Madame Tussauds Amsterdam brings a traveling craft tradition to Dam Square: wax portraiture that began with Marie Tussaud and her mentor Philippe Curtius. The Amsterdam branch opened in 1970 and moved to its present central location in 1991, extending a history of modelling public figures across changing eras.
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Wax figures invite a simple comparison: how closely can a crafted likeness resemble a living person? The tradition behind Madame Tussauds began with Marie Grosholtz, later Madame Tussaud, who learned wax modelling from physician and anatomist Philippe Curtius. She toured Britain with an exhibition before establishing a permanent base in London in 1835.
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UpgradeQuick facts
- The Amsterdam branch opened in 1970.
- It moved to Dam Square in 1991.
- Marie Tussaud learned wax modelling from Philippe Curtius.
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