THE MUSEUM OF MAGIC

Exhibits and Programs
The Museum of Magic will house five permanent exhibits. These exhibits will be curated to give an exciting and comprehensive overview of the conjuring arts. Our staff of magicians and historians will provide assistance upon request, and perform several daily routines for visitors that feature props that are either taken directly from the exhibit, or are reproductions of those featured in the exhibit. Each exhibit will be interactive and feature a live or taped performance with opportunities for participation from visitors. The Museum of Magic strives to educate through entertainment. Our permanent exhibits include:
Houdini. This exhibit will present props that the great Harry Houdini used in the escape performances that brought him his eternal fame. Performances will include reenactments of some of Houdini's greatest feats (some featuring the exact props he used), including the upside-down straight jacket escape, the milk can escape, and the world-renowned Chinese water torture cell.
Magic in the 1800s. This exhibit will showcase great magicians from this era including Robert Houdin. Houdin is thought of as the father of modern magic. It is popular trivia that a young man named Erich Weiss found him to be so inspiring that he incorporated him into his stage name of Harry Houdini. Performances will feature priceless automatons among other magic artifacts of the era.
The Passing of the Mantle. This exhibit will construe the unspoken apprenticeship that existed among Harry Kellar, Howard Thurston, and Dante. In this order, the elder magician would take the younger under their wing and when ready to retire; would "pass the mantle", or, sell their show and following to him. Performances will include a repertoire of the acts of these greats.
Women in Magic. This exhibit will examine women's role in the evolution of magic. Contrary to popular belief, women in magic are not restricted to a role of assistant. There have been many female magicians, several of whom have been extremely influential to the conjuring arts. This exhibit will highlight their contributions to magic and feature performances by up-and-coming female magicians.
The Life and Times of Howard Thurston. This exhibit will display an all-encompassing collection of artifacts pertaining to renowned magician Howard Thurston (1869-1936), considered one of the greatest magicians of all time. In conjunction with this exhibit, we plan on presenting the acclaimed lecture "When Thurston Came to Town," which examines the sociological impact of Thurston's popularity and performances, and includes an exceptional slideshow that includes a large number of extremely rare photos.
In addition to the five permanent exhibits, we will have a revolving set of installations, including "Magic in the Movies," "How Magic Changed History," "The Science of Magic," "Magic in New York." These special exhibits will rotate on a quarterly basis and will be installed after the Museum of Magic has been in operation for one full year.
Our extensive research and resource library will contain books, manuscripts, and individual documents that pertain to the art of conjuring. The library will be part of the collection available for view. Our theater will be home to monthly performances, lectures, talks, and films by top magicians, magic historians, authors, and directors n the field. Talks will include roundtables of magicians and magic historians whose discussions will center on topics that will relate to the museum's featured exhibits such as "Women in Magic". We intend on having lectures on the life and times of the great magicians such as Jean-Eugene Robert Houdin, Harry Houdini, Alexander Herrmann, Harry Kellar, Howard Thurston, and Dante. We plan on approaching magic historians and authors of popular biographies of magicians to provide their lecturing services to our museum. Lastly, we will have a variety of different film screenings. To coincide with the museum's "Magic in the Movies" exhibit, we will have screenings of films that are important to the history of magic, and that feature illusions within their stories. To garner interest from magicians and film buffs alike, we also plan on screening films that star magic's greats.
Our special programming will include a First Friday Film Series, an Apprentice Workshop for teenagers, a Sunday Family Fun Series, and other seasonal special events. Our gift shop will high-quality magic supplies and other unique items.