The House of Houdini is a museum and performance venue located at 11, Dísz Square, within the walls of the
Buda Castle
Buda Castle ( hu, Budavári Palota, german: link=no, Burgpalast) is the historical castle and palace complex of the Hungarian Kings in Budapest. It was first completed in 1265, although the massive Baroque palace today occupying most of the si ...
in
Budapest, Hungary
Budapest (, ; ) is the capital and most populous city of Hungary. It is the ninth-largest city in the European Union by population within city limits and the second-largest city on the Danube river; the city has an estimated population of ...
. The museum houses the only collection of original
Houdini
Harry Houdini (, born Erik Weisz; March 24, 1874 – October 31, 1926) was a Hungarian-American escape artist, magic man, and stunt performer, noted for his escape acts. His pseudonym is a reference to his spiritual master, French magician ...
artifacts in Europe.
History
The museum's collection includes original Houdini memorabilia: ''e.g.'', handcuffs, personal correspondence, and "precious artifacts." A Bible once owned by Houdini is part of the collection.
It also includes original props from the ''Houdini'' film ''
Oxygen
Oxygen is the chemical element with the symbol O and atomic number 8. It is a member of the chalcogen group in the periodic table, a highly reactive nonmetal, and an oxidizing agent that readily forms oxides with most elements as wel ...
'' (1999), which featured
Adrien Brody
Adrien Nicholas Brody (born April 14, 1973) is an American actor. He received widespread recognition and acclaim after starring as Władysław Szpilman in Roman Polanski's '' The Pianist'' (2002), for which he won the Academy Award for Best Acto ...
, an
Oscar winner, and the later miniseries.
The facility opened on June 16, 2016.
Budapest was selected as the location of the museum as Houdini was born in the city.
The museum is the product of
David Merlini
David Merlini is a Hungarian-Italian escape artist, and World Record holder, described by Expo 2015 as the world's most famous escapologist, currently serving as Director of The House of Houdini, the only Houdini museum in Europe.
Merlini's sign ...
, an
escapologist
Escapology is the practice of escaping from restraints or other traps. Escapologists (also classified as escape artists) escape from handcuffs, straitjackets, cages, coffins, steel boxes, barrels, bags, burning buildings, fish-tanks, and ot ...
who served as technical advisor on the
Houdini miniseries. Its artifacts were previewed at Budapest's
National Széchényi Library
The National Széchényi Library ( hu, Országos Széchényi Könyvtár) (OSZK) is a library in Budapest, Hungary, located in Buda Castle. It is one of two Hungarian national libraries, the other being University of Debrecen Library.
History
The ...
.
Joe M. Turner
Joe M. Turner (born November 23, 1969) is an American corporate magician, mentalist, and a frequent keynote speaker at conferences and other meetings. Based in Atlanta, he is in the field of corporate magic as well as customizing magic perform ...
exchanged commemorative plaques with Merlini at the then proposed site of the museum on Houdini's birthday. This followed an earlier exhibition in Milan, Italy.
The venue is also a center for research into Houdini's life, highlighting his Hungarian origin.
and
Jewish
Jews ( he, יְהוּדִים, , ) or Jewish people are an ethnoreligious group and nation originating from the Israelites Israelite origins and kingdom: "The first act in the long drama of Jewish history is the age of the Israelites""The ...
.
Notwithstanding his Hungarian birth, Houdini never performed in Hungary.
Six magicians rotate performance in the museum's small theater.
Admission
As of September, admission is 2,400
forints
The forint ( sign Ft; code HUF) is the currency of Hungary. It was formerly divided into 100 fillér, but fillér coins are no longer in circulation. The introduction of the forint on 1 August 1946 was a crucial step in the post-World War II sta ...
for adults and 1,350 forints for children under age 11. English, Italian and Hungarian language guided tours are available.
Visitor entrance can only be gained through decoding a secret "arcane" message; if the visitor fails to solve it, they refund the price of admission
Awards
The House of Houdini has been jointly recognized as a world magic heritage institution by the National President of the Society of American Magicians and the International President of the International Brotherhood of Magicians.
