Houdini Museum facts for kids

The Houdini Museum is a special place in Scranton, Pennsylvania. It's all about the famous magician Harry Houdini. Houdini himself performed many times in Scranton. His brother, Hardeen, also put on shows there and in nearby Wilkes-Barre.

Houdini spent his longest time performing in this part of Pennsylvania. He was with the Welsh Brothers Circus for two whole seasons! You can see old papers and letters about this at the museum. The museum building is over 125 years old and has been nicely updated. Houdini also performed at a theater in Scranton called Sylvester Z. Poli's. This theater was part of a big group of theaters called Keith-Albee-Orpheum. Later, it became part of the RKO Pictures movie company.

The Houdini Museum offers a fun tour and a magic show. It's a very popular spot in Scranton. Inside the museum, you'll find many cool things. There are items Houdini owned, old photos, and even films of him. The tour usually lasts about two and a half to three hours.

The live magic show at the museum is performed by two well-known magicians. They are Dorothy Dietrich and Dick Brooks.

Museum History

The Houdini Museum was started by Dorothy Dietrich and Dick Brooks. They are also known as John Bravo and Ray Carter. The museum shows off items from their own collections. It also has things Dick Brooks' father gave him. His father actually saw Houdini perform!

Some of these items were first shown in New York City. They were at a place called the Magic Towne House for 15 years. This was from the 1970s to the 1980s. After that, the collection moved to Scranton, Pennsylvania.

A special statue of Houdini's head was also shown in New York. This statue was a copy of the one at Houdini's grave. The Society of American Magicians couldn't store it, so it was kept safe at the museum's New York location.

On September 27, 2011, something important happened. The Houdini Museum, along with Dorothy Dietrich, Dick Brooks, and Steve Moore, replaced the original statue at Houdini's grave. The first statue had been broken by vandals and missing for 36 years. The museum got permission from the cemetery and Houdini's family to do this. The museum paid about $10,000 for this project. Because of the Houdini Museum's efforts, the Society of American Magicians now helps pay for the upkeep of Houdini's grave every year. The Scranton Houdini Museum also helps with maintenance and money. Volunteers and other people who donate also help keep the grave site nice.

Other Houdini Museums Around the World

Did you know there are other places dedicated to Houdini? Here are a few:

• American Museum of Magic
• David Copperfield's International Museum and Library of the Conjuring Arts. This one is not open to the public.
• The History Museum at the Castle in Appleton, Wisconsin.
• Houdini Museum of New York at Fantasma Magic.
• The House of Houdini.
• The University of Texas Library has many Houdini items. This includes letters and old papers.

See Also

• List of magic museums