Information for Senior Visits 2017 Text and images Merlin Entertainments PLC Format and design b2me Tourism Marketing Ltd.
Welcome to Madame Tussauds London. We are dedicated to ensuring that each and every one of our visitors has a fabulous, glamorous and unique experience with us. We have created this specialist guide in collaboration with experts in the visitor information field to help you get the best out of your visit. This document is designed to guide you through the attraction and advise you of the key information that you may need during your visit concerning accessibility, lighting, ambient noise and further details to ensure that you get the best day out possible! We have placed Silver Stars along your journey with us which will provide you with access to seating areas or places for you to regroup away from the crowds. We also have staff located throughout the attraction to answer any questions and assist you further, if you need anything - just ask! We look forward to helping you create fabulous memories of your day at Madame Tussauds London. Enjoy! Best wishes Madame Tussauds London Silver Stars are located along your route Staff to assist you are easily identifiable
All About Madame Tussauds London Welcome to Madame Tussauds London, and 250 years of extraordinary history... Millions and millions of people have flocked through the doors of Madame Tussauds since they first opened over 200 years ago and it remains just as popular as it ever was. There are many reasons for this enduring success, but at the heart of it all is good, old-fashioned curiosity. A brief history of Madame Tussauds: 1761 - Where it all began: Marie Grosholtz (later to become Madame Tussaud) was born in 1761 France, where her mother took a job as a housekeeper for the successful wax sculptor Dr Curtius. It was here that Marie learnt the art of wax sculpting from an early age. Demonstrating a natural flair for sculpture, Marie was soon sculpting her own figures of prominent people of the era. 1767 - First of a kind: In 1767 Marie moved with her mother and Philippe Curtius to Paris where Curtius opened his first exhibition. At a time when visual media such as cinema and TV did not exist, people flocked to the exhibition to see for themselves what the famous people of the time looked like. 1780-87 - Royal attention: Marie s skills came to the attention of Louis XVI s (16th ) sister and Marie was invited to live and work in the Palace of Versailles. Marie spent nine years at court and whilst there created figures of royalty such as Louis XVI and his family. 1794- Death masks and imprisionment: After moving back to Paris, the French Revolution erupted and Marie was asked to make death masks of the prominent figures that were executed, including Louis XVI and his wife Marie Antoinette. Marie herself was imprisoned by the revolutionists, but narrowly escaped the fate of the guillotine! In 1794 Curtius died and Marie inherited the attraction. 1822-Lost at sea: The attraction struggled in the economic decline following the revolution and Marie decided to take the wax figures to England where it was a great success. Marie and her husband, Francois Tussaud, toured the British Isles for years. In 1822, the ship carrying the figures was wrecked on a crossing to Ireland, but fortunately some of the figures were saved. 1850-Settled at last: At the age of 74, Marie Tussaud decided to settle the attraction permanently at the Baker Street Bazaar, very close to the present site. Marie continued to work at the attraction until her death in 1850. Her sons and grandsons continued the business and in 1884 decided to move the attraction to its present site and the Madame Tussauds we know today.
On Arrival Best Visiting Times To Avoid The Crowds 2pm - 4pm (last entry) Please visit our website for full opening hours and booking information Address Madame Tussauds Marylebone Road London NW15LR (Baker Street Tube) We are wheelchair accessible. Please advise prior to your visit if you are using a wheelchair so we are able to assist you in all areas. Group Sizes:10+ Arrival Information Please speak to a member of Madame Tussauds staff on arrival who will direct you to the the Silver Stars entry point. Once inside the attraction, there is a staircase consisting of 14 steps taking you to your ticket exchange point. Please have your booking reference number available for the agent.the host will direct you to the lift. Time on Site There is no minimum, customers can spend as much time they wish; we suggest allowing 1.5 2 hours for the visit. Location of Toilets You will find toilets located to the right of the lifts before you go through into the first area of the attraction Coach parking There is a coach drop off and pick up point situated on Marylebone Road. Latest Information Madame Tussauds London first opened its doors to the public over 200 years ago! Millions of people have visited the attraction from all over the world. Creating a wax figure at Madame Tussuads costs around 150,000.. www.madametussauds.co.uk/london
A-list and Bollywood Mingle with your favourite A-List celebrities, rub shoulders with stars such as Emma Watson, Morgan Freeman, David and Victoria Beckham. 11 figures within this area are placed upon a raised platform. The platform is one step however if you require support staff are on hand to assist and we also offer the use of a ramp. The room flows in an anticlockwise formation and to the left (as you enter) at the far side of the room you will see ramped access to the refreshment counter please head this way when you have finished socialising with the Hollywood stars Hair insertion and styling a wax figure takes 140 hours. It also takes 15 hours to make a pair of eyes and 30 hours to make a set of teeth! A special mixture of beeswax and Japan wax is used to make the wax figures. Each strand of hair is inserted individually by hand, using a forked needle. To complete a head of hair, this takes approximately five weeks.
