Madame Tussauds Museum (London, Great Britain) - expositions, opening hours, address, phone numbers, official website.
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Marie Tussauds mastered the intricacies of wax figure making during her mother's years as a housekeeper for Philip Curtis, a wax figure maker. Madame Tussauds, who transported her figures around the cities and villages of England (as magicians, circus performers or itinerant troupes of that time), settled in London in 1835. In the late 19th century, the museum moved from Baker Street to a house on Marylebone Road, where it remains today. The concept has changed little: those who are massively successful (frightening, disgusting or delightful) should be sculpted without delay. The Liverpool Four, Marilyn Monroe and Audrey Hepburn, Hitler, Chaplin coexist with Amy Winehouse, the royal family, including the hereditary couple, Benedict Cumberbatch and the heroes of all Star Wars episodes.
Today, Madame Tussauds is the largest and most famous wax museum in the world. Movie and show business stars, presidents and prime ministers of various countries, the president, kings and queens - who is not on display! Branches of the museum operate in 10 more cities on different continents, so now you can argue in which of the museums Tom Cruise or J. Lo look more natural. At the London Museum, you can stand in line for up to several hours, as it is extremely popular with tourists.
The degree of realism of the performance is amazing, it is complemented by the “ability” of some figures to move, talk and respond to the actions of visitors: Jennifer Lopez, for example, blushes from indiscreet looks.
The popularity of the museum is not declining, as it is always sensitive to the emergence of new outstanding personalities and celebrities, regardless of their type of activity. The appearance of new characters in the exposition is held solemnly, in the presence of representatives of the press and numerous guests. But the statues disappear quietly and imperceptibly, as soon as their real counterparts lose their popularity. Of course, there are characters who, with their real qualities, have provided their wax counterparts with a permanent place in the museum's collection.
It would seem that entertainment is childish, but many tourists consider Madame Tussauds to be a “must-visit” place in London, although the entrance fee is quite high (however, interesting promotions can be found on the museum’s website, for example, a combined ticket for two places).
Many people at Madame Tussauds are attracted by the opportunity to be photographed hugging a star. Museum staff do not mind, despite the fact that enthusiastic tourists have already squeezed several characters to death. But the most interesting section is the exhibition "Spirit of London", which presents scenes of London life in different eras, from the time of Elizabeth to the present.
Madame Tussauds museum
Madame Tussauds in London should certainly be included in the list of the most famous and interesting collections of sights. There are few people in the world who have never heard of the amazing collection of wax figures. Well, those people who happened to visit the capital of Great Britain, probably did not forget about this famous landmark of London and visited there.
History of creation
The founder of the museum was born in a military family named Grosholtz. The family lived in the city of Strasbourg, but after the death of the head of the family, which happened even before the birth of the youngest daughter Maria (in 1761), the widowed mother and children moved to Bern. There, the woman entered the position of housekeeper in the house of Dr. Curtis. The doctor at this time decided to finish his medical practice in order to do his favorite thing - the creation of naturalistic figures cast in wax.
In 1767 Dr. Curtis and Maria's family moved to the capital of France. From a very young age, the girl begins to comprehend the difficult art of creating figures from wax, as the doctor is extremely kind to Mary and does not spare time for her training.
At that time, the creation of wax figures was a profitable business, because there was not even a movie yet, so the only opportunity for many people to see what a celebrity looks like was visiting wax exhibitions.
After some time, Maria Grosholtz received an invitation from the King's sister Elizabeth to come to Versailles, where the girl spent 9 years. She was able to complete her education and gain useful work skills by creating wax copies of the king's relatives.
During the "revolutionary" purges that began in 1789, Maria, as a person close to the royal family, is imprisoned. There she met Madame de Beauharnais, who later became the wife of Emperor Bonaparte. Maria miraculously escaped execution, since the new authorities needed to create a wax copy of the murdered Robespierre, and a better master could not be found to perform this work.
After Napoleon came to power, things improved for Mary. Her mentor, Dr. Curtis, had died by that time, and she was independently and quite successfully doing her work. After some time, Mary marries and receives her husband's surname, becoming Madame Tussauds. True, the marriage was not very successful, and Maria, along with her two sons, leaves her husband for London. There, the family organizes a traveling exhibition, showing celebrity figures made of wax in different cities.
