MadameTussaudsWaxMuseum

　　byJodiWallace

　　WherecanyougotoseemoviesandTVstars,posewithsingersandsportsplayers?Nonotataliveconcertoracelebrity'sparty,yetthisplaceisasstar-studdedastheredcarpetfortheGrammyAwards.StopguessingŠitisnootherthanMadameTussaudsWaxMuseumson42ndstreetinManhattan

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　　Herethecelebritieshavetoposewithyouforyourcameraandyougettospendasmuchtimeasyou'dlikewiththem(becausethey'rewax),that'sprobablywhysomanytouristsflocktothismuseum.I'vepersonallygonetothemuseum3timesandeachtimethey'vehaddifferentpeoplegreetingyouatthedoorsuchasWhoopiGoldbergandPresidentBush.

　　There'ssomuchtoseeatthismuseumit'sunbelievable.Asyouenterthemuseumyouwalkupthestepsyouseewaxpeopleonthesteps.Youproceedtoanelevator,whichtakesyouhighabovethecitystreetstoadinninghallthat'schock­fullofstarssuchasBraddPitt,OprahWinfrey,ChristopherReeves,andGovernorPataki.Nextyouexisttotheleft,whichleadsyoutoareenactmentoftheFrenchRevolutionduringthelate1700's.Hereyouseedeadbodiesflungontopofoneanother,headsonsticks,andloudwarsounds.Lightsmasterfullyrecreatedthisperiodinhistory.

　　Whenyouleavethisroomyouenteraroomthatshowstheprocessofmakingawaxperson.Fromtheexacteyecolortotheclothesandpositionthewaxpersonisin,everythingisdoneprolifically.Thenextroomisactuallyabigwhitehallfilledwithpresidents,poets,andgovernmentalfiguressuchasNelsonMandela,RosaParks,MayaAngelou,TheKennedy's,andPrincessDiana.

　　Asanaddedtreat,visitorsstepintoamovietheater,whichbearsstrikingresemblancetoaNewYorkCityhotellobby.ThemovietakesplaceonNewYearsEveinNewYork.AsyoutakeacarriagetoTimesSquare,yourtakenbackintimethroughoutNewYork'sasbymostmemorablemoment's.It'snodoubtdelightfulandanamusingmovie.

　　HoweverallthatIhavesofardescribeddidn'tjustappearoutofnowherethere'sarichhistorybehindit.TheFirstWaxMuseumwasfoundedbyMadameTussaud'sherself.ShewasborninFranceinthe1761.Heruncletaughtherthecraftofwaxingandshehadnaturaltalent.LateronduringtheFrenchRevolutionshewascalledupontogothroughpilesofdead,decapitatedbodiesandfindheadstomakemasks.HowevershelaterleftFranceinordertoestablishawaxexhibitioninEngland.Howdiditgethere?WellanAmericanshowmanvisiteditandwantedtobuyitandmoveittoNY.Now200yrs.afterherdeathithascometoManhattangivingusachancetoexperiencethisuniquecraft.