ALEX SHOW Wax Museum. Wax Museum Alex Show Domestic Wax Origins

It brought us here the other day to St. Petersburg ... But this is worthy of a separate post. And today I’ll tell you about fox figures.

There are several such museums in St. Petersburg, we were opposite the Winter Museum. We went in solely because Varenika was allowed in for free.
It, of course, is never Madame Tussauds, but you can completely warm up and spend an entertaining half an hour.

Characters Avatar and Verka Serduchka meet at the entrance

The figures of 3 musketeers are seated, the photographer girl in every possible way lures to sit down between them to take a picture. Valuing for professional deformation, like, I'm a photographer on vacation, and you give me "machine-machine ..." In general, in St. Petersburg this excuse works quite well, numerous Crazy Empresses treat Sovereigns-Emperors with understanding. By the way, it is revealing - in Moscow, on Red Square, Lenins and Stalins work entirely, in St. Petersburg, Peter I, Catherine and crazy zebras from Madagascar (animals were less intelligent, sometimes you had to literally run away from them)).

The figures themselves did not differ in particular similarity with real characters.
Vladimir Vladimirovich, do you want me to give you a sock?!


Oh, and who is that in the next room then? Young, almost bald, obviously from the St. Petersburg period ....
We are confused.....

Einstein looks suspiciously like my grandfather, probably just as smart....

And this is Varka's love at first sight!
Lass mich dich nicht lieben...

Everything is very cramped, we decided that something like this looks like Uncle Stan's pantry in Gravity Falls.

Cheerful corner with a mummy. After the Hermitage it was just right, only, unlike it, you can touch it)

State? Vladimir Vladimirovich, when did you manage to run across here?
Wax figures they are, as soon as you have time to turn away - they are already walking around.

Immediately someone was sacrificed, someone was half-swallowed by a crocodile (probably one of the visitors, while no one saw it, but didn’t have time, they set it on fire, now it’s waiting for the night, poor thing, to finish chewing).

Then there was a rather dark, cramped room with all sorts of freaks a la the Kunstkamera. She told Varents that there is a museum where everything is not made of plastic/rubber/wax, but real alcohol. I thought I was taking it in 3-4 years, but I had to take this trip)

Well, for a snack - room 18+. Varenets naturally jumped there first, curiosity overpowered)) What can I say, 18+ there is clearly nothing to do there, the hall is designed for puberty teenagers - to neigh and fap on hypertrophied boobs and genitals. In general, nothing special.

On the way back, we talked to a photographer girl and asked what it was like to work with such neighbors. Nothing, he says, you get used to everything, although the first months were creepy, especially on dark evenings, especially in a thunderstorm or on some Night in museums ... But in general, the neighbors are quiet, behave well, do not disturb (yeah, I thought about the crocodile and the legs of a gaping tourist sticking out of its mouth ...)

The wax museum in St. Petersburg attracts literally all tourists who come to this glorious city on the Neva, created more than 300 years ago by Peter the Great. The emperor admired the wax figures that were being made in Europe at that time. He brought the first wax exhibit to Russia. Pyotr Alekseevich dreamed of creating a Wax Museum in St. Petersburg. However, it was only at the end of the 20th century that the royal dream was realized.

Today, you can see figures in it depicting exactly famous historical figures, as well as fairy-tale creatures, biblical heroes, etc. Everything is so masterfully arranged in it: the position of the characters and the lighting, that you can mistake the wax figures for living people, which is amazing to the point of goosebumps .

The Wax Museum in the Northern Capital will not leave anyone indifferent. Every Petersburger who has visited it remembers for a long time a tour of its halls and its wonderful exhibits. Often come back here again and again. After all, it is not possible to see everything well in one visit. Moreover, new figures are constantly being created. Collections are regularly replenished and enriched with new and fresh wax images.

Visitors are allowed to take pictures with celebrity figures, which the former do with great pleasure and post on their pages on social networks. The museum is in the spirit of all tourists, people of different age groups - from young to old. It is included in the excursion routes for tourists visiting St. Petersburg. Reviews of the Wax Museum are always full of delight, it is recommended for visiting by your loved ones, it is noted as the most exotic-historical, unusual and inimitable museum that leaves indelible impressions for a lifetime.

