The Angel Gabriel came unto her and said, "Fear not Mary, Thou has found favor with God. Thou shalt bring forth a son, and call his name Jesus."
This image is from the King of Kings Wax Museum at Sunken Gardens in St. Petersburg Florida. The museum opened around 1968 and closed in the 1990's. Fortunately, the figures were saved, restored, and moved to the Museum of Religious Arts in Logan Iowa.
A close up of Mary as she receives the news that she was chosen to give birth to the Christ child.
A close up of the Angel Gabriel.
View more information on the Museum of Religious Arts here.
Madame Tussauds U.S. Presidents Gallery will be the Only Place in the World Where People Can See and Interact with All 44 U.S. Presidents
[Washington D.C., December 20, 2010] – The ultimate three-dimensional tribute to America and its commanders-in-chief is one step closer to being a reality for the Washington D.C. area, as Madame Tussauds Washington D.C. today announced that its new $2 million-plus U.S. Presidents Gallery—which will house wax figures of all 44 U.S. presidents—opens its doors to the public on Thursday, February 17—just in time for Presidents Day. The launch of the Gallery will make Madame Tussauds D.C. the only place in the world where people can see and interact with all 44 U.S. presidents.
“We are looking forward to providing the public with the unique opportunity to experience all of the U.S. presidents in a way unlike ever before,” said Dan Rogoski, General Manager of Madame Tussauds Washington D.C. “As the only place in the world where people will be able to meet and interact with all 44 U.S. presidents, history buffs, students and the general public alike will enjoy a truly unique and enriching educational experience at the Gallery.”
Since the Gallery was announced last February, Madame Tussauds studio artists have been working tirelessly to create entirely new wax figures of 28 U.S. presidents. In anticipation of the opening of the Presidents Gallery, figures of presidents have been popping up across the country. Throughout the year, figure sightings have included: President Gerald Ford at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum for the 97th anniversary of his birthday; founding fathers George Washington and Thomas Jefferson at the Independence Visitor Center in Philadelphia over the July 4th holiday; and most recently, Presidents Washington, Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln, which took a road trip to Mount Rushmore in honor of the 69th anniversary of the monument’s completion. A lighthearted video of the trip can be viewed at Madame Tussauds Washington D.C.’s Facebook and YouTube pages; and a photo of the figures at the monument with their stone visages in the background can be viewed and downloaded at newscast.
A tremendous undertaking, each figure takes about three to four months to complete and requires an extensive amount of work. In order to make the figures as lifelike as possible, Madame Tussauds artists have to study hundreds of photographs, and when available, hours of video footage. Of course in some cases, the artists did not have the luxury of photographs or videos, and needed to rely on historical accounts, even paintings.
The U.S. Presidents Gallery will serve as a rich educational resource and include a curriculum focused on the history of the U.S. presidents. The new curriculum will fully complement the attraction’s existing and free comprehensive Educational Curriculum Guide, which was developed in accordance with the U.S. Department of National Social Studies Standards and National Council for the Social Civil Rights Movement Studies Standards. The guide was designed to empower educators with the tools they need to deliver exciting lessons in areas such as history, political science, social studies and media – before and after visiting the attraction.
About Madame Tussauds Washington D.C.
Madame Tussauds Washington D.C. is a fully interactive, full-sensory experience, where visitors are able to touch, see and hear major historical events and celebrities in a way unlike any other Washington D.C. attraction. Recent additions to the attraction include music superstar Rihanna; actress, singer and teen sensation Selena Gomez; music megastars and teen sensation, the Jonas Brothers; superstars Michael Jackson, Britney Spears, Penelope Cruz and Tyra Banks; as well as President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama. Madame Tussauds is located on the corner of F and 10th Streets, NW, within walking distance of the National Mall and the White House. For more information, visit www.madametussaudsdc.com or call 202-942-7300 or 888-WAX-IN-DC.
This shot from the 1934 movie, The Thin Man, shows William Powell and Myrna Loy in an amusing, yet slightly morbid scene. Powell plays Nick Charles, a retired detective and Loy is Nora, his wife.
Here's another view without the flash.
A close up Powell. Although he looks it, he actually is not the thin man.
A close up of the smiling Myrna Loy figure.
This small version of Asta the dog was once an animatronic figure. You can see how the arms are made to swing.
The clapboard sign, showing information on the film.
The William Powell figure sold for an impressive $3,000. The Myrna Loy figure sold for $700, and the set sold for $500. That included Asta the dog and a male extra figure that was lying on the couch. I'm not sure how detailed that figure was.
Here is Italian explorer Giovanni Caboto from Potter's Wax Museum. Caboto sailed for England in the fifteenth Century, where he is known as John Cabot. He sailed a northern route to the new world, reaching Greenland and Newfoundland. His voyages helped give England a claim to North America.
