What is "turning the pages of history"? That is sitting over a school textbook, wandering through the ruins of ancient cities, and visiting historical museums. But it is much more interesting to learn about real people who went down in history thanks to their deeds. And if it is impossible to meet such people in life, then why not look at their wax doubles? When vacationing in Madrid with a child, offer him a photo session with Cristiano Ronaldo or Captain America — and consent to visit the Wax Museum will be received instantly.
The Wax Museum in Madrid came into being in 1972. Today it has a collection of 450 sculptures depicting famous people from the worlds of science, art, sport, politics and film characters. How much the portrait resemblance is preserved is up to each visitor to decide.
Kids can head straight to the movie and cartoon characters section. Wax figures include Captain Jack Sparrow, Spider-Man, Bart Simpson, Monster High's Dracula and even Red Riding Hood (who is about to be eaten by a wolf). Also of interest is the section where statues of the actors are displayed. Some like Angelina Jolie, while others like Justin Bieber — these and many other artists can be seen in the museum exhibition halls.
The sports section features mostly Spaniards. Not all of their names are familiar, but if you've been to the Real Madrid FC museum, you might remember the name of goalkeeper Iker Casillas. And if you've been to the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona, you've probably heard of Andrés Iniesta. But there are other Spanish celebrities that children will be keen to see for themselves. On their visits to Madrid, they heard plenty about the Spanish Kings and the Salvador Dali and Pablo Picasso painters. They may already be familiar with the book of Cervantes. If you look at their faces, can you guess if it's a painter or a writer?
Not all the Museo de Cera de Madrid characters may seem familiar. An audio guide in English, Spanish and Italian will help you get the information you need.
We recommend caution in the horror section. It features characters from thriller and horror films and historical figures of notoriety. Also, you shouldn't take the Horror Train with young children. You can, however, go to the Multivision cinema for an excellent short film about the history of Spain.
If your family trip to Spain continues, the wax museum in Barcelona is the place to go. Its unique feature is two unusual exhibitions for children.