The history of wax figures

The so-called wax or originally paraffin art originated in the east. In the 16th century, Eastern sorcerers created small paraffin figurines and used them during their rituals. Further wax figures began to be made in ancient Rome. Rich and famous people, wanting to leave a memory of themselves behind, ordered wax sculptures of their figures from the masters for posterity. There is also a tradition that in ancient Rome they took a cast from the face of the deceased in order to carry his wax image next to the funeral procession.

Almost simultaneously, wax figures began to be made in Ancient Greece. At first, Hellenic craftsmen created portraits, masks and statues from wax dedicated to great personalities. Along with this, images of the gods were created from wax. Over time, the craft was improved thanks to talented sculptors who tried to convey as closely as possible all the external features of the prototypes of the sculptures. The similarity of wax images with real characters was so accurate that connoisseurs and residents of the Greek islands liked this art very much.

This is how the fashion for this type of art arose, which quickly spread throughout Europe, where the first exhibition with wax figures took place in the 18th century. Then in England, Germany and France, museums with wax exhibits began to open. The masters depicted both deceased and living celebrities. Gradually, the fashion for this wax art came to many countries of the world.

Domestic wax origins

Peter I brought the first wax creation to Russia. It was a sculpture of his head, molded from wax. While traveling in Europe, Peter the Great liked the idea of ​​wax figures very much, and he brought back a copy of his own head from there. It can be considered the first exhibit. Admiring the wax figures seen in Europe, Peter I hatched the idea of ​​creating a similar museum in Russia, and in its capital.

The emperor began to invite foreign masters to Russia. Once again, returning from Europe, Peter the Great came to St. Petersburg not alone, but with the master - Bartolomeo Rastrelli, who was engaged in architecture and sculpture. Of all the great works of this great sculptor, artist and architect, we know the bust of Peter, which is kept in the Hermitage. His handmade mask of the king, made posthumously.

Unfortunately, wax art was popular only under Peter the Great. During his reign, many figures were created. Basically, only wealthy people ordered wax sculptures of their own images from masters. However, a museum for public viewing of wax figures by the inhabitants of the Russian Empire was never created at that time. In the following years and centuries, the wax craft began to be forgotten, and even the technologies for making wax figures were forgotten worst of all.

Creation of the Wax Museum in St. Petersburg

Only in the 90s of the last century did they begin to revive this unfairly forgotten art in Russia. This did not happen in Europe. Madame Tussauds in London, created 200 years ago by the sculptor Marie Tussauds, has never lost its popularity. And today it is the largest and most famous wax museum in the world, which has branches in 19 cities.

But let's get back to our ... wax origins, or rather, to their revival in the late 1980s and 1990s. In 1988, in St. Petersburg, masters created the first collection of wax figures using their own developed technology for their manufacture. Everything had to be started all over again, and the 1st exhibition of wax figures was held in Peterhof. The opening of the exhibition took place in July 1990. The exhibition featured 19 wax figures. The characters were royal persons, as well as prominent personalities of the 18th century.

St. Petersburg Wax Museum today

Now the Wax Museum in St. Petersburg with all its branches has one of the richest collections of exhibits. among all the exhibition halls of wax figures in Europe. It contains over 1000 items. The Museum also boasts the best, delightful, extraordinary and unique specimens. In addition, more and more new, better and more unusual wax figures constantly “come out” from his own workshop.

The exposition is thematically branched, which is a kind of tree of sections. Each of them has a specific focus. "History" has the largest collection of wax figures. This includes a subsection dedicated to the rulers of Russia, from ancient Russia to the present. Today, viewers can look at great personalities in cozy museum halls: military leaders, politicians, outstanding people of the Fatherland and abroad.

Visitors are amazed by the exhibits of amazing beauty, brightness, accuracy, images of famous characters with their usual habits and surroundings. Scenes from the Old and New Testaments appear before your eyes. "Bible stories" is also a favorite room in the museum. Even images and plots from famous paintings by great artists rise up. Exhibitions of favorite characters from familiar fairy tales, cartoons, series and books are open for children.

