Houdini Returns To Baltimore In A Magical Exhibit

Harry Houdini made a daring escape for all of Baltimore to see over a hundred years ago. Now, he takes the spotlight at a new exhibit at the Jewish Museum of Maryland, Inescapable: The Life and Legacy of Harry Houdini, which celebrates the magician’s historical feats and Jewish heritage.

Baltimore, April 26, 1916: 50,000 have flooded Charles Street, packed into every nook and cranny. Some folks hang out of windows or watch from roofs above, while others crane their necks to look up at the Baltimore Sun building. Before their eyes, Houdini, suspended 50 feet in the air, upside down, escapes a straitjacket bound by the city police themselves—in just three minutes.

A circus tent and artifacts from Harry and Beatrice Houdini’s time with the Welsh Brothers Circus.

Fast forward 102 years later, and escape artist Dai Andrews attempted to recreate this incredible feat 50 feet (15.2 meters) above Lloyd Street on June 24, 2018. The event commemorates the opening of the Jewish Museum of Maryland’s new exhibit on Houdini, Inescapable: The Life and Legacy of Harry Houdini. The exhibition tells the story of Houdini’s life from struggle to success in acts. It includes artifacts from his early life, such as a Hebrew bible belonging to his father (a rabbi), props from his performances, reproduction posters, press clippings, film clips, and a rare vocal recording.

Go “Behind the Curtain” at “Inescapable: The Life and Legacy of Harry Houdini.”

Marvin Pinkert, the executive director of Inescapable, invited local magician David London to curate the exhibit after seeing him perform at Artscape in 2017. London, a lifelong Houdini fan, happily took on the role.

“On the Cutting Edge” section of the “Inescapable” exhibit, bringing together reproduced posters, photographs, and digital media to illustrate Houdini’s life.

The exhibit gives visitors opportunities to perform a little magic themselves. Kids can dress up in capes and learn how to perform Houdini’s vanishing elephant trick (on a much smaller scale, of course). Guests can also take a look at spirit photography, which uses a technique to make “ghosts” appear in photographs, and classic card tricks.

Try your hand at the smallest version of Houdini’s “biggest” trick—the Vanishing Elephant.

“The Final Bow & Curtain Call,” setting the record straight on Houdini’s death, at “Inescapable.”

Inescapable: The Life and Legacy of Harry Houdini will be at the Jewish Museum of Maryland from June 24, 2018, to January 29, 2019, with the special opening event on June 24th.

About the author

Kate Elizabeth Orgera

A Long Island native with a love of stories, Kate lived in Baltimore for four years while studying at Johns Hopkins University, where she graduated with a BA from the Writing Seminars program and studied voice at the Peabody Institute. After two years in publishing, she ventured back into writing to help companies and communities tell their stories. She has since worked as a copywriter and content marketer for various New York startups, including American Express's Plenti program. A literature, culture, and theater lover, Kate enjoys writing fiction, exploring, and drinking tea in her spare time.