Smoke and Mirrors at Musée Grévin

Hidden behind a narrow facade on Paris' Boulevard Montmatre lies one of the world's most unusual museums - the French waxworks Grévin.

Since its origin in 1882 Grévin has developed its own whimsical style.Tableau's of famous paintings, recreations of historical events to the latest French stars all meet in this huge, maze-like building, where the visitors are walking from small, dark rooms to big ornamented halls.  A wonderful kaleidoscope of who's who,  history, elaborate costumes and big hair-do's

Grévin fearlessly mixes old and new, place royalty next to Elvis Presley and make people living 100 years apart meet for coffee in a cafe setting. An abundance of dark red velvet, marble, golden ornaments and mirrors, mirrors and more mirrors. 

For me the essence of Grévin is the Hall of Mirrors – or the Palais des Mirages. You step into a dark room, and suddenly find yourself in an endless jungle, that turns into a temple that turns into a… something oriental I guess. By the use of mirrors, rotating stages, light, music, butterflies, fake palm trees and wax figures of concubines and belly dancers this attraction was build for the World's Expo in 1900. It was moved in Musée Grévin in 1906 and had a major overhaul in 2006 with a new score by Manu Katche and light design by Bernard Szajner. 

In the age of simulators, 3D in every movie theatre, scents and visual stimulation everywhere I can still feel utterly fascinated by the seemingly endless scenes created in this more than 100 years old attraction. Smoke and mirrors at its best.

See more about Musée Grévin on their website. And make sure you visit the newly opened Café Grevin next door, decorated with illusions, wax figures and mirrors as only Grévin can do it.