Houdini Museum of New York facts for kids
Houdini Exhibition at The Jewish Museum New York
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| Established | 2012 |
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| Location | Wayne, NJ |
| Type | Magic museum |
| Owner | Roger Dreyer |
The Houdini Museum of New York is a special place that shows off amazing items connected to the famous escape artist, Harry Houdini. It's located inside Fantasma Magic, a company that makes and sells magic tricks.
Contents
Discovering Houdini's World
The Houdini Museum of New York first opened its doors in October 2012. It holds hundreds of items, many of which belonged to the legendary magician and escape artist Harry Houdini. These items are called "ephemera," which means a collection of things that were used for a short time.
Amazing Items on Display
Among the museum's most exciting pieces is Houdini's 1907 escape coffin. Houdini was sealed inside this coffin with six-inch nails and then escaped! Another large item is the "robot" from Houdini's 1919 silent film The Master Mystery. You can also see Houdini's Metamorphosis Trunk. This trunk was used in a famous trick where he and his wife, Bess, would quickly switch places.
Other cool items include the original bust from Houdini's grave. This bust is on loan from a magic society. You can also see Bess Houdini's stage outfit. There are many smaller items too, like Houdini's personal magic props and escape tools. The museum also has items related to Houdini's interest in showing how "spiritualists" did their tricks. He wanted to prove that many of their acts were not real magic.
The Collection's Value
The collection of Houdini items is very valuable. It is said to be worth more than $1 million. Some estimates suggest it cost "several million" dollars to put together.
A Hidden Gem
The museum is in a quiet spot, so it can be easy to miss. However, it has been featured on many television shows. These include ABC World News, Fox & Friends, NY1, MTV, and Good Day New York.
Who Owns and Designed It?
The museum is owned by Roger Dreyer, who is a big collector of Houdini items. He also owns Fantasma Magic. The museum was designed by a famous architect named David Rockwell. The museum has over 1,500 pieces of "Houdiniana," which means items related to Houdini. This large collection means the displays can change often, so there's always something new to see. Roger Dreyer's Houdini collection is the second-largest in the world. The biggest collection belongs to the Las Vegas illusionist David Copperfield.
Other Places to See Houdini's Legacy
There are other museums and collections around the world that celebrate Harry Houdini:
- Houdini Museum in Scranton, Pennsylvania
- American Museum of Magic
- David Copperfield's International Museum and Library of the Conjuring Arts. This museum is not open to the public.
- The History Museum at the Castle (Appleton, Wisconsin)
- The House of Houdini. This is a place in Los Angeles where Houdini rented a cottage in 1919. He lived there while making movies. His wife stayed there for a while after he passed away.
- The University of Texas Library has many Houdini items. It includes a large collection of his letters and writings.
See also
- List of magic museums
