, it is the Marylebone district – one of the most fashionable in the capital of Foggy Albion. The full address in English is Marylebone Road, London, NW1 5LR.

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The building that houses the exhibits was formerly a planetarium and is located near Regent’s Park, which lies between historic Westminster and London’s borough of Camden.

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The nearest tube station is Baker Street. It can be reached by bus. Route numbers are 3, 13, 18, 27, 27, 30, 74, 82, 113 and 274.

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The Madame Tussauds Museum in London welcomes visitors daily. It is open from 10:00 to 17:30 on weekdays, from 9:30 to 17:30 on Saturdays and Sundays, and until 18:00 on holidays. The tourist season brings its own adjustments to the schedule: in July-September it is open until 19:00.

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The cost of visiting is different and depends on many circumstances. On the official website www.madametussauds.com tickets can be purchased at a 25% discount. If you pay at the box office, you will have to shell out the full price.

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Significant savings await those who decide to visit the museum in the evening. What this is due to, it is difficult to say, but the fact remains. An excursion after 17:00 will cost only £15.

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