Three floors of magic apparatus, ephemera, memorabilia, photos, posters and artwork
A Library with hundreds of antique, modern and reference books on magic
Objects of professional magicians from the 16th century onward, including Houdini.
The Averbook Magic Art Museum & Library is a private curated collection and athenaeum of apparatus, advertising, costuming, ephemera and history of the significant creators and craftspeople, inventors and innovators, producers and performers of the art of magic.
Located in Cleveland, Ohio, the three-story, 8,000-square foot museum houses more than 50,000 objects and ephemera as well as 15,000 rare books and periodicals.
Recognized worldwide for its size and historic significance is the museum’s collection of Harry Houdini (Erich Weisz) related materials. In both the upper gallery and the library, Houdini effects, ephemera, handcuffs, lithographs, Weisz family materials and rare books are exhibited.
Also on the museum’s upper level is an extensive display of Okito’s (Theo Bamberg) handmade equipment and colorful costumes.
Collections related to other magic luminaries prominently shown in the museum’s galleries are those of Alexander Herrmann, Chung Ling Soo (William Robinson), Howard Thurston, Harry Kellar, Richard Cardini, Harry Blackstone Sr., Frederick Eugene Powell, Dante and Dai Vernon among others. The rich magic history of Ohio magicians Karl Germain, McDonald Birch, Maurice Raymond, Paul Fox and George Stock are also featured.
The intricate Mystery Clocks built by Jean Eugene Robert-Houdin, "The Father of Modern Magic," are beautifully presented as are the sparkling metal magic effects of nineteenth and early twentieth century European makers from Conradi to Klingl to Willmann.
There are elaborate displays of the wooden apparatus and turnings of Floyd Thayer, the electronic and Plexiglas creations of Tony Anverdi, magical sculptures by John Rogers and Toni Moretto and the magnificent stone lithographs of Houdini, Kellar, LeRoy, Powell and Soo among others.
A performance stage with lovely proscenium arch occupies a portion of the museum’s lower level.
Since its opening in early 2023, the museum has already been visited by magicians and magic historians from around the world.
Dr. Bruce Averbook, a magician with over 55 years of experience, was born and raised in Los Angeles, where he first discovered his passion for magic. At the age of 11, during a period of bed rest due to an injury, he immersed himself in magic books and began performing tricks for friends and family. His interest in magic grew as he frequented the Magic Castle/Academy of Magical Arts, where he had the privilege of witnessing performances by renowned magicians. Although he temporarily stepped away from paid performances during medical school, he returned to the magic scene in the 1980s, becoming a Magic Castle magician member. In subsequent years, he continued to expand his magical knowledge through mentorship and involvement in the Secret Scorpions Society. As a surgical oncologist, he balanced his medical career with his love for magic, even serving as the President of the Cleveland Magicians Club. In recent times, Dr. Averbook has retired from practice, established The Averbook Magic Art Museum and Library, and become a prominent figure in the magic community, focusing on preserving magic history and sharing his passion through various publications and performances.
