Have you ever wanted to know how one of the greatest magicians of all time, David Copperfield, had himself sawed in half?  Actually two separate pieces and lived to tell the tale?  Well, I met him today at the NY Historical Society where he guided us around his exhibit of unique items from his private collection and did not look any the worse for wear.  We saw a video of his being sawed but he wouldn’t tell us how he did it.  The Historical Society has a Summer of Magic, over 200 items from Copperfield’s private collection and I loved it.  It might well be the best exhibit I’ve ever seen at the Society and that’s saying a lot since I love their shows.

Until September 15 you can explore rarely exhibited artifacts from the Golden Age of Magic—including unique items from his private collection that Harry Houdini used to make his thrilling escapes—plus meet historical re-enactors portraying the great illusionists of the past, try your hand at magic tricks and learn about mind reading, women in magic, tragic performances (some magicians died during performances gone wrong), unsolved mysteries and much more.  There are old film clips of Houdini breaking out of a straitjacket.  You have got to see this exhibit. I guarantee you will enjoy it.

Miriam Silverberg is a freelance journalist and owner of Miriam Silverberg Associates, a boutique publicity agency in Manhattan.  She may be reached at silverbergm@mindspring.com.