When Maria was 74 years old, a stationary exhibition was opened. The first museum building in London was located on Baker Street. After the death of Mary, who lived to be almost 90 years old, her sons and grandchildren continued the work of creating wax copies of famous people. In 1884, the exhibition was moved to a new building located on Marylebone Road, where the museum is located today. Although today the museum is no longer run by the descendants of Mary.
It must be said that there were many tragic villages in the history of the museum. So in 1925 there was a strong fire that destroyed most of the collection. But according to the preserved forms, the exposition was restored. Another serious incident happened during a Nazi air raid on London. An air bomb hit the building, destroying a significant part of the exhibits, which then had to be painstakingly restored.
Modern everyday life
And today Madame Tussauds wax museum in London is one of the most visited museums in the world. Every year it receives about 2.5 million visitors. A visit to the museum is not an easy visual experience, visitors will learn interesting facts about their biographies about the exhibits presented, the figures are allowed to be touched and photographed with them.
Every day before the opening of the museum, eight experts inspect the exhibition. Each specialist performs a certain part of the maintenance of the exhibits. One is responsible for the hairstyle of the exhibited figures, the other corrects makeup as necessary, the third is responsible for the costumes, etc.
Modern craftsmen are engaged in the manufacture of one figure for about six months, the cost of each of the exhibits is about 50 thousand dollars. About two dozen new figures are created per year. To achieve an ideal resemblance to living people, several dozen photos of the face and body are taken in different projections.
The modern exposition consists of 400 sculptures depicting famous historical figures and contemporary celebrities. But the first figure that visitors see is an elderly lady in a snow-white bonnet, this is the image of the founder of the museum, that is, Madame Tussauds herself.
Then, passing through the halls, you can see copies of famous personalities. Even the photos of the exhibits show that the images are frighteningly realistic. When viewed "live" impressions are even stronger.
You can see a variety of celebrities in the exhibition. Here and famous musicians, and actors, and politicians. Some characters are given special attention. For example, Napoleon and his wife are given two halls, in which, in addition to the figures of historical figures, some personal items belonging to the emperor's family are presented.
An exposition dedicated to the royal family is presented in a separate room. There are figures of the current Queen Elizabeth and young princes - William with his charming wife Kate and Harry.
Workers of culture and science are not left without attention. Moreover, visitors are offered to “compete” with celebrities. For example, you can take an interactive quiz to compare your IQ to Albert Einstein's IQ, or to see if a visitor or Picasso is more creative.
The museum presents not only the figures of real people, there are special rooms where you can look at famous literary and film characters. It will be interesting for children and adults to look at Jack Sparrow, shake hands with Shrek or take pictures with Spider-Man.
When creating figures for expositions, masters use all the achievements of scientific and technological progress. Some figures may move or engage in conversation with visitors.
Attraction "Spirit of London"
An interesting and funny attraction, which is very popular with visitors, allows you to fully plunge into the atmosphere of medieval London. Museum guests are offered to stay in small cabins and are transported through the halls, in which the atmosphere of “old” London is meticulously recreated. Moreover, the characters that visitors will meet are by no means static. The townspeople will greet the guests with their hands, and the military personnel will salute.
The famous room of horrors
Speaking of the museum, one cannot fail to mention the famous room of horrors. This section of the museum is of particular interest to visitors, because the figures of the bloodiest and most terrible villains from the history of mankind are collected there. To visit the horror room, you need to have strong nerves, so children, pregnant women and people suffering from heart disease are not allowed there.
In the room you can see horror scenes from medieval torture chambers. And since visiting the halls is accompanied by special audio effects that imitate the screams of people during torture, the impression of the tour will be extremely strong. The tours are also attended by groups of made-up actors who suddenly appear in the halls. I must say that all this can be very frightening, so people who are not sure about the stability of their nervous system should better refuse such an excursion.
Of course, to describe all the exhibits and tell about all the attractions of the famous London Museum is an impossible task. And no one will be able to convey in words and photographs the impressions that are born when visiting a unique collection of celebrity figures. That is why the Tussauds Museum remains one of the most visited and loved by tourists places in London.
How to get?
It remains to tell where the famous museum is located. The exact address of this attraction is London, Marylebone Rd, NW1 5LR. You can get there by subway to Baker Street station or by bus route 274, 74, 113, 82.
Finding the right place is not difficult, the photo of the building shows that it has an unusual domed roof and stands out from the rest of the buildings.
