Marie Tussaud was born as Anna Maria Grosholtz in 1761 in Strasbourg, France. Her mother worked as a housekeeper for Dr. Philippe Curtius in Bern, Switzerland, who was a physician skilled in wax modelling. Dr Curtius taught Tussaud the art of wax modelling. One of the oldest surviving sculptures by Curtius is of Madame du Barry.
Tussaud created her first wax figure, of Voltaire, in 1777. Other famous people she modelled at that time include Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Benjamin Franklin and casted death masks of victims of the French Revolution. Following Dr Curtius's death in 1794, she inherited his vast collection of wax models and spent the next 33 years travelling around Europe. Her marriage to François Tussaud in 1795 lent a new name to the show: Madame Tussaud's.
Madame Tussauds wax figure
As a result of the Napoleonic Wars, she was unable to return to France, so she travelled throughout Great Britain and Ireland exhibiting her collection. From 1831 she took a series of short leases on the upper floor of "Baker Street Bazaar". By 1835 Marie had settled down in Baker Street, London, and opened a museum.
Today, the wax museum is a wonderful place to get up close to your favourite celebrities, see the Royals and view life-like famous historical figures and people of note.
List of sculptures in Sydney's Madame Tussauds:
- Angelina Jolie
- Brad Pitt
- Lady Gaga
- Leonardo DiCaprio
- Bruce Willis
- Marilyn Monroe
- Johnny Depp
- Rihanna
- Michael Jackson
- Kylie Minogue
- Delta Goodrem
- Slim Dusty
- Hugh Jackman as Wolverine
- Iron Man
- ET
- Jackie Chan
- Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany's
- Alfred Hitchcock
- Oprah Winfrey
- Rove McManus
- Ned Kelly
- Captain Cook
- Madam Tussaud herself
- Nelson Mandela
- Barack Obama
- Dalai Lama
- Queen Elizabeth II
- Albert Einstein
- Jimmy Barnes
- Keith Urban
- Dannii Minogue
- Miranda Kerr
- Eric Bana
- Mark Webber
- Donald Bradman
- Layne Beachley
- One Direction (coming October for 3 months only)
Location: Aquarium Wharf, (next to SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium) Darling Harbour, Sydney, NSW 2000
Opening Times: 9:00am to 8:00pm daily (last admission 7pm)
Tickets: http://www.madametussauds.com/Sydney/OldBuyTickets/Default.aspx
Coming to Sydney to see Madame Tussauds?
Need accommodation near Madame Tussauds?
Metro Hotels have two hotels and one self-serviced apartments within Sydney CBD and within walking distance to Madam Tussauds at Darling Harbour. The hotels are 2-5 minutes walk to major train stations and close to buses and taxis that can take you to Darling Harbour.
If you'd like to arrange a stay in a Metro Hotel or Apartment, here are some specials available for booking: http://www.metrohotels.com.au/special
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