The doors of Madame Tussauds have attracted thousands of visitors since it opened its doors over 200 years ago. Here we explore its rich history.

Madame Tussauds escaped the horrors of the French Revolution and settled in Britain, where she captivated audiences with her wax figures. Madame Tussauds Museum is one the leading attractions in central London with waxworks of some of the most famous personalities in the world such as Barack Obama, Queen Elizabeth, Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt, and Donald Trump, among others.

Who was Madame Tussauds?

Madame Tussauds was born as Marie Grosholtz in 1761 in Strasbourg, eastern France. This was months after her father was killed in a war. Her mother worked as a housekeeper in the Swiss city of Bern. She was working for Dr Philippe Curtius, an anatomist and wax worker. Curtius acted as a guardian to little Marie, and she regarded him as an uncle. He would go on to teach her how to make wax sculptures. She completed a wax figure likeness of philosopher Voltaire, aged around 15 or 16. She would thereafter create famous figures such as Jean-Jacques Rousseau and Benjamin Franklin, among many others. When revolution broke out in 1789, she and her mentor found themselves in danger after being accused of receiving monarchist sympathies. She was thrown into prison and forced to make ‘death masks’ of the executed King, Queen and nobles as revolutionary victories.

Madame Tussauds Museum

When she settled in London, she set up a separate room for her death masks, referred to as the Chamber of Horrors. However, it was partially burnt down in 1925, destroying over 300 waxworks.

The Madame Tussauds museum at Baker Street, London, is one of the iconic tourists’ attractions to visit for great waxworks and the eerie history behind Madame Tussauds creations.