Madame Tussauds
Madame Tussauds (UK: /tuːˈsɔːdz/, US: /tuːˈsoʊz/)[1][N. 1] is a wax museum founded in London in 1835 by the French wax sculptor Marie Tussaud.[2][3] One of the early main attractions was the Chamber of Horrors, which appeared in advertising in 1843.[4]
This article is about the wax museum. For the person, see Marie Tussaud.Established
In 1883, the restricted space of the original Baker Street site prompted Tussaud's grandson (Joseph Randall) to commission the building at its current London location on Marylebone Road. The new exhibition galleries were opened on 14 July 1884 and were a great success. Madame Tussaud & Sons was incorporated as a private limited company (Ltd.) in 1889.[5]
A major tourist attraction in London since the Victorian era, Madame Tussauds displays the waxworks of famous and historical figures, as well as popular film and television characters played by famous actors.[6] Operated by the British entertainment company Merlin Entertainments, the museum now has locations in cities across four continents, with the first overseas branch opening in Amsterdam in 1970.[7]
History[edit]
Background[edit]
Marie Tussaud was born as Marie Grosholtz in 1761 in Strasbourg, France. Her mother worked for Philippe Curtius in Bern, Switzerland; he was a physician skilled in wax modelling. Curtius taught Tussaud the art of wax modelling when she was a child; when he moved to Paris, Marie and her mother followed.[8]
Grosholtz created her first wax sculpture, of Voltaire, in 1777.[9] At 17, according to her memoirs, she became art tutor to Madame Elizabeth, the sister of King Louis XVI. During the French Revolution, she was imprisoned for three months, but was subsequently released.[8] During the Revolution, she made models of many prominent victims.[10]
In popular culture[edit]
Celebrity poses with their wax figures[edit]
Celebrities have often posed like their wax figures as pranks and publicity stunts:
Madame Tussaud herself at Madame Tussauds in London. Her death mask is visible in the background on the left.