"Myths old and new" attracts lovers of fairy tales, fantasy, ancient Greek mythology. The prototypes of anomalous wax figures were people who really lived at different times and got into the Guinness book because of any anomalies. They can be seen in the "Kunstkamera of the Museum of Miracles", these are the famous Siamese twins, a woman with a pig's snout instead of a nose, a football player with three legs, a vase woman, etc. The Museum has figures of the very best, i.e. the tallest, shortest and fattest person in the world, etc.

Many guests today are attracted by modern personalities, celebrities, actors, singers, those people who can be admired. Their wax counterparts are so identical that you can pass off a selfie as a real photo with one of the celebrities. A visit to the Wax Museum is useful not only for adults who are fond of viewing glossy magazines, but also for children who study history for greater penetration and inspiration through authentic images of heroes.

At the very entrance to the Wax Museum in St. Petersburg, guests are greeted by figures of a security guard in camouflage, a museum worker, and two alleged onlookers. Not surprisingly, there were occasions when visitors greeted, greeted and even extended their hands to shake hands with these wax figures. After all, they look like living people.

Museum regulars and local fans even came up with a name for the wax worker of the museum - San Sanych. Very popular is the largest hall in the museum, which is represented by historical figures, from statues and busts of the rulers of ancient times to the figures of today's celebrities. World history is interesting with the figures of great philosophers, poets, kings, artists, etc. presented in the Museum. The Bible section depicts entire plots. The exposition "Myths old and new" attracts both children and adults with its fabulous and mythical characters, as well as modern works written in fantasy style.

The attention of students, future doctors, or brave people is attracted by wax figures made from real people who had various physical anomalies. The Museum has a hall dedicated to the history of torture and executions. In general, in the Wax Museum you can see characters from films and cartoons, heroes of myths and legends, geniuses and pioneers, historical figures and politicians, actors and people of creativity, Guinness Book of Record holders and anomalies of the human body. There is a separate room with an erotic exposition.

Exhibition themes

• Politicians and rulers of modern times
• Celebrities
• The artist and his creation
• Parade of phenomena, catastrophes of the body, Guinness Book of Records
• The world of fairy tales. Figures for children, cartoon characters
• Art styles, replicas and symbols of culture
• Lovers: love stories of all countries and peoples
• Bible stories
• Story
• Executions and tortures of the Middle Ages and the present
• funny erotica

New technologies for creating wax figures

The Wax Museum in St. Petersburg is proud of its own workshop, which creates literally masterpieces of wax art. It employs professionals, real masters of their craft - sculptors, historians, postigers and other specialists. Creating wax figures is a rather long and laborious process. It takes at least six months to make one figure. Museum exhibits are made in full size, taking into account all the smallest details.

The creation process begins with the collection of information about the character, what gestures, facial expressions, head turns, etc. are inherent in him. Then the parts of the figure are cast. Next, the make-up artist manually creates wrinkles, skin folds, nails, veins and other small details. Real prostheses are used for the eyes, dentures are used for a beautiful smile. In the creation of hairstyles, only natural hair is used, each hair is engrafted with a hot needle. At the end of this very lengthy procedure, the necessary haircut is done. Eyebrows, eyelashes, beard are created in the same way.

Today, the Wax Museum has stepped much further and forward. Today, in his workshop, they began to make exhibits from silicone and plastic. These are durable and wear-resistant figures created using anti-vandal technologies. The new technology allows exhibits to be displayed outdoors in the fresh air. Even wax figures, which are made using new technologies, are not affected by weather conditions or temperature conditions.

Today, wax, silicone and plastic figures can be displayed under awnings and awnings, in pavilions and balconies, in open park and street areas, as well as in small rooms, using different levels of compact placement of figures. Moving figures are a great advantage and a huge attraction of the Museum. This became possible thanks to the use of electromechanical drives controlled by microcontrollers. Such software allows you to create a "real person effect".

