A Brief History of Madame Tussauds Hollywood in Los Angeles
Families flock to Madame Tussauds Hollywood in Los Angeles to see lifelike wax figures of their favorite celebrities. With over 200 figures on display, there is something for everyone at Madame Tussauds. But how did this iconic tourist attraction come to be? Here is a brief history of how Madame Tussauds Hollywood got its start.
Madame Tussauds Hollywood has its roots in London, where the first Madame Tussauds museum opened in 1835. The museum was founded by Marie Tussaud, who learned the art of wax figure making from her mentor, Philippe Curtius. Curtius taught Tussaud how to cast death masks, which were initially created as mementos for grieving families. However, Tussaud quickly realized that there was a market for these masks outside of simply being memorials. She began selling her death masks to the public and soon became quite successful.
In 1842, Tussaud moved to Baker Street in London, where she opened a wax museum that featured likenesses of famous people such as Napoleon Bonaparte and William Shakespeare. The museum proved to be quite popular, and Tussaud continued to add new figures over the years. In 1850, she even toured with her figures across Great Britain and Ireland. It wasn’t until 1925 that Madame Tussauds finally made its way to America with a location in New York City.
The Los Angeles location opened its doors to the public for the first time in 2009 and has been one of the city’s most popular tourist attractions ever since. Visitors can see figures of celebrities such as Marilyn Monroe, Leonardo DiCaprio, Beyoncé, and Jack Nicholson, just to name a few. In addition to the traditional wax figures, Madame Tussauds Hollywood also features an interactive area where guests can star in their own music video or take a seat at an Oscars-style podium.
No trip to Los Angeles is complete without a visit to Madame Tussauds Hollywood! This world-famous attraction has something for everyone with over 200 lifelike wax figures on display. Next time you’re looking for something fun to do with the family, be sure to check out Madame Tussauds Hollywood—you won’t be disappointed!