In 1978, magician Donald Kill hung upside down in a straitjacket on Marshall’s main street. He managed to escape, climbed down the fire truck and opened the doors to the American Museum of Magic for the first time.
That straitjacket is among hundreds of memorabilia now at the two-story museum dedicated to the art of illusion.
Colorful show posters from early eras line the walls. Penn and Teller suits stand next to the mirrored jacket of Senior Rai. A stage in the middle of the museum hosts magician acts.
There’s a lot to choose from, but we narrowed it down to three magical artifacts that you shouldn’t miss at the museum:
A magic wand
With a wave of his wand, Robert Houdin created great acts of magic. Known as the father of modern magic (and Houdini’s namesake), Houdin was a clock maker who brought magic from street performances to the more respectable stage. He was also well-known for his automatons.
A book of magic
There was a time when a simple ball and cup trick could get you labelled a witch. To prove the innocence of magicians, “The Discoverie of Witchcraft” was printed in 1584. It shows how various tricks are done with sleight of hand, not the help of the devil.
A miraculous cannon
The magician Adelaide gave this cannon to Harry Blackstone after he helped her get through a disastrous fire. The cannon works like this: A watch is taken from the audience and broken into pieces. The pieces are put into the cannon and shot into a box. Inside the box, the magician pulls out the whole watch, now back in one piece.
The American Museum of Magic is open to the public this summer, noon to 4 p.m. Thursdays through Sundays. Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for 12 and younger, free for ages 5 and under. Check out the Facebook page for magic performances.
