6 December 2008 to 22 February 2009

Sorcery abounds when City Museum falls under the hypnotic spell of magic and illusionism this summer. When world famous escapologist Harry Houdini jumped, bound and manacled, into the Yarra River in front of 20,000 people in 1910, it was only the latest in a long line of mysterious events to enthral the metropolis.

From English wizard Joseph Jacobs’ visit in 1855 to the present, Hocus Pocus leads you on an enchanting traipse through this city of magic. Drawing together the conjurers and their tricks in a beguiling spectacle, the exhibition reveals that amidst the smoke and mirrors there lurks a history of Melbourne like no other.

Curator: Simon Gregg
Venue: Seasonal Exhibition Gallery