The San Francisco Giants recently won the World Series and the Wax Museum at Fisherman's Wharf did their part to celebrate the title. Many of the figures throughout the museum had Giants baseball caps on. Here we see legendary baseball player and San Francisco Giants center fielder Willie Mays sitting in the rotating carousel of figures in the museum's Lobby time Chamber. The figure is quite old, and has for years been shown in this sitting pose.
A closer view with newspaper articles in the background. Mays played for the Giants (Both New York and San Francisco) from 1951-1972.
A close up of the "Say Hey Kid".
Visit the Wax Museum at Fisherman's Wharf website here.
ARMY VETERAN AND MRS. AMERICA 2010 1ST RUNNER-UP RAQUEL RILEY THOMAS TO MEET, GREET AND TAKE PHOTOS WITH VISITORS AT MADAME TUSSAUDS WASHINGTON D.C. IN CELEBRATION OF VETERANS DAY
Veterans Go Free, $5 Off for Family and Friends as well as Other Special Discounts and Giveaways
In celebration of the brave men and women in the U.S. armed forces, past and present, former U.S. Army Ordnance Captain, current Mrs. Maryland America and 1st Runner-Up in the 2010 Mrs. America pageant, Raquel Riley Thomas, will sign autographs, take pictures and greet visitors in celebration of Veterans Day at Madame Tussauds Washington D.C., on Thursday, November 11, from 1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m., 1001 F Street, NW (at F and 10th Streets). For the entire day admission will be free for all veterans and members of the U.S. military (valid veteran/military ID required), and friends and family members will receive $5 off admission.
Saluting visitors and passersby from a new 10th Street window display will be a wax figure of President Dwight D. Eisenhower, who issued the first Veterans Day proclamation in 1954. Additionally, the very first veteran to arrive at the attraction on Veterans Day will receive a special Madame Tussauds D.C. photo album; the first ten veterans will receive a special Madame Tussauds book bag; and all guests will receive a yellow pin in honor of the nation’s veterans. The attraction will also offer an exciting scavenger hunt, where winners will receive a 25 percent discount off items in the gift shop. Festive Foods Catering will also provide refreshments for guests to enjoy throughout the day.
“Madame Tussauds is pleased to honor and provide the brave men and women of the U.S. armed forces with a day of fun and enjoyment that they can share with their families,” said Madame Tussauds D.C. General Manager Dan Rogoski. “With the help of Raquel Riley Thomas, the variety of special discounts and activities we are offering, as well as the interactive experiences our figures provide, veterans will have a lot to be happy about on this special day.”
Visitors will have the opportunity to meet and interact with wax figures of some of the nation’s most well-known historical icons, many of whom served in the military, including: George Washington, Robert E. Lee, Theodore Roosevelt, Dwight Eisenhower and John F. Kennedy.
From presidents and first ladies to political icons and civil rights leaders to pop stars and sports heroes, Madame Tussauds D.C.—the premier wax attraction—offers guests the chance to get up close and personal, take their picture with, hug and even kiss wax likenesses of President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama, actress, singer and teen sensation Selena Gomez, the Jonas Brothers, Tyra Banks, Penelope Cruz, Rihanna and many more.
Madame Tussauds Washington D.C. is a fully interactive, full-sensory experience, where visitors are able to touch, see and hear major historical events and celebrities in a way unlike any other Washington D.C. attraction. Recent additions to the attraction include actress, singer and teen sensation Selena Gomez; nine U.S. presidents which will be included in the under-construction U.S. Presidents Gallery opening in February 2011; music megastars and teen sensation, the Jonas Brothers; superstars Michael Jackson, Britney Spears, Rihanna, Penelope Cruz and Tyra Banks; as well as President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama. The attraction is located within walking distance of the National Mall and the White House. The entrance is on the corner of F and 10th Streets, NW. The attraction is metro-accessible by the Red, Blue, and Orange lines at Metro Center or the Yellow, Green, and Red lines at Gallery Place/Chinatown. Hours of operation are 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m., Sunday through Friday; and 10:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m. on Saturdays. For more information, visit www.madametussaudsdc.com or call 202-942-7300 or 888-WAX-IN-DC.
This picture from Madame Tussaud's in London shows Guy Fawkes attempting to blow up the English Parliament building in order to restore Roman Catholic rule in England. The barrels are full of gunpowder, which would have created a devastating explosion. However, Fawkes was apprehended before his plot was completed. Although the plan was not fully executed, Fawkes was, but not before he became a legend in England.
Presidential wax figures from Madame Tussauds Washington D.C.’s forthcoming U.S. Presidents Gallery – George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln – are posed with their stone visages as part of a road trip from the nation’s capital to Mt. Rushmore, in recognition of the anniversary of the monument’s completion—October 31, 1941. The U.S. Presidents Gallery will debut at Madame Tussauds D.C. in February 2011. (Photo Credit: Jim Sulley/Newscast)
This poor tree torture victim at the Wax Museum at Fisherman's Wharf hangs upside down at the museum's chamber of horrors section. Although this is one of the less gory scenes, it is still fairly disturbing based on the body language of the figure. The victim screams pain without saying a word.
