Houdini exhibit at the PEM in Salem

A new exhibit, "Harry Houdini in Salem," will be on view at the Peabody Essex Museum (PEM) from September 3 through November 2. Located in the Main Atrium, the installation tells the story of Houdini's 1906 appearance in Salem and his visit to PEM, including a poster advertising his performance and a pair of handcuffs that caught his attention in the museum. Below are details.

In April 1906, Houdini visited the Peabody Academy of Science, now PEM, before performing that evening at the Salem Theatre. Onstage, the master showman claimed museum curators had misdated a set of handcuffs and offered $1,000 to charity if anyone could prove otherwise.

Decades later, those same handcuffs resurfaced in another Houdini story. When the annual Official Houdini Séance was held in Salem in 1990, a PEM curator brought them along in hopes they might help summon Houdini’s spirit. No luck.

Now, "Harry Houdini in Salem," on view September 3–November 2, brings the handcuffs and other objects connected to Houdini into the spotlight for the centennial of his death on October 31, 1926.

PEM will mark the anniversary on Halloween with Houdini Halloween Magic Show and Curator Talk, featuring magician Anton Andresen recreating some of Houdini’s magic for a limited audience.

Visit the PEM website for more details.

Related:

• Salem will rename street "Houdini Way"
• Conjuring the Spirit World: Art, Magic, and Mediums
• LINK: The complete account of Houdini's visit to Salem, Massachusetts