Modeling the Presidents
| General Information | ||
| Museum Open April 1st to October 31st | ||
| Admission: | ||
| Adults | $10.00 | |
| Seniors | $8.00 | |
| Children 6-12 | $7.00 | |
| Children under 6 | FREE | |
History
Founded in 1971, the National Presidential Wax Museum, formely known as the Parade of Presidents, is one of the most prestigious attractions in the Black Hills. Combining the talents of Kathryn Stuberg Keller, a third generation wax sculptor, with the accomplished set design artists Don and Bonnie McPhee, the team cultivated blue prints for each design through extensive research and planning. Averaging three months per wax figure, life begins with a piece of clay. Heads are cast into molds, and human hair is added. Medical glass eyes are obtained from Germany, a country long famous for supremacy in optical glass and porcelain teeth lend the crowning touch to the wax heads. The period clothing is made by the Hollywood Costume Co., modern dress and accessories are purchased from Terry King Clothing of LA and from local businesses. Henry Alvaraz, a prodigy of Katherine, created the more recent figures of George Bush, Al Gore, Jackie Kennedy and fireman Bob Beckwirth.
In 2001, KCJ Development became the proud new owners of the Parade of Presidents Wax Museum. The museum had been closed for several seasons between owners, so after some renovations, the museum was reopened with new owners, a new name, The National Presidential Wax Museum, and a new look. The Executive Order Grill and the Holy Terror Mini Golf Course have since been added to offer FUN, FOOD and EDUCATION all in one location.
Artist: Kathryn Stuberg-Keller
Breathing life into wax, Kathryn Stuberg-Keller is regarded in the art of wax as one of the finest wax artists who ever lived. Producing over 700 life-size wax figures throughout North America, several of her renditions in wax remain unmatched, notably her figure of Abraham Lincoln, the sixteenth President of the United States. In the decade of the 1960's Kathryn and her husband Tom produced a number of wax figures of Lincoln for various museums. As a third generation wax artist, Kathryn's mother and grandfather preceded her in the industry. Ms. Stuberg-Keller died in 1996 leaving a legacy of wax sculptures throughout the United States and Canada.
Wax Figurine Process
by Kathryn Stuberg-Keller
The process begins with a lump of clay for molding the face into features to resemble the President’s head. The clay head is covered with a liquid plastic that hardens into a mask. A plaster cast is made from the mask with a piece on the front and another on the back. When the plaster is dried, the two pieces of plaster mold are fastened together and filled with hot wax.
Since wax hardens from the outside first, a layer of two inches is required. The middle portion of wax is poured out and the mold is opened to reveal the wax figure. The head is painted the appropriate flesh color and the wax is removed from the eyes and mouth. Hand-blown optical eyes from Germany are inserted into the eye sockets and porcelain teeth are inserted into the mouth. The human head and facial hair is inserted using a heat lamp to soften the wax without melting it. Using a barbed needle, the hair is inserted one strand at a time by pushing the hair down into the wax. Once the wax hardens the hair will not be easily removable. Hands are molded from casts of human models. The head and hands are placed on a paper mache body and the body is clothed according to the era of origin.
Educator Information
A great field trip for school groups, the National Presidential Wax Museum provides educational activities and tours for school groups designed to enable the learning process. Learning is easier when students are offered a glimpse into our nation’s past with life-like settings based on historical events. Students can gather information about the forty-three U.S. Presidents through activities designed to interact with the museum’s exhibits. Self-guided or museum-guided tours are available.
• Off-season tours are available for special dates. Tour combination packages include the Presidential Wax Museum, Holy Terror Mini Golf Course and Executive Order Grill.
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