Robert Houdini cabinet

A new museum is now open in Norfolk which looks at the history and art of magic and the illusion of performing tricks on stage.

The British Magic Museum houses what’s said to be one of the largest exhibitions of magic in the world. 

The collections within the museum offer a vast array of apparatus, ephemera, memorabilia, art and grand illusions. Many of these artefacts are reportedly unique and cannot be found anywhere else.

The artefacts on display were designed and built by the greats of magic of the past and their craftsmen, reflecting a British expertise that has ‘long been recognised around the world’. 

The purpose of the museum is to conserve, restore and recreate magic that has not seen the light of day for generations. 

Not only do visitors have the opportunity to experience the magic of a bygone age, but to experience the age itself, as the magic is brought back to life.

History of magic

Magic has long enthralled the British public, from the skill and dexterity of close-up magic, to the art and illusion of stage performance. The long-awaited creation of a national museum dedicated to this treasured art form is now a reality.

The ground-breaking illusions, such as the ‘sawing a woman in half’ and the ‘floating lady’, were apparently invented in Norfolk.

The museum makes this little-known history, covering some 450 years, available for everyone to understand and experience.

Further information

More information about the museum and its upcoming exhibitions and events can be found on its Facebook page and on the eventbrite website.

For more information, visit www.visitnorfolk.co.uk.