Madame Tussauds

Marie Tussaud brought her waxworks from Paris to London, where the museum has existed since the 19th century. The figures are grouped into themed zones, from royals and musicians to film heroes, and may be touched and photographed. A short ride in a London taxi takes you through the city’s history. Nearby are Baker Street with the Sherlock Holmes Museum, and Regent’s Park.

Background

Madame Tussauds (UK: too-SAWDZ, US: too-SOHZ) is a wax museum founded in London in 1835 by the French wax sculptor Marie Tussaud. One of the early main attractions was the Chamber of Horrors, which appeared in advertising in 1843. 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. 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. 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.

From Wikipedia: “Madame Tussauds”, licence CC BY-SA 4.0