Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum: History and Modernity

Madame Tussaud's wax museum is often called an "attraction for tourists" - huge queues and a lack of tickets involuntarily draw this picture in the imagination. What's so strange? Millions of people want to look at a unique collection of artifacts created by a talented sculptor in wax. What is the history of the museum? How did it all start? What exhibits are waiting for tourists today? Let's find out.

A bit of history: who is Madame Tussauds?

The founder of the museum, Marie, was born in Strasbourg in the 18th century. She did not have a father, she was raised by her stepfather - Philippe Curtus. The man treated the girl very well, he replaced her not only with her father, but with her teacher and mentor. After the family moved to Paris, Philippe began to make small busts of wax. After all, in those days there were still no cameras, and if someone wanted to capture himself for ages, then he ordered exactly such figures, busts. This pleasure was far from everyone can afford, but it has become very popular. This activity was so interesting to Marie that she joined her with great pleasure and showed considerable talent.

And what happened next?

Once Philip and his stepdaughter made the bust of Voltaire, the great philosopher. After a while, Voltaire died, and Marie and her stepfather became the only people who possessed the impression of a famous wax-person made during his lifetime! They put a bust of the philosopher on public display in the window of his shop. Of course, this sculpture attracted many buyers. By the time Marie became quite grown up, she married François Tussauds. However, the marriage was unsuccessful. Marie was looking for her husband's help and support, understanding, but he drank a lot and was too addicted to gambling. The two sons who were born with them could not connect their parents. The collection of wax figures of Marie steadily grew, and marriage with the same speed fell apart. When the cup of patience was already full, Marie left her husband, leaving her name and taking her sons. They moved to London, where the woman began to translate into reality all her desires and dreams.

And in this case, you can not do without difficulties

Yes, with problems sooner or later all face. Marie did not escape this fate. Once the steamer, who was transporting wax figures to an exhibition in Liverpool, drowned. This not only did not upset Marie, but even inspired her: she doubly restored them, sewed new costumes, modeled hairstyles. This simply titanic work deserves respect and recognition, which, in fact, Marie received. She restored dozens of figures, and her exposition was waited in all places with impatience and delight. Marie quite arranged a nomadic way of life, and her sons - no. They offered to make a permanent exhibition, for which they bought a building in the center of London, which everyone now knows as Madame Tussaud's wax museum. Today, Mari's great-grandsons continue this business, open branches and create new masterpieces.

Wax Museum in London

In her entire life, Marie had to make figures of different people. Her first works included not only the bust of Voltaire, but also the figures of Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Benjamin Franklin. And during the French Revolution the sculptor was trusted to make masks of influential persons, rulers, criminals, victims of that time. All these figures you can see in London, and their value is that made all the casts from nature. At the moment the exposition includes more than a thousand creations of the past and the present. The museum of wax figures, photos of which you can see here, works daily. The eyes of the tourist will be actors and politicians, directors of Hollywood, royal people, and scientists. Everyone can make a photo of the exhibit. Just imagine, Napoleon and Robespierre were fashioned by Madame Tussaud from nature! And what are smells, sounds and even moving figures!

The horror room

This place is in the museum, which especially attracts people. The fact is that for her life Marie often had to face death. Since in Paris she was a famous master, the leaders of the revolution instructed her to make casts from faces of guillotine victims who had already been beheaded. In the room of horrors are represented not only these, but also other types of punishment, crimes from history.

Museum in London today

Not only busts and figures from the past include a museum of wax figures, there are plenty of modern music and film stars. What are the charming and feminine Audrey Hepburn, the unforgettable Elvis Presley, the brave Bruce Willis, the muscular Arnold Schwarzenegger! Particular attention should be paid to Brad Pitt and his ex-girlfriend - Jennifer Aniston.

The thing is that almost every day on every exhibition of the master, people change, so the sculpture must also be transformed in order to show the real state of things. When Brad and Jennifer were together, the sculptors created a beautiful wax couple. They stood next to each other, even embracing slightly, demonstrating their love. After the separation of young people in real life, the sculpture became irrelevant, they had to be divided, which cost the museum a tidy sum.

The Wax Museum is especially proud of the composition on the theme of Christmas - the birth of a little Jesus. The roles of Joseph and Mary were entrusted to David and Victoria Beckham. Such a decision was not spontaneous, it was accepted by visitors in the process of filling out special questionnaires. According to the majority opinion, the magi were George W. Bush, Tony Blair and the Duke of Edinburgh. The angel is Kylie Minogue, and the shepherds are Samuel Jackson, Hugh Grant and Graham Norton.

Where are the branches of the main museum?

According to data for 2013, the Wax Museum has branches in 13 locations: Los Angeles, Las Vegas, New York, Washington, Amsterdam, Berlin, Vienna, Bangkok, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Tokyo, Sydney, as well as in Canada . Each of them is a real show, where the sculptures move and talk in the spirit of the past.

By the way, it is worth discussing the question of why many believe that there is a museum of wax figures in Paris. In 1881, Arthur Meyer, a journalist, was eager to arrange something like Madame Tussauds. He wanted to create the people he wrote about in his newspaper. To date, there are about 500 figures, and the place is also popular with tourists.

A museum of wax figures - this is today the attraction of London, which everyone wants to see!