On weekdays, the exposition is open from 10 am to 5:30 pm. On weekends, the museum opens half an hour earlier, and on holidays it closes half an hour later.
The total cost of a ticket to visit the exhibition is 30 euros for an adult, and 25 for a child. But, if you buy tickets online on the museum website, you can save from 10 to 25%. On the museum's website, you can buy a complex ticket that allows you to purchase several famous London attractions at once, such a "wholesale" purchase allows you to save a significant amount.
Madame Tussauds has branches located in 14 different cities around the world, so you can see the famous wax figures not only in London.
One of the most famous museums and symbols of London, the Wax Museum opened in 1835. It is named after Mary Tussauds, nee Grosholtz. She was born in 1761 in Strasbourg, but after the death of her father, the family moved to Bern. The girl's mother got a job with Dr. Philip Curtius, who skillfully created figures of famous people from wax. This meeting became fateful. Maria begins to study with him, shows a keen interest in creating wax figures and already at the age of 16 creates her first work - an exact copy of Voltaire. Subsequently, this and other early sculptures of her will be included in the collection of Madame Tussauds in London.
In 1802, having survived the revolution, prison and an unsuccessful marriage, Maria and her sons moved to Great Britain, where for many years she traveled around the country with an exhibition. This brings her increasing popularity, and the number of wax sculptures is growing every year. And in 1835, the sons persuade Mary to open the first permanent exhibition on Baker Street, and the exhibition immediately wins the love of the townspeople. In 1845, the Cabinet of Horrors appeared in the museum, in which figures of serial killers and death masks of the executed were exhibited. In 1884, the wax museum moved to Marylebone Road, where it remains to this day. In 1925, a fire destroyed most of the collection, but the wax forms were preserved, and many exhibits were restored.
To date, Madame Tussauds has 19 branches around the world, the most famous of which are in Amsterdam, Vienna, Berlin, Singapore, New York and Hong Kong.
Wax figures
The first figures of the Tussauds Museum in London were short-lived, they could be stored for only a few years. After the death of Marie Tussauds, her sons took care of preserving the figures and creating a more durable way to make them, but in general, the technology has not changed much. However, modern technologies have given sculptors ample opportunities for improving figures - artificial skin, visually close to the present, plates of eyes and nails. Dentists are working on the smile of the figures, and hairdressers and craftsmen are implanting hair, doing their hair.
Currently, for greater effect, not only costumes corresponding to the era are used, but also computer modeling of the voice, animation on the backgrounds of the compositions and the movement of the wax figures themselves.
Exhibits at Madame Tussauds
Madame Tussauds today is a set of thematic exhibitions of wax figures, each of which contains unique works. The museum exposition includes halls Party And "Music", where you can see almost all famous singers, actors and musicians of the past and present, such as Michael Jackson, Lady Gaga, Madonna, Nicole Kidman, and in the hall fashion week you can get behind the scenes of Fashion Week and meet the figures of famous personalities of this area.
Halls film And Bollywood will introduce visitors to the greatest figures from the history of world cinema - Audrey Hepburn, Marilyn Monroe, Steven Spielberg and others. There are also themed halls dedicated to the heroes of modern blockbusters ( Alien: Escape, Kong: Skull Island), which presents not only the figures of the main characters, but also created backgrounds and special effects that immerse you in the plots of the movie.
Also in the museum there is a hall with figures of prominent figures of science and culture ( Hall "Culture"), including Albert Einstein, William Shakespeare, Pablo Picasso and others. Here you can also see Madame Tussauds herself, bending over another wax exhibit.
In addition, the museum has Hall "Sport", whose figures are outstanding athletes of the world.
For children Madame Tussauds has prepared a lot of interesting things: in addition to halls with movie characters, there is an exposition with figures of heroes of famous comics and films Marvel and Star Wars. Children can take pictures with Spider-Man, Hulk and superheroes, and 4D cinema, located inside the dome of the museum, will captivate young visitors with realistic animation and modern special effects.
Also for children and parents there is a hall dedicated to Sherlock Holmes. It hosts interactive excursions into the world of a literary hero through famous places in London.
Madame Tussauds offers visitors a journey through the pages of London's history ( "Spirit of London Ride"), where you can meet witnesses of historical events recreated from wax.