Confusing names and claims
This "house" should not be confused with the "House of Houdini" which was a former Houdini home, purchased in 1908, at 278 West 113th Street,
Harlem
Harlem is a neighborhood in Upper Manhattan, New York City. It is bounded roughly by the Hudson River on the west; the Harlem River and 155th Street (Manhattan), 155th Street on the north; Fifth Avenue on the east; and 110th Street (Manhattan), ...
, now called
Morningside Heights
Morningside Heights is a neighborhood on the West Side of Upper Manhattan in New York City. It is bounded by Morningside Drive to the east, 125th Street to the north, 110th Street to the south, and Riverside Drive to the west. Morningside ...
,
New York City
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
that also displays artifacts.
Likewise, in 1919 he rented the cottage at 2435
Laurel Canyon Boulevard
Laurel Canyon Boulevard is a major street in the city of Los Angeles. It starts off at Polk Street in Sylmar in the northern San Fernando Valley near the junction of the San Diego ( Interstate 405) and the Golden State (I-5)) freeways. Laurel Ca ...
in
Los Angeles
Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...
, while making movies for
Lasky Pictures. His wife occupied it for a time after his death. As of 2011 the site of the cottage was a vacant lot and up for sale.
The main mansion building itself was rebuilt after it was destroyed in the 1959 Laurel Canyon fire, and is now a historic venue called
The Mansion
The Mansion or The Mansions may refer to:
Books
* ''The Interior Castle'', also known as ''The Mansions'' (1577), a spiritual guide written by Teresa of Ávila
* ''The Mansion'' (novel), a 1959 book written by novelist William Faulkner
Buildings ...
.
While Houdini did not likely live at the "mansion," there is some probability that his widow did.
Acquisition rumors
News reports in the preceding months had raised the suspicion that the majority stake of Museum and its assets were to be purchased by Centurion, a US based capital fund for $18.6M. The offer was reportedly turned down by the owner
David Merlini
David Merlini is a Hungarian-Italian escape artist, and World Record holder, described by Expo 2015 as the world's most famous escapologist, currently serving as Director of The House of Houdini, the only Houdini museum in Europe.
Merlini's sign ...
.
Other Houdini museums
*
American Museum of Magic
The American Museum of Magic in Marshall, Michigan, houses a large collection of magical paraphernalia and illusions, including an extensive collection of devices that once belonged to famed magician Harry Blackstone Sr., (1885–1965).
Museum c ...
*
David Copperfield
''David Copperfield'' Dickens invented over 14 variations of the title for this work, see is a novel in the bildungsroman genre by Charles Dickens, narrated by the eponymous David Copperfield, detailing his adventures in his journey from inf ...
's
, which is closed to the public
*
The History Museum at the Castle (Appleton Wisconsin)
*
Houdini Museum
The Houdini Museum is located at Scranton, Pennsylvania. Harry Houdini appeared in Scranton and did several special challenges there. His brother, Hardeen, also appeared in Scranton and in its sister city, Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, Wilkes-Barr ...
(Scranton, Pennsylvania)
*
Houdini Museum of New York
The Houdini Museum of New York is a museum exhibiting memorabilia related to the escape artist, Harry Houdini. It is located at Fantasma Magic, a retail magic manufacturer.
History
Opened in October 2012, the Houdini Museum of New York contains s ...
*
University of Texas
The University of Texas at Austin (UT Austin, UT, or Texas) is a public research university in Austin, Texas. It was founded in 1883 and is the oldest institution in the University of Texas System. With 40,916 undergraduate students, 11,075 ...
Library houses Houdini ephemera and a large collection of Houdini letters and manuscripts.
See also
*
List of magic museums
There are more than two dozen notable museums concerning Magic (illusion), illusionary magic and its associated magicians and magical apparatus, and all but two are publicly accessible.
Permanent museums
North America
* 278 West 113th Street, Ne ...
References
Notes
Citations
External links
House of Houdini Official website
{{Magic and Illusion
Biographical museums in Hungary
Organizations established in 2016
Magic museums
Museums in Budapest