Exhibition at New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, Dorothy and Lewis B. Cullman Center, Shelby Cullom Davis Museum, Vincent Astor Gallery

Through July 11, 2026

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, a surge of magicians began to refine their art, finding larger audiences and building communities of practice. This period has come to be known as the Golden Age of Magic. The history of magic and magicians has long been documented through text and image as a form of theater by the Billy Rose Theatre Division at The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts. Now, the exhibition Mystery and Wonder: a Legacy of Golden Age Magicians in New York City displays our rich and historic archival materials related to the art of magic and the fascinating lives of magicians performing in New York City during the Golden Age.

Magic performance in this period was deeply intertwined with the traditions of spiritualism, vaudeville, circus, and mainstream theater, and innovations in publishing, science, and technology were also a major influence. The exhibition explores how magic knowledge was passed down through communities and lineages of magicians within an evolving cultural and social context.

Mystery and Wonder Exhibition Gallery Tour

July 11, 2026, Saturday, 11:00 AM–12:00 PM
Free; advance registration is required.