The most popular are the halls of the museum associated with political figures of the world ( world leaders), including Martin Luther King, Mahatma Gandhi, Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin and, in fact, the British royal family ( "Royal"). There are always many visitors here.
Of the recent innovations of the museum, the exposition dedicated to the wedding of Prince Harry stands out ( "Harry and Meghan"), where you can see the figures of the newlyweds and the attributes of the ceremony.
Tickets and opening hours
There are several types of tickets at Madame Tussauds (prices are in pounds sterling, 1 pound = 1.15 euros):
children's(from 3 to 15 years old) - £30 (buy online - £19.50)
adult(from 16 years old) - £35 (when buying online - £29)
family- £27 adult (16+ years old), £22.50 child (3-15 years old), valid up to 5 people - no more than 2 adults and no less than 2 children, includes entrance to Star Wars and " Marvel Super Heroes (can only be purchased online)
premium- £53.50 (online - £45), includes fast entry to the museum through a separate entrance, access to all halls and free popcorn during the visit to the 4D cinema.
Madame Tussauds also holds promotions: when buying combo ticket- Discount for visiting the museum. Combi is a ticket to Madame Tussauds and an additional 1,2 or 4 attractions, including the London eye - the famous Ferris wheel.
Examples of combo tickets:
- Metro: The museum is just a two-minute walk from the Baker Street subway station. Bakerloo, Circle, Jubilee, Metropolitan and Hammersmith & City metro lines.
- by suburban train: to the station "Marylebone", then - 10 minutes on foot.
- by bus: stop "Baker street station", routes No. 18, 27, 30, 74, 113, 139, 205, 453.
- by taxi using Gettaxi and Uber mobile apps.
Madame Tussauds London - Google Maps panorama
Video: Madame Tussauds London virtual tour
Madame Tussauds is the most popular and largest wax museum in the world. It exhibits more than 1000 exhibits of such different eras. The main building is located in the Marylebone area of London, and its branches are "scattered" around the world.
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The history of this amazing place began almost 2 centuries ago on Baker Street (1835). However, like any story, it had its own fascinating backstory, which originated in the workshop of Dr. Curtis.
- Born in Strasbourg in 1761.
- He spent his childhood in France in the house of Dr. Philip Curtis (Tussaud's mother helped him run the household)
- Dr. Curtis first dealt with anatomical models in wax, and then with figures; the girl became his apprentice
- She created her first wax figure at the age of 16 (Voltaire)
- Also famous works of Tussauds: Franklin, Rousseau, royal death masks
- When Philip Curtis passed away, he left his work to Mary
History of the museum
Tussauds moved from France to London in 1802. In the early years of its existence, the wax exhibition was mobile and traveled around the Irish and British lands. Subsequently (1835), the sons managed to persuade their mother to settle in Baker Street. Londoners enthusiastically accepted the museum.
The Cabinet of Horrors, which was released in 1845 and continues to exist to this day, played a huge role in gaining fame for the museum. In the office were put on display: the figures of recognizable criminals and murderers of that time, as well as a collection of death masks of those who died from the Paris guillotine.
The collection of exhibits grew. There was a need for a larger space. Ultimately, in 1884, the museum changed its location to Marylebone Road. There he remained.
big fire
In 1925, a massive fire broke out in the building. Most of the exhibits were destroyed. However, the owners of the museum were very lucky: the forms remained intact, thanks to which they managed to restore the lost copies.
The invaluable contribution of the Tussaud brothers
After the death of Madame Tussauds in 1850, the museum was inherited by her sons. The contribution of the brothers to the continuation of the work of the mother is invaluable. Previously, the shelf life of the exhibits was only a few years. The heirs made tremendous efforts to find a way to extend the "life" of the figures. And found. The technology was patented, and is used almost unchanged to this day.
Museum today
In our century, when creating wax exhibits, modern technologies are used: a skin that looks like a real one, special plastic for forming nails and eyes of figures.
Moreover, at the present time, to recreate the atmosphere of expositions, the following are used:
- Voice simulation using computer technology
- Adding additional sound effects
- Animated paintings in the background of the models
- Some exhibits are even capable of movement and reaction to visitors.
Wax Jennifer Lopez even blushes from the indiscreet looks of visitors.