Film Step straight into the movies with some of the greatest icons of film history. This area allows you to mingle with the greats of the silver screen as well as much loved movie characters. 2 sets are on a raised platform. If you require assistance please speak to a member of staff. This area is split into two sections. Assistance is available if required from staff in the Wax Hands area which is clearly marked. Lighting levels vary throughout the sections in true film star style. At the end of the Film section, there are a total 38 steps to sports area, seperated by several landings. 250 precise measurements of the head and body are taken to give Madame Tussauds sculptors. This information is crucial to accurately creating a wax figure. A sitting for a Madame Tussauds figure takes 3 hours!
Sports Be blown away with our Sports area as you feel the adrenaline rush of meeting Olympic legends, Usain Bolt, Sir Mo Farah CBE and Dame Jessica Ennis-Hill DBE. Meet other current superstars Rafael Nadal, Cristiano Ronaldo, Lewis Hamilton, Muhammed Ali, Pele and Bobby Moore holding aloft the famous 1966 World Cup Trophy. Once through the lower section of Sports you will then visit our world famous Royals section. A wax head weighs as much as an actual head, approximately 4-5kg, and 2kg of wax is used for a pair of hands. The typical weight of a whole figure is 25kg. A sitting for a Madame Tussauds figure takes 3 hours! This area is a split level with both steps (4) and a ramp into the lower area. At the foot of the steps and the ramp you will also find toilets and a comfort area for seating. Male toilets are up a series of 25 steps, Female toilets are on this level. Please note that disabled toilets are on this level.
Royals Enjoy a regal History lesson as you are invited by royal appointment to an audience with The Queen. We have had a close relationship with the British Royal family since we first opened our doors on Baker Street in 1884 and it has grown in strength ever since. Meet the reigning monarch and other leading members of The Royal Family. There is an optional paid for photo opportunity. Please note there is NO commitment required to purchase. Queen Victoria visited the exhibition while still a princess. She later returned incognito with her young children for a sneak visit. Marie Tussaud bought the original robes worn by George IV during his coronation in 1821. The queen photo set is up 2 steps should you wish to have your photo taken alongside our most iconic figure.
Culture Encounter some of the greatest intellectuals, geniuses, writers and artists that have shaped our world. Meet Albert Einstein alongside his famous chalkboard, renowned artists Vincent Van Gogh and Pablo Picasso, British writers William Shakespeare and Charles Dickens, and meet the lady herself Madame Marie Tussaud. There are no accessibility issues in this area Culture comes immediately after the Royals and before the Music section. The free flow design incorporates several figues in each section, all of which are step free, and well lit. Charles Dickens was such a Madame Tussauds enthusiast he wrote essays about Madame Tussauds in his magazines. He would visit regularly and write reviews about the latest additions of wax models for newspapers. To create the head of a figure, wax is heated to 74 degrees Celsius and is poured into the head mould. The wax cools inside the mould and then the plaster sections are removed. to reveal a hollow wax head.
Music Get your backstage pass to the music event of the year where you can meet some of the biggest Musicians to ever grace the stage. Our Music zone features legends such as Michael Jackson, Elvis, Bob Marley and The Beatles, along with current favourites One Direction, Rihanna, Lady Gaga and Beyoncé. 8 figures within the Music section are on a raised stage area which is accessed by walking up 3 steps. The One Direction set is a raised bench which requires our guests to sit in order to have their picture taken. Within this section you will find the counter where you can see the photos from the Royals and One Direction set. These optional photos are available to purchase at this point just hand over the tickets you have been given along the way to view the images (you do not have to purchase these you can just view and then continue your visit without purchase) 250 precise measurements of the head and body are taken to give Madame Tussauds sculptors. This information is crucial to accurately creating a wax figure.
