Madame Tussauds Madame Tussauds

attraction in London, incorporating (un- Madame Tussauds is a wax museum in trials of 1898-1907. This became Tus- til 2010) the London Planetarium in its London with branches in a number of ma- saud’s first permanent home in 1836. west wing. It has expanded and will ex- jor cities. It was founded by wax sculptor By 1835 Marie had settled down in pand with branches in Amsterdam, Marie Tussaud and was formerly known Baker Street, London, and opened a mu- Bangkok, Berlin, Dubai, Hamburg, Hol- as “Madame Tussaud’s”, but the apostro- seum. lywood, Hong Kong, Las Vegas, Mos- phe is no longer used (though it still ap- One of the main attractions of her mu- cow, New York City, Shanghai, Vienna pears in some signage at the New York seum was the Chamber of Horrors. This and Washington, D.C.. Today’s wax fig- location). Madame Tussauds is a major part of the exhibition included victims of ures at Tussauds include historical and tourist attraction in London, displaying the French Revolution and newly created royal figures, film stars, sports stars waxworks of historical and royal figures, figures of murderers and other criminals. and famous murderers. Known as “Mad- film stars, sports stars and famous mur- The name is often credited to a contribu- ame Tussauds” museums (no apostro- derers. tor to Punch in 1845, but Marie appears phe), they are owned by a leisure company Marie Tussaud, born Anna Maria Gro- to have originated it herself, using it in called Merlin Entertainments, following sholtz (1761–1850) was born in Stras- advertising as early as 1843. the acquisition of The Tussauds Group bourg, France. Her mother worked as Other famous people were added to in May 2007. In 2010, Merlin Entertain- a housekeeper for Dr. Philippe Curtius in the exhibition, including Horatio Nel- ments’s partnership with Tatweer will Bern, Switzerland, who was a physician son, and Sir Walter Scott. Some of the these can be seen in the museum’s histo- make a Madame Tussauds in Dubai. skilled in wax modelling. Curtius taught sculptures done by Marie Tussaud her- ry exhibit. The oldest figure on display is In July 2008, Madame Tussauds’ Ber- Tussaud the art of wax modelling. self still exist. The gallery originally con- that of Madame du Barry. Other ancient lin branch became embroiled in contro- Tussaud created her first wax figure, tained some 400 different figures, but faces from the time of Tussaud include versy when a 41-year old German man of Voltaire, in 1777. Other famous people fire damage in 1925, coupled with Ger- Robespierre, George III and Benjamin brushed past two guards and decapitated she modelled at that time include Jean- man bombs in 1941, has rendered most Franklin. In 1842, she made a self por- a wax figure depicting Adolf Hitler. This Jacques Rousseau and Benjamin Frank- of these older models defunct. The casts trait which is now on display at the en- was believed to be an act of protest against lin. During the French Revolution she themselves have survived (allowing the trance of her museum. She died in her showing the ruthless dictator alongside modelled many prominent victims. In historical waxworks to be remade) — and sleep on 15 April 1850. sports heroes, movie stars, and other his- her memoirs she claims that she would By 1883 the restricted space and ris- torical figures. However, the statue has search through corpses to find the deca- ing cost of the Baker Street site prompted since been repaired and the perpetrator pitated heads of executed citizens, from her grandson (Joseph Randall) to com- has admitted he attacked the statue to which she would make death masks. Her mission the building at its current lo- win a bet. The original model of Hitler, death masks were held up as revolutio- cation on Marylebone Road. The new unveiled in Madame Tussauds London nary flags and paraded through the exhibition galleries were opened on 14 in April 1933 was frequently vandalised streets of Paris. Following the doctor’s July 1884 and were a great success. How- and a replacement in 1936 had to be care- death in 1794, she inherited his vast col- ever, the building costs, falling so soon fully guarded. lection of wax mo dels and spent the next after buying out his cousin Louisa’s half 33 years travelling around Europe. Her share in the business in 1881, meant the marriage to François Tussaud in 1795 business was under-funded. A limited lent a new name to the show – Madame company was formed in 1888 to attract Tussauds. In 1802, she went to London. fresh capital but had to be dissolved after As a result of the Franco-British war, she disagreements between the family share- was unable to return to France, so she tra- holders, and in February 1889 Tussaud’s velled throughout Great Britain and Ire- was sold to a group of businessmen lead land exhibiting her collection. For a time, by Edwin Josiah Poyser. Edward White, it was displayed at the Lyceum Theatre. an artist dismissed by the new owners to From 1831 she took a series of short leas- save money, allegedly sent a parcel bomb es on the “Baker Street Bazaar” (on the to John Theodore Tussaud in June 1889 west side of Baker Street between Dorset in revenge. Street and King Street) — which featured Madame Tussaud’s wax museum has in the Druce Portland Case sequence of now grown to become a major tourist