This is how the figure looks as you pass by the dark chamber. I assume this is the tree torture scene, as this is the only one that seems to match that description from the museum's guide.
Visit the Wax Museum at Fisherman's Wharf website here.
This scene is inspired by the painting by Moreau. Princess Salome was the daughter of Herod Philippus, and the niece of Herod Antipas. At the instigation of her mother, Herodias, Salome obtained the head of Saint John the Baptist, from her uncle.
Here we see John the Baptists severed head served on a silver platter.
A close up of the quite revealing figure of Salome as she admires the head.
Don't say his name three times or else you'll have the most annoying resident of the afterlife hounding you forever. here we see Michael Keaton as Beetlejuice. With his trademark black and white striped suit, the figure stands behind its own gravestone.
With the flash on, we can see the detail in the figure. What a disgusting character.
In this amazingly graphic scene from the American Heritage Wax Museum in Scottsdale Arizona we see an Indian warrior attacking a settler as his horrified daughter watches in terror. The Indian is scalping the man for what the museum calls revenge for his intrusion into the Indian's territory.
A close up of the gruesome scene. The look on the scalped man is disturbing, as well as the anger in the native's face.
The daughter, crouched in the corner in fear, can do nothing but watch as her family is murdered.
This is a clay model of the mummy with teacup animatronic from the Haunted Mansion attraction at Disneyland. Several years ago, Disney had a display showing prototypes, and concept artwork from the ride. Even at this small scale, we can see the detail that went into the actual figure.
Lon Chaney and Mary Philbin starred together in the 1925 horror film Phantom of the Opera. In this tableau from the Movieland Wax Museum we see the iconic reveal scene. Philbin is Christine Daae who has pulled the phantom's mask off and he is not too pleased with it. It is a very dark scene, as it belongs to the museum's "Chamber of Horrors" section.
With the flash on, we can see more detail in both the figures and the set.
Christine doesn't look too scared. in fact, she looks rather amused. It's another example of the difficulty in creating expression on wax figures.
The Phantom does looks angry. His disfigured face adds to the ominous mood of the entire tableau.
The clapboard sign and wax facts information on the movie, and on Lon Chaney.
The figures were not sold at the movieland auction. Instead, they moved to the Wax Museum at Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco. An alternate phantom figure did sell at the auction for $4,000, which was very high for a figure that was not from Movieland. The organ and props sold for $1,250.
BONUS: Watch this movie here. (Courtesy of Archive.org)
This photo shows one of the terrifying figures in the Chamber of Horror section of the Hollywood Wax Museum in Gatlinburg Tennessee. Leatherface is one of the cannibalistic family members in the movie Texas Chain saw massacre. He's also the most well know, as his chain saw creates fear in the minds of those who imagine the damage that weapon causes to human flesh.
The human skin face mask is one creepy accessory.
A closer view of the figure. Leatherface and Michael Myers are the two masked killers I find the most disturbing.
A close up of the tableau information sign.
Visit the Hollywood Wax Museum Gatlinburg's website here.
What happens when you have a wax figure that you no longer want? Do you melt it down? Auction it off? No, you reuse it in a tableau that probably has nothing to do with the figure's original purpose and theme. Here we see what once was a wax reproduction of Michelangelo's sculpture, The Captive, reused as a torture victim in the Chamber of Horrors at the Wax Museum at Fisherman's Wharf. The poor figure now has branding marks, and dripping blood on its body. At least the figure matches the scene this time. Though it's unfortunate that they had to mark up and modify the wax body.
A closer view of the figure. Michelangelo did a great job showing the torment and pain in the body language of the captive.
The blindfolding of the victim adds another level of depth to the agony. The poor man is unable to stop the branding iron from searing his body.
Visit the Wax Museum at Fisherman's Wharf website here.
Michelangelo's statue, The Captive (A.K.A The Dying Captive, The Prisoner), is seen here in the Palace of Living Art. Located at the Movieland Wax Museum, the Palace had wax representations of famous paintings and sculptures. This figure represents the human model for the sculpture.
A closer view of the figure shows its detail. Notice the shackle on the left arm.
When Movieland Wax Museum closed its doors in 2005, they sold many items that once belonged to the Palace of Living Art. Here is the marble statue that was also at the palace. There was often both a wax figure, and a reproduction of the original piece of art in the Palace.
This image was used in promotional material for the museum. I'm not sure if it was a photograph of the original or of their reproduction.
The marble reproduction of the captive statue sold at the Movieland auction for $850. The wax figure isn't part of the Palace of Living Art in San Francisco. However, that's not to say the figure isn't on display somewhere at the Wax Museum at Fisherman's Wharf. Next time we'll take a look at that figure, and what kind of tableau it could belong to.
This image from the Potter's Wax Museum in Florida shows Italian explorer Christopher Columbus. After attempting to acquire financing from Portugal and England for his trip to Asia, Columbus eventually found funding through Spain. Instead of Asia, Columbus and his ships found the Bahamas. This lead the way to further explorations in what is now the North and South American continents.
