THE INCREDIBLE TRUE STORY BEHIND MADAME TUSSAUDS WAX MUSEUM

1001 Heroes, Legends, Histories & Mysteries Podcast

Millions of people enjoy visiting Madame Tussauds Wax Museums each year, but only a very few know the macabre history behind the first one that opened in London in 1831, containing the death masks and wax figures of actual victims of the French Revolution on 1789-1793- which were made by a 20 year old young lady named Anna Marie Grosholtz who had trained to be an artist and sculptor of wax and worked in the employ of her uncle at his shop in Paris. Through that work she became close with the sister of the King, and when the revolution broke out she was sent to prison- soon to be released with the agreement that she would provide death masks and lifelike wax figures of the often royal victims of the guillotine including Marie Antionette, Robespeirre, and many others. She later parlayed her horrific experience into a business which has lasted to this day.