World Leaders Step into the shoes of the world s most revered and respected leaders. Join the recent UK Prime Minister and Mayor of London outside 10 Downing Street, before your appointment at the Oval Office with US President, Barack Obama. Later, deliver a rousing speech alongside Nelson Mandela and Martin Luther King. There are no accessibility issues in this area. After this room you need to move down to the next level in the attraction and this involves going down 36 steps (with a handrail) to double doors into our Behind The Scenes area (There is also a disabled toilet here). Sir Arthur Conan Doyle was the star guest at a lavish dinner held in 1903. He was great friends with the Tussaud family and used wax figures as decoys among other things in several of the great detective s stories. Each strand of hair is inserted individually by hand, using a forked needle. To complete a head of hair, this takes approximately five weeks.
Authentic History/Behind the Scenes Bursting with amazing, interesting facts, this area explains everything you need to know about Marie Grosholtz and how the brilliant businesswoman made Madame Tussauds into the fantastic attraction it is today. You are able to learn the process of how figures are made. There are no accessibility issues in this area. Be sure to look out for the complete Madame Tussauds timeline on the right hand side, opposite the figure constructions. There are some fascinating insights that will add context to the other information in this area.. The Madame Tussauds Archive in London proudly preserves the rich history of the exhibition, as well as continually collecting new items to preserve for generations to come. It is a broad and varied collection of items, separated into a number of different types of material including costumes, moulds, photographs and artefacts. Marie Tussaud personally took the death masks of Louis XVI and Marie- Antoinette.
Spirit of London The Spirit of London is a moving ride., taking an unforgettable ride through 400 years of London s magnificent history. To be able to ride Spirit of London you need to be able to walk unaided for a minimum of 45 steps up a gradient of 40 degrees. Access to the ride is via a walkway with 9 steps up to our Spirit of London Ride. Exit from the ride is onto a moving travellator and then onto a stationary flooring surface. Guest need to take care when disembarking and guest who require mobility support are not recommended to participate. As you exit the ride there are 5 steps to negotiate as this leads you to the Spirit of London photo desk and lower Marvel area. There are further sets of toilets here. From the comfort of your taxi, witness the historical and cultural events that have shaped London into one of the greatest cities in the world. This informative, immersive journey lets you relive Tudor England before experiencing the time when London s streets where haunted by the plague. Arrive in a city at war where the familiar voice of Prime Minister Winston Churchill calls out, rallying the nation before being transported into the 1960s, where a jubilant London is thrown into a World Cup winning frenzy, before stepping out of your black cab in the 1980s. When Marie Tussaud first came to London in 1802 she brought a scale model of the new French Guillotine. At this point in time, the English had only seen sketches of the new method of execution and the model was one of her star draws. As well as creating a successful tourist attraction, Marie pioneered the use of printed guides for exhibitions. The first edition of the Madame Tussauds Guidebook was printed in 1819.
Marvel Our amazing domed 4D cinema is a fully immersive experience which allows visitors to feel what it s like to have super powers. To continue you need to head towards the Marvel area. There are 16 steps then a small flat area before a further 21 steps taking you too the cinema holding area. The cinema holding area contains a small retail point and seating at the rear for guest to use. The cinema is accessed via 1 of 2 corridors and they raise up a gradient of 20 degrees. The right hand side requires 2 steps for entry and the left hand side is a continual slope. The flooring is vinyl. The Marvel 4D Show has elements of water, air, vibrating seats and pressure pads on the back. Guest who do not wish to experience the above elements can use the restricted seats which are located to the rear of the cinema. The show lasts for approximately 11 minutes and from there you have the option to visit Star wars (if your entry ticket is inclusive) or proceed directly to the exit of the attraction. Marie Tussaud survived a storm in the Irish Sea which destroyed a second ship holding half her collection. If you chose to visit Star Wars there are 2 steps to negotiate upon exit of the cinema (left hand side) and 1 on the right hand side.
Star Wars A unique, immersive experience starring extraordinarily life-like wax figures of the favourite heroes and villains from the Star Wars universe. Explore a galaxy of locations, including the swamps of Dagobah, Jabba s Throne Room and the flight deck of the Millennium Falcon. Smoke effect and strobe lighting is used throughout this experience. As you walk through the attraction the tail end is up a slope of soft underfoot theming. This area lighting is somewhat lowered and the music is and can feel both dramatic and loud. As you exit you will need to walk down 16 steps into the photo area and then a further 3 steps into the Star wars part of the shop. Once past that, there are a further 3 steps into the main shop and as you exit 5 steps out of the attraction onto Alsop Place. The lightsabers featured in the Star Wars area have been specifically created for Madame Tussauds by the team behind the weapons used in the original films. Toilets are located at the area between Han Solo (Harrison Ford) and The Millennium Falcon.
Notes
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