American Museum of Magic facts for kids
 |
|
| Lua error in Module:Location_map at line 420: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). | |
| Established | April 1, 1978 |
|---|---|
| Location | Marshall, Michigan |
The American Museum of Magic in Marshall, Michigan, is a super cool place. It has a huge collection of magic tricks and illusions. You can even see many items that belonged to the famous magician Harry Blackstone Sr.. He was a well-known magician from 1885 to 1965.
Contents
Discovering the Magic Collection
The American Museum of Magic is the biggest magic museum in the United States. It is open for everyone to visit. The museum has a huge collection of items from many different magicians. These include both very famous and lesser-known performers. For example, you can see items from 'Milky The Twin Pines Magic Clown'. He was a magician named Clare Cummings. He gave most of his magic tricks to this museum.
This museum celebrates the amazing art of magic. It also shows how much magicians love their craft. The museum first opened its doors on April 1, 1978. In 2008, it celebrated its 30th birthday!
A special sign at the museum says it has a "unique collection". It celebrates the "magician's arts of wonder and delight". Michigan has a special connection to magic. The town of Colon, Michigan, is a center for making magic props. It was also Harry Blackstone's home.
Some people even call it "the Smithsonian Museum of magic". It has so many hidden treasures. The museum has thousands of files on many different performers. These include famous people like Doug Henning. It also has files on unique acts like Donna Delberts. She was known as "the world's only lady fire eater".
What You Can See at the Museum
The museum has a massive collection of magic-related items.
- It has over 2,000 posters and handbills.
- You can find 587 show-bills.
- There are more than 5,000 programs.
- The museum holds 10,000 books about magic.
- It has 24,000 magic magazines.
- There are 46,000 photos of magicians.
The collection also includes magic tools and full magic sets. You can see letters, diaries, and old writings. There are also scrapbooks and half a million pieces of "ephemera". Ephemera are items that were not meant to last long. The museum's special archive is called the Lund Memorial Library. It has information on thousands of magicians you might not know about.
Even the famous magician David Copperfield loves this place. He calls it "one of my favorite places on earth".
Famous Magic Exhibits
Some of the most important exhibits include:
- Doug Henning's "Zig Zag" illusion. This is a famous trick where a person appears to be cut in half.
- Various tools used by Howard Thurston. He had one of the biggest illusion shows in America.
- The "Milk Can" and "Overboard Box" used by Harry Houdini. These were famous escape tricks.
History of the Museum
The American Museum of Magic was started by Robert Lund and his wife, Elaine Lund. Robert Lund was a writer and editor from the Detroit area. He loved collecting magic items. He wanted to be a magician himself. But he decided he wasn't good enough at performing. So, he chose to become the best student of magic history instead. He collected everything he could find about his favorite art. Because of his hard work, he gathered one of the world's largest collections.
The museum is in a very old Victorian building. It was built in 1868, making it over 150 years old! This building has been many things before. It was once a saloon, a billiard hall, and a clothing store. Now, it is a museum. You can find it at 107 East Michigan Avenue in Marshall.
Bob and Elaine Lund worked very hard to restore the building. Elaine Lund silk-screened posters for the windows. She also fixed the floors and put in cabinets. They put their "heart and souls" into making the museum special. The City of Marshall was so impressed that it gave them a silver cup.
Museum Activities and Events
In 2005, a new group of directors took over the museum. They wanted to make it even better. The American Museum of Magic is a charity. This means it is a non-profit organization.
The museum offers many ways to experience magic.
- They have tours for groups.
- Schools can arrange field trips.
- You can even take virtual tours online.
- They offer virtual workshops for students.
The Lund Memorial Library holds many of the museum's items. Researchers can visit it by making an appointment. Every October, the museum hosts a special event. It features amazing tricks, escapes, and other feats of magic.
The museum has also given an award to magician Terry Evanswood.
Other Harry Blackstone Exhibits
In 1985, something special happened. It was 100 years after Harry Blackstone Sr. was born. His son, Harry Blackstone Jr., gave two important items to the Smithsonian Institution. The Smithsonian is a famous museum in Washington D.C.
- He donated the original floating light bulb. Thomas Edison himself designed and built it.
- He also gave them the original Casadega Cabinet. This was used in the "Dancing Handkerchief" illusion.
This was the first time the Smithsonian accepted a donation about magic!
See Also
- List of magic museums
