The wax museum in Moscow is located on the territory of VDNH. A small exhibition, occupying only four rooms, experiences a clear lack of exhibition space. The collection of the museum, which was previously located on Tverskaya Street, is currently exhibited in Suzdal.
Why didn’t Madame Tussauds come to Moscow?
A couple of years ago, the media appeared confident statements about the opening of a branch of Madame Tussauds wax museum in Moscow. The initial communication was made by N. Sergunina, deputy mayor of the city. She said that preliminary agreements have been reached, and work with London colleagues continues.
Madame Tussauds, known throughout the world, has been operating in London for over 200 years and has about 20 branches in many countries around the world. You can see waxworks made by the specialists of this workshop in New York, Barcelona, Tokyo, Amsterdam.
To the question of journalists: “Where will the wax museum be located in Moscow?” a response was received that the territory of VDNH. Built in 2018, the new Ferris wheel at the exhibition was supposed to accommodate a collection of wax figures in its stylobate. The year-round work of both was supposed. But there are still no wheels, although all the specified dates have passed. Maybe that's why Madame Tussauds did not come to Moscow?
Museum at VDNH
But the opening of the exhibition still took place, although it is unlikely that Londoners are related to it. Where is the wax museum in Moscow located? In the main building on the second floor.
Exposition causes a contradictory attitude towards it. Wax figures made with special care and professionalism in the growth of a person are always interesting to look at, noticing the skillfully captured features or details of the face. Next to them are interesting photos, often funny, sometimes instructive.
But in this case, the figures are arranged in a very dense group, and there is no way for the visitor to tune in to a historical, time period or a specific character in order to include the imagination and finish painting the situation proposed by the authors. A whole crowd of wax heroes comes into view. One gets the impression of incompleteness and temporaryness of the museum's stay in these walls.
Parents with children need to be careful about visiting a wax museum in Moscow. In the presented collection, of course, there are characters interesting for children, heroes of their favorite cartoons. But there are rooms where children don’t want to go (Kunstkamera) and are simply prohibited for moral and ethical reasons.
Museum begins with cashier
The most realistic figure in the museum greets visitors at the entrance. The wax cashier is so similar to a living person that almost all visitors start talking to him.
When to the question: "How much is a ticket?" no sound is heard, people are at first perplexed, but, having understood, they begin to have fun. It’s with such a good mood that you have to go up to the second floor to see the exposition.
Children's exhibition
The first room is designed for young visitors. On the threshold stands a blue Avatar and allows you to take a picture with him. He is one of the few characters in the exhibition, around whom there is enough space for photo and video shooting. Here are the heroes of the cartoon "Ice Age" and the beloved "Shrek". And also the characters of Russian fairy tales: Karabas-Barabas, Pinocchio, Alladin and others.
The second hall is star-historical. The recognizable faces of great people look at visitors from their own height. Great singers and actors, politicians and businessmen, crowns and athletes. There are characters of your favorite movies. And, of course, the leaders of our country: V.V. Putin and D.A. Medvedev.
It should be noted that in the wax museum in Moscow, photos and videos are paid extra.
How are the figures made?
This information can be read at the entrance to the museum. The secret is that not all the figure is completely made of wax. Only exposed parts of the body are made of this plastic material: head, neck, arms and legs, if necessary, shoulders and everything else. The torso covered with clothes is made of plastic. But this does not interfere with holistic perception. And maybe such details are superfluous.
The doll’s hair is all natural: cilia, eyebrows, hairstyle. The figures look a little scary, but until you read that they look with real medical prostheses.
In the workshop of Madame Tussauds, work on one model takes an average of 3-4 months, masters from the wax museum in Moscow probably need much more time. Great attention is paid, of course, to the face. Even fine wrinkles and pores are worked out in detail by the artist.
Continuation of inspection
The third room contains heroes of science fiction films and fantasy creatures who lived in reality. Of the movie heroes, the protagonists of Star Wars of various series, Matrixes, and The Lord of the Rings are represented. After looking at the "cinema" fiction, you have to examine the representatives of humanity, disfigured by nature. All these creatures actually lived.
Unusual people in the wax museum in Moscow
The three-legged man, Georg Lippert, lived in Germany in the middle of the 19th century. His third leg was not functional, but was fully formed, and even had toes. Georg claimed that at first she was no different from other lower limbs, but he broke it in childhood, after which the leg became motionless. Performing in the American circus and announcing himself as the only three-legged person in the world, Lippert made a living. To his horror, it turned out that at the end of the 19th century, his unfortunate colleague, the three-legged boy Francesco Lentini, came from Italy.
E. Mordakke lived in Germany in the 19th century and was a musician by profession. The young man, hiding his ugliness, something similar to the second person on the back of his head, wore wigs. His career as an artist did not work out, then he began to take off his wig during performances, demonstrating his peculiarity. People began to go to his concerts in droves, and the musician happily lived up to 55 years.
B. Dax, a native of England, had a third eye on his face. Dax, using his feature, argued that it was he who saw the future of people. Convinced of police fraud, he fled to America and continued his criminal business there. At 33, he voluntarily passed away, having shot in his third eye.
In the fourteenth century, a certain Coloredo, under a musketeer's cloak, hid the body of his Siamese twin, which grew from his chest. The body did not hurt him or other problems. It did not eat, did not speak, but the appearance of such a man amused the courtiers of Louis XIII. The jester lived to be 40 years old.
A visit to this room (kunstkamera), of course, will cause strong emotions and a good nervous shake. But a vivid impression will provide a must.
