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Madame Tussauds on Marylebone Road is the original and most famous of a chain of wax museums that now spans the world, tracing its origins to the skills of Marie Tussaud, a Frenchwoman who learned the art of wax modelling in the eighteenth century and cast the faces of victims and figures of the French Revolution. After touring Britain with her collection for many years, she established a permanent exhibition in London in the early nineteenth century, and the museum settled at its present site in 1884, since when it has grown into one of the capital's most visited paid attractions. The exhibition presents hundreds of lifelike wax figures of the famous and infamous, from monarchs, political leaders and historical figures to film stars, musicians, sporting heroes and other celebrities of the moment, arranged in themed areas that encourage visitors to pose alongside their idols. The figures are crafted with great care to achieve a striking likeness, a process that can take months and, for living subjects, often involves detailed measurements and sittings. Over the years the museum has added interactive elements, a chamber devoted to the macabre, themed rides and tie-ins with popular films and franchises, broadening its appeal to families. The constant updating of the line-up to reflect current fame keeps the experience fresh and topical. Tickets are cheaper booked online in advance for timed entry, often combined with other attractions, and the museum welcomes visitors throughout the year across every season of the calendar. Part of the enduring fascination of the museum lies in the chance to come face to face with figures one would never normally encounter, and to compare one's own height and appearance with those of the famous, rendered in uncanny detail. The collection spans the historic and the contemporary, so that visitors may move from monarchs and statesmen of the past to the stars of today within a few steps. As the founding location of a brand now found in cities across the globe, the London museum carries a particular prestige, and its blend of celebrity, spectacle and interactive fun keeps it among the most popular attractions in the capital, drawing visitors of all ages throughout the year across the seasons of the calendar.