The London Wax Museum: an incredible place

Today, let's discover the London Wax Museum.

Let's discover Madame Tussaud's museum in all its detail.

The London Wax Museum: article summary

London Wax Museum: who was Madame Tussaud?

The wax museum in Madame Tussauds in London is actually named after a real person. Marie Tussaud was born in Strasbourg, France in 1761, under the maiden name Marie Grosholtz.

She began learning to create wax sculptures at an early age, under the guidance of renowned wax sculptor Philippe Curtius. With Philippe, she moved to Paris, where it was during the French Revolution.

In fact, many of his early works were wax models of the victims of the French Revolution.

On Philippe's death, his large collection of wax models reverted to Marie. It was also at this time that she met and married François Tussauds, becoming Madame Tussauds.

For 30 years in the early 19th century, Marie took her collection of wax figures all over Europe. She finally settled in London in 1831, where she died in 1850.

The history of wax museums

You may be wondering when and why wax museums became popular, and whether Madame Tussauds was London's first wax museum.

Life-size wax statues of famous people have been around for quite some time. For example, realistic wax figures were created as part of the the funeral process of European royalty in the Middle Ages.

The idea was to present a figure of the deceased to the masses, so that they could pay tribute to them.

It was in the 17th century that wax figures became popular as a form of entertainment.

Versions of the French Royal Court and the English Royal Court were created and exhibited. They became popular as travelling and permanent exhibitions.

London Wax Museum: a popular attraction

In the days before photography, television, magazines and the Internet, most people didn't really know what famous people looked like.

Wax figures were the most realistic representations that most people could see and were very popular.

Some also depicted horrific or shocking scenes such as murders and beheadings.

The first known Wax Museum in London opened in 1711. That was over 100 years before Madame Tussauds opened her own museum!

What is Madame Tussauds?

Madame Tussauds is a wax museum renowned for its realistic representations of historical figures and celebrities from around the world.

The first Madame Tussauds in London was founded by and named after Marie Tussauds. The original collection included some 400 figures, including those Marie had inherited from Philipe Curtius.

There are several Madame Tussauds museums in the world today, but the original was founded in London on Baker Street in 1835. In 1884, the museum moved to its present location on Marylebone Road.

Changing exhibitions

Today, Madame Tussauds contains a wide variety of exhibits. These include rotating thematic exhibitions, often based on on recent films or other cultural events.

There are also remarkable wax figures spanning history, from recent celebrities to past political figures, sporting heroes and even fictional characters.

The Madame Tussauds Museum in London is also home to some of the earliest wax models in the Madame Tussauds collection, some of which are still in use today. were created by Mary herself.

How do I get to the Wax Museum in London?

Madame Tussauds is easy to get to. You can get there by public transport.

The metro is Baker Street, just a few minutes' walk away.

Baker Street is served by five subway lines:

• The Bakerloo line
• The Circle line
• The Jubilee line
• The Hammersmith & City line
• The Metropolitan line.

So you should be able to get there easily by tube, wherever you are in London.

There are also bus public spaces near Madame Tussauds, offering connections throughout the city.

When does the museum open?

Madame Tussauds is generally open all year round, with the exception of Christmas Day.

Opening times vary 9 a.m. to 10 a.m.and closing times also vary between 3 p.m. and 5 p.m.

Opening times depend on the day of the week and the time of year, with less busy days usually having shorter opening hours.

What can you see at Madame Tussauds?

With over 150 wax figures on display, divided into 11 different themed areas, you'll see a lot at Madame Tussauds!

The main zones are as follows:

• Music
• Royal family
• Sport
• Mode
• Film

In addition to the above, there are themed areas that generally reflect recent popular films or other cultural events. Here you can see Star Wars and Marvel-themed exhibitions.

London Wax Museum: do you need a ticket?

All visitors to Madame Tussauds require a ticket. Children under three receive free admission.

Prices vary according to a number of factors. Same-day tickets and tickets for popular days such as vacations and weekends are generally more expensive than tickets booked further in advance.

There are also various ticket options available at different prices. These are the standard ticket, the ticket coupe-file and the family ticket.

Standard admission to Madame Tussauds Wax Museum costs :

• 42 £ for an adult
• 38 £ for a child (3-15 years)

To find out more about the ticketing system, I recommend you read the article I wrote on this subject.

Now you know more about the London Wax Museum. If you'd like to get up close and personal with famous people, this is the place for you. You'll find incredible wax statues!

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