Relevance of exhibits
Currently, the museum is filled not only with figures of historical figures, but also scientists, artists, politicians and other recognizable personalities and characters. Models of Madame Tussauds are always interesting and relevant. The appearance of new exhibits is solemn, noisy, with many guests and even with the presence of the press. And the figures disappear as soon as the original prototypes lose their relevance - modestly and imperceptibly.
With wax figures, you can even take pictures in an embrace or kiss on the cheek. The administration, despite the wear of especially relevant models, has nothing against it.
Museum pride and innovation
"Spirit of London" is perhaps the most interesting exposition of the museum. It shows scenes from the life of London, belonging to different eras. From the reign of Elizabeth of England to the present.
A few years ago, a 4D show with Marvel superheroes appeared at the museum - children are delighted with this innovation. This is a 10-minute film featuring famous comic book characters. 4D technology is an addition to the usual 3D special effects for all of us: moving chairs, wind, splashes.
In addition, thematic films are shown on very large screens, allowing you to plunge into the atmosphere of different historical eras of London: from the Great Fire of 1666 to the 20th century.
It would seem that children's entertainment, but most travelers consider Madame Tussauds an integral part of the London tourist program.
Ticket prices, address and opening hours
The information is indicative, the price tag is taken on a weekday in November from the official website of Madame Tussauds. Prices are in pounds.
You can check the prices for the scheduled day of visit (including weekends) and what entertainment program is included in the price of standard and premium tickets on the official website of Madame Tussauds.
Address: Marylebone Road, London, London NW15LR
Opening hours in November:
- Mon. - Fri.: 9:30-17:30
- Sat, Sun: 9:00-18:00
- November 28 change in the schedule: 9:00-17:30
Madame Tussauds Wax Museum is located in London and is considered one of the most interesting museums in. Its creator is Marie Tussaud. Marie Grosholtz, after Tussaud's marriage, was a native of Strasbourg, lived with her mother first in Bern, and then moved to Paris. She learned the craft of wax-working from Philip Wilhelm Curtius, for whom her mother worked as a housekeeper. At first, anatomical models were his profile, but then he began to create sculptures of people. Marie Tussaud soon surpassed her teacher.
First wax figure of Madame Tussauds was very accurate and precise. She was very good at portraying the great people of that time. Its first figures were Voltaire, Benjamin Franklin, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau. After the sculptures were successful, the royal family invited the girl to create their figures. Thanks to good relations with the royal family, Marie was called to where she taught art to members of the royal family.
Over time, Marie Tussaud's collection of wax figures grew in popularity. In 1802, Marie left on a tour of Great Britain and never returned to Paris. With her figures, she traveled around Ireland and Great Britain. Only in 1835 did she settle in one place and open a permanent exhibition in London on Baker Street. This first museum madam Tussauds. It houses the sculpture of Marie Tussaud, which she made herself. The collection of wax figures moved to Marylebone Road in 1884. Many figures were destroyed by fire in 1925, but thanks to the fact that Marie Tussaud kept all the forms, the sculptures were able to be restored.
Making death masks, creating figures of killers and victims, Marie Tussauds has collected a large number of creepy sculptures. They fill the “Cabinet of Horrors” in the museum. In it you can see sculptures of Walter Scott, Admiral Nelson, famous criminals, victims of the French Revolution and murderers.
Currently, the Madame Tussauds wax museum has more than a thousand wax figures. It brings together people of different professions and different eras. Any person will find a figure they like here among the sculptures of singers, actresses and actors, movie and TV series characters, world leaders, representatives of different religions, members of the royal family, astronauts and athletes. The museum also presents whole scenes of the life of people from different eras. The sculptures are so realistic that interest in them does not dry out.
Madame Tussauds celebrity wax figures are very popular, so any famous and popular person is always happy if his sculpture is exhibited in a museum.
How are wax figures created for Madame Tussauds? A team of twenty people works on each sculpture. It includes not only sculptors, but also dentists, hairdressers, stylists. To make the figure more realistic, they take a lot of photographs of the person whose sculpture will be made. Only natural hair is used, with each hair attached separately.
Each appearance of a new sculpture is accompanied by a large gathering of visitors and the press. If a sculpture of a person who is still alive is created, he is necessarily invited to the opening. Pictures of the sculpture and the “original” will never lose the interest of the public, as it is always interesting to analyze and compare. But it is especially interesting to look at the figures of those who have already left our world. Liked the article? Share with friends.
