Millions of visitors every year pass through the doors of the Madame Tussaud wax museum, one of the most unusual museums in the world , first opened more than 200 years ago. Until now, the museum remains as popular as before. There are many reasons for such success, but the most important of them is the curiosity and desire of people to touch the great and famous. Today's visitors to Madame Tussaud's museum go to a unique, emotionally charged journey, where many wax figures look alive, nothing separates them from the audience, they can be touched, photographed with them, and every morning the servants bring their appearance to order. And the Madame Tussauds Museum, located in New York, reveals secrets of making wax figures to its visitors.
History of the Museum
The history of the creation of the museum is fascinating and has its roots in Paris in the 18th century, where Maria Tussaud studied to model wax figures under the direction of Dr. Philip Curtis, whose mother worked as a housekeeper. Her first wax figure, Mary performed at 16 years old, it was a model of Voltaire.
In 1770, Curtis showed the public his first popular exhibition of wax figures. After the death of Philip Curtis, his collection passed to Maria Tussauds.
Madame Tussaud came to the UK in the early 19th century, along with an exhibition of revolutionary relics and figures of public heroes and villains. Because of the impossibility of returning to her native France, Tussaud decided to travel with her exposition in Ireland and the UK.
In 1835, the first permanent exhibition of the wax museum in London on Baker Street was founded, then the collection moved to Marylebone Road.
Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum in London
Tourists and travelers visiting London, always look to the Madame Tussauds Wax Museum, which is considered one of the city 's most popular attractions .
The central exposition of the museum is the "Room of Horrors", which collected figures of victims of the French Revolution, serial killers and famous criminals, as Madame Tussaud was very interested in villains who committed high-profile crimes. She got access to the prison, where she took off masks from living people, and sometimes dead people. The faces of these wax figures are very expressive, and the shocked public watches, as it were, the tragedy played out. During the French Revolution, she created posthumous masks of representatives of the royal family.
Everything that happens in the world is reflected in the museum
The sculptures of the Madame Tussauds are always relevant and natural. If there is a new Hollywood star, pop star, political, world or public leader, as well as musicians, scientists, writers, sportsmen, actors, leading and especially beloved by all the movie heroes, their wax figures immediately appear in the museum.
In one of the halls of the museum you can see a small, sharp-witted old woman in black. This figure - Madame Tussauds, her self-portrait at the age of 81 years.
Today, more than 1000 wax exhibits from different eras are in the Madame Tussauds museum, and each year the collection is replenished with new masterpieces.
To create each wax masterpiece takes at least four months of work of a team of 20 sculptors. Titanic work that causes admiration!
Where else in the world are the museums of Madame Tussauds?
Madame Tussaud's wax museum has branches in 13 cities around the world:
- in America: Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Washington, New York;
- in Europe: Amsterdam, Berlin, Blackpool, Vienna;
- in Asia: Bangkok, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Tokyo;
- in Australia: Sydney.
In the fall of 2013, the 14th branch of the museum in Wuhan in China will open.
The case, started by Maria Tussaud in the 17th century, has now turned into a huge entertainment empire, which every year develops new directions and expands its geography.
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