A one of kind magical place that you can only experience in Marshall, Michigan.

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The American Museum of Magic was founded on April 1, 1978, by Bob and Elaine Lund. Born out of a passion or obsession, Bob spent decades eating peanut butter and jelly sandwiches to collect the treasures now housed at 107 East Michigan Avenue.

Bob did not set out to open a museum. He was spurred into action by threats from his wife Elaine who told him to either stop collecting or they needed to move into a bigger place. Not willing to give up collecting more treasures, Bob saved up enough money to buy the building the historic building that still houses the American Museum of Magic.

Courtesy of the American Museum of Magic
Courtesy of the American Museum of Magic
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Bob began collecting magicians' artifacts in the mid-1930s and continued doing so up until he passed away in 1995. The items he collected included props and posters from the world's most talented and known musicians like Harry Blackstone, Joseph Dunninger, and Harry Houdini. Bob didn't just collect memorabilia from well-known magicians. He had thousands of items from unknown and small-town sorcerers.

Bob's wife kept the museum going after he passed but soon found it hard to keep up with the items housed within becoming increasingly disorganized. Thankfully, there were enough fans who stepped in to raise funds to keep the collection open to the public. In 2005, a board of directors stepped in to restore the American Museum of Magic to its former glory.

The museum opens to the public every spring. That's not to say you can not check it out in the winter. You just have to contact staff to book an appointment. The museum is also conveniently located about 40 minutes away from the Magic Capital of the World, Colon, Michigan.

In memory of Stacy Conklin-Kittle, a member of the Amazing Conklin's who never stopped believing in magic.

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