Isaac Van Amburgh

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Can you put your head inside a lion’s mouth?

Known as the Lion King, Isaac Van Amburgh (1800-65) was an animal trainer, renowned for putting his head into animals’ mouths.

In 1838, Van Amburg was scheduled to ascend in Charles Green’s balloon with a full-grown Bengal tiger, however the show was cancelled due to fears for the spectators’ safety. He didn’t perform at the Gardens until 1848, ten years after his proposed debut, wowing audiences as one of the first lion tamers to ever place their bare arms – and head – inside the jaws of a wild cat. Van Amburgh travelled across Europe, esteemed by Queen Victoria. Although he gave only a few performances at Vauxhall, his legacy lives on in the circus world.

Are you brave enough to put your head inside a lion’s mouth? Put yourself in Van Amburgh’s shoes with this fun selfie filter. Don’t forget to strike a pose as you relive the American animal trainer’s daring trick!

How to use the filter

Find the QR code located in Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens using the map below
Scan the QR code using the camera function on your smartphone
Ensure your volume is turned up to hear atmospheric sounds, music, and stories
Click ‘Open Instagram Filter’ to launch the AR experience on Instagram
Tag @beinvauxhall if you share your photos on Instagram

Use the map to explore the rest of our filter trail

See all our interactive filters

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Madame Saqui

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Isaac Van Amburgh

Don’t forget to strike a pose as you put yourself in Van Amburgh's shoes and relive the American animal trainer’s daring trick!
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