Interesting wax figures and personalities, not a high ticket price, unlimited visit and shooting time, a lot of impressions

Flaws

small room cramped

Details

There are several such museums in St. Petersburg, the one we got to is located in the city center at the intersection of Nevsky Prospekt and Bolshaya Morskaya Street 6 near Palace Square (Hermitage) and that’s where I would advise you to go. The cost of visiting per person is 250 rubles, if according to the flyer, which is distributed at every step in the center and, in principle, everywhere, then the ticket price will be 200 rubles, children under 6 years old are free. There is something to see in the museum that we went to, there were 5 halls for viewing, these are actors, stars, athletes, politicians, writers, a hall of deformities and an erotic hall. This is the largest and most extensive wax museum in terms of the number of personalities represented there in St. Petersburg. All the exhibits that are presented in the museum are almost one to one similar to those from whom they were made. The museum has a special setting for the whole depth of sensations from wax figures, special exposed lighting. Near each figure there is detailed information about what kind of person it is and its short history. Some characters were even too believable and a little scary, especially if you get very close and look into the eyes like real ones. The thought did not leave me that now one of the characters to whom I approached moves or moves somehow uncomfortably from such a thought.

Since the museum is located in the city center, the patency is very large excursions with children, tourists and there are enough local residents. Real professionals in their field make all the characters. They paint, dress, sew costumes and do everything so that their work is appreciated.

It is forbidden to touch the figures so as not to spoil the exhibits. Look, admire, take pictures, but don't touch.

You can look at some figures for quite a long time, penetrating into the character with a very interesting and ringing information. I did not regret for a second that I gave money for it, it is definitely worth the money.

The first time I saw him, I felt a little uneasy, everyone thought that he was moving now, his eyes are very realistic.

Visiting time is not limited, you can walk and watch as much as you want, the same applies to photo and video shooting, even with a flash, even without, almost everything is allowed.

Our favorite cartoon characters from childhood. I was a little surprised when I saw them.

The room itself is not very large in this museum, so all the figures are very close to each other, the feeling of crampedness, especially when a lot of people in the museum becomes awkward when passing from room to room, you have to squeeze through.

It will take about 20-30 minutes to see and get around the entire museum, if you don’t particularly focus on it, but just look and leave. But if you are really interested in touching the history and these characters, then 30 minutes is not enough, you need to read and see every detail around.

Not all figures and personalities, of course, look alike, some looked like they were thin or young, and it’s not immediately possible to understand who is in front of you, unless of course you read the description.

Looks like it's alive.

Still, of course, the presence of some personalities was very surprising, but it was interesting to look, of course, not only at what we already know from history books, but also about modern characters. This is definitely the merit of those who made and decided to show such figures in order to diversify and expand the audience of spectators and people of all ages. Showing that they can not only make old and historical characters, but also modern artists, cinematographers, athletes, etc.

About 150 characters are on display, from different eras of time.

Good place to visit with the whole family. Tell and show children about history. They will also not be bored because they will find characters familiar to them.

From the first time I didn’t understand what was in front of me, but then I saw that Joseph Vissarionovich was holding in his hand, Hitler’s skin was a very interesting idea and the figure turned out.

The Prime Minister of Russia and the President of Russia turned out to be a little thin and young, but they are very similar.

Very well-executed figures, nothing to complain about, but a very cramped room, probably the smallest of all.

Some of the characters presented in this room scared me, a little uncomfortable but very interesting.

All this is not fictional, but was really something like a transmission of my terrible story or anomalies of the body, all these figures frighten and arouse great interest from both children and adults.

Initially, the mention of this hall aroused my interest and desire to visit this wax museum.

Oddly enough, some of these people live to this day.

Well, the last hall is the erotica hall, I didn’t see any particularly interesting figures there, and therefore I didn’t take pictures of them, considering them inappropriate for review, but it was interesting for the lack of them. This hall is allowed only from the age of 18; for everyone else, it is simply closed.

Here are just a few photos of the most decent that I can show the rest in the nude.

Well, at the entrance, he was the same exit here, he alone was also something to see.

This museum is definitely worth a visit because there is so much to see and learn about. It is not expensive, anyone can afford it, there are many good impressions after visiting.

ALEX SHOW is the largest wax museum in Russia, whose branches are located on the Petrograd side of the Alexander Park and. The arch of the General Staff serves as a reference point for the most important exposition.

The ALEX SHOW collection (Bolshaya Morskaya Street) includes about 150 figures devoted to completely different topics: from ancient Russian rulers and prominent political figures of our time, to biblical stories and frankly erotic figures.

ALEX SHOW in the midst of St. Petersburg splendor

Tired of the "pompous" luxury of St. Petersburg, many travelers turn their eyes towards more "simple" entertainment. ALEX SHOW belongs to one of these moderately informative objects.

