With “Madame Tussauds“ a 200 year old tradition came to Berlin. The visitors can get close to international stars, sports legends, famous politicians and people of historical interest and discover the times and moments that made them famous. It is located just a few meters from Brandenburg Gate and was opened in 2008.
History of Madam Tussauds
The history of Madam Tussauds dates back to 1770. Marie Tussauds learned with her uncle Dr. Phillippe Curtis to prepare portraits made of wax. In the early age of 17 she became the private teacher of a sister of King Louis XVI at the palace of Versailles. During the French revolution she built many victims for the museum of revolution. Back then it was the heads of the executed that were exposed but they decomposed quickly. They were replaced by wax sculptures.
In 1794, Marie´s uncle died and she inherited his collection of wax figures. She expanded the collection with her own wax figures and toured through Great Britain and Ireland to expose the collection. In 1802 she showed exposition for the first time in London.
In 1835 she founded together with her sons her own museum for wax figures it was located at the Baker Street and it was called “The Baker Bazar”. Marie directed her wax figure museum until 1842. Her grandson Joseph Randall moved the museum to its current location at the Marylebone Road in 1884.
A big change happened to the exposition in the 20th century. Through media, events and information were available much faster. Unfortunately, due to a fire in 1925, an earthquake in 1931 and the bombings of WW II, the exposition got very damaged.
Madam Tussauds worldwide:
The permanent exposition in London is constantly getting expanded and since 1970 branches were set up all around the world: Amsterdam (1970), Las Vegas (1999), New York (2000), Hongkong (2000), Shanghai (2006), Washington (2007), Berlin (2008), Hollywood (2009), Bangkok (2010). Blackpool (2011), Wien (2011), Sydney (2012), Tokio (2013), Wuhan (2013), Peking (2014), San Francisco (2014), Orlando (2015) und Singapur (2015).
So who to see and take a photo with at Berlin´s wax figure museum? Starting from famous actors like Nicole Kidman, Johnny Depp, Angelina Jolie, famous athletes to Star Wars characters. It´s also possible to book a tour behind the scenes where you learn how to built the elaborated wax figures before they get into the exposition. Starting from meeting the stars, the measurement of their bodies and clothes.
Address: Madame Tussauds, Unter den Linden 74, 10117 Berlin
Opening times: daily 10 AM - 7 PM
Admission: 21.00 euros, children 16:00 Euro
Public transport: S Unter den Linden: S1, S2, S25, S+U Friedrichstraße Bhf: S1, S2, S25, S5, S7, S75, S9
S+U Friedrichtstraße Bhf: U6, S Unter den Linden: TXL, 147, 200
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