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6/9/23

Change My Mind about Wax Museums

I have a thing against wax museums. I've always thought that wax museums are to regular museums what tabloids are to regular magazines. I've never actually been to a wax museum, so it's not necessarily a valid opinion. Therefore, I invite you to change my mind about wax museums. 

As you know, I love museums and will happily go to a museum about anything from banjos to bobbleheads to bookbinding. None of those are about people, though. It sounds weird to say I'm more interested in pottery, potatoes, and Pez than I am about people, but I suppose I have to own that. 

I really like art museums and making realistic wax statues is definitely impressive, so I should be interested in going to a wax museum simply to admire the art. Below is the stock photo that PicMonkey gave me when I typed in "wax museum." It looks plenty lifelike to me and I would be very interested in learning more about how wax figures are crafted. 


And there's my biggest question. Is there any learning to be had at a wax museum? Will visiting teach me how the figures are sculpted? (Or cast, or however they're made?) Will it teach me about the artist or about the subject, or ideally both? If so, I'm in. But if a wax museum is just a place to take photos of myself with celebrities and nothing more, no thanks. As you know, I like museums, not "museums."

On the other hand... I thoroughly enjoyed walking amongst the life-size statues of the men present at the Constitutional Convention when we visited Philadelphia. You can read that George Washington was 6'4" and James Madison 5'4", but standing next to them is when you really understand how they looked. Maybe I would feel the same walking amongst the actors, athletes, politicians, and whoever else is in a wax museum. 

So I ask you: Please change my mind about wax museums. Thank you. 

2 comments:

  1. You've never been to Madame Tussauds? There's definitely artistry involved in these wax pieces which you would appreciate. It's pretty cool to stand next to a life-size wax version of a historical figure. Way better than the stupid Museum of Ice-Cream.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. No, I've never been! I trust your opinion, so I'll check out a wax museum one of these days.

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