In an effort to discover something new, tourists find themselves face to face with the most famous people who have ever lived on the planet. Perhaps this is the only thing that attracts viewers to such museums ...

Expectation and reality

Having crossed the threshold of ALEX SHOW, guests find themselves in front of a wide range of diverse wax figures, the execution of which in some cases leaves much to be desired. Although, the moment of recognition is still present.

Take, for example, the two-meter "avatars" of James Cameron. With the famous heroes of the sci-fi film of the same name, they are related only by gigantic growth and blue color. Otherwise, the resemblance is very distant (fans of the film will find more than one "blunder" here).

Worthy of respect is the fact that everyone is allowed to take pictures here. Moreover, it is completely free!

But, to get high-quality photos, you will have to stock up on professional equipment (for a regular phone, the lighting here is somewhat dim).

"Wax" exposition

It should be noted that the exposition of the ALEX SHOW museum is very impressive. It occupies four halls, divided according to the topics presented in them: deformities and the erotica hall, writers and politicians, athletes, cinema and pop stars.

And although the efforts of artists are felt, the impression made by wax copies of famous personalities is somewhat discouraging (especially if there is something to compare with).

A vivid example of this is the participants in the Yalta Conference and the last representatives of the Romanovs, whose wax figures were previously exhibited in the Livadia Palace.

So, in contrast to the educated, aristocratic and unexpectedly soft, respectable "Yalta" Nicholas II, the St. Petersburg prototype from ALEX SHOW, to put it mildly, is not impressive.

The situation is no better with figures:

• stern, domineering and contented (after the victory over Germany) Stalin, turned by the gallery's artists into a rather repulsive personality, devoid of the charisma inherent in her life;
• tired, war-weary Churchill (namely, this is how he is depicted in photographs from the Yalta conference), reincarnated as St. Petersburg "sculptors" beyond recognition.

But the exposition includes very outstanding personalities who left a bright mark on history:

• the most famous dictator of the 20th century (Sadam Hussein);
• "Eternal President" of North Korea (Kim Jong Il);
• the charming princess (Lady Diana), who took third place in history among the 100 greatest Britons;
• All-Russian autocrat Catherine the Great, who significantly expanded the boundaries of the empire;
• the most serene prince and famous Russian commander (Kutuzov);
• Lenin (aka V.I. Ulyanov) - the main inspirer and organizer of the October Revolution;
• L.I. Brezhnev, who participated in the 1945 Victory Parade;
• the last Secretary General of the USSR and the first President of the Russian Federation.

And this is just the beginning of the list, which also includes famous writers, scientists and artists.

fictional characters and « star » beau monde

Outrageous pop and movie stars also settled here:

• Charlie Chaplin - the legend of silent cinema;
• Marilyn Monroe - singer, actress and model who became a sex symbol of the fifties;
• Freddie Mercury - vocalist of the legendary Queen;
• great comedians - Yuri Nikulin and Pierre Richard;
• famous musketeers - Boyarsky, Smekhov, Smirnitsky and Starygin;
• Anna Semenovich, Verka Serduchka, colorful Tajik Ravshan and many others.

True, the similarity of most of the representatives of the "star" beau monde has to be identified by the plates, they are so far from the original.

As for the "wax" movie heroes, individual copies turned out to be extremely realistic (for example, the incredibly strong Obelix - Gerard Depardieu).

But the heroes of the series of novels about "Harry Potter", the saga "The Hobbit" and "The Lord of the Rings" can only be identified by well-known signs and characteristic postures.

The wax doubles of Genes, Cheburashka, Hare, Wolf and the heroes of Star Wars turned out to be somewhat more successful.

Hall of "freaks" and erotica

A separate ALEX SHOW hall is reserved for famous freaks, whose figures do not at all look like the originals. The only thing they have in common is the deformities themselves:

• amazing flexibility of Alexander Ivanov, easily turning his head 180°C;
• the "massive" figure of Buster Simkus, who weighed over 1.5 tons;
• a piglet instead of a nose on a female pig (Grisel Stevens);
• the "outstanding" horn of a rhinoceros-man (Francois Troullue);
• single eye (Robert Rye);
• giant ears (Francois Pellier);
• claws instead of hands in a cancer man (a whole dynasty of Stiles).

The "highlight" of the wax museum is rightfully considered the so-called erotic hall. It is filled with all sorts of genitals and mammary glands in all its glory... The frank vulgarity of most of the exhibits is really amazing!

Among the presented "erotic" mythical characters and imaginary twins of bearers of curvaceous forms, one can only put a half-naked Cleopatra on public display.

Like any other alternative museum, ALEX SHOW is quite specific. Yes, and it is designed for a "hardened" audience, and not for the fragile psyche of children.

The Wax Museum in St. Petersburg is a great place for everyone who wants to not only have a good time, but also learn something new about historical figures and celebrities. The figures in the museum are made with incredible realism: even when visitors are nearby, they are not left with the feeling that the wax statues are alive.

For the first time, wax figures began to be made in Italy, and they were created not for entertainment, but for memorial purposes: representatives of the aristocracy thus kept the memory of deceased relatives.

In the 18th century, the first wax exhibition was held in Europe, after which museums began to appear throughout the continent.

In St. Petersburg, the Wax Museum opened in 1996 on the basis of the Alex art studio, the largest manufacturer of wax sculptures. The institution is located in the historical center of the city - on Nevsky Prospekt. In the museum, tourists will see more than 1000 figures, divided into several large expositions.

Exhibitions at the Wax Museum

Politicians and statesmen

The exposition "Russia and power" is the oldest department of the museum. Here are exhibits from which the history of the cultural institution began: wax figures of Peter I, Ivan the Terrible, Alexander III, Catherine II, Nicholas II, Alexander II, Fidel Castro, Mikhail Gorbachev, Joseph Stalin, Vladimir Lenin, Adolf Hitler, Boris Yeltsin, Bill Clinton. Later, Barack Obama, Vladimir Putin, Dmitry Medvedev, former boxer and State Duma deputy Nikolai Valuev were added to the political pantheon.

Historical characters

In the hall of historical characters, tourists are waiting for wax figures of Caesar, Cleopatra, Napoleon Bonaparte, Alexander the Great. Of great interest to the guests are the sculptural compositions "Ivan the Terrible Kills His Son", "Nicholas II and Alexandra Feodorovna", "Yalta Conference", "Prince Vladimir and Olga", "The Crowned Family". Here, visitors will see the figures of A. Pushkin, Columbus, G. Rasputin, P. Stolypin, Genghis Khan and many others.

Celebrities

Museum guests love to be photographed with the characters of this exposition - Placido Domingo, Salvador Dali, Charlie Chaplin, J-I. Cousteau, Freddie Mercury, F. Kirkorov, V. Syutkin and others. Of great interest are the excellently executed figures of Leo Tolstoy, Anna Akhmatova, Goethe. Not a single visitor leaves without a photo with the Beatles, Marilyn Monroe and Robert De Niro.

Characters of fairy tales and fantasy

The exhibition of mythological characters, cartoon characters, books and films in the fantasy genre is in great demand among children. There are hundreds of figures in this section. These are hobbits, elves, trolls, werewolves, characters from The Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, Pirates of the Caribbean, Star Wars, Shrek, Avatar, American comics and Soviet cartoons. The guys are ready to explore the exhibition for hours: no one will refuse to take a picture with Harry, Ron and Hermione or with Jack Sparrow.

bible characters

The biblical section of the Wax Museum presents three sculptural compositions: The Apostles, The Last Supper and The Descent of Jesus from the Cross.

Torture room and erotica room

These two exhibitions can only be visited by adult tourists. In the torture hall, guests will learn how people were tortured in the Mayan Empire, ancient Egypt, and Medieval Europe. The horrors of the Inquisition chill the blood in your veins.

The erotica hall presents originally executed figures of half-naked women from different eras.

Kunstkamera

The wax incarnation of the most famous St. Petersburg museum - the Kunstkamera. Tourists will see wax copies of hunchbacks, Siamese twins, five-eyed people. On the one hand, the guests feel dumbfounded, on the other hand, they feel sorry for the unfortunate freaks.

A tour of the museum is accompanied by theatrical and light and noise effects. Many figures move, causing fear in the guests, and then fits of laughter.

A visit to the Wax Museum will be a great pastime in St. Petersburg.

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