The House of Houdini

The House of Houdini
The House of Houdini
Location	11, Dísz Square, Budapest
Founder	David Merlini
Built	1500
Architectural style(s)	neobaroque

The House of Houdini is a museum and performance venue located at 11, Dísz Square, within the walls of the Buda Castle in Budapest, Hungary. The museum houses the only collection of original Houdini artifacts in Europe.

This "house" should not be confused with the "House of Houdini" which was a former Houdini home, purchased in 1908, at 278 West 113th Street, Harlem, now called Morningside Heights, New York City that also displays artifacts.

Likewise, in 1919 he rented the cottage at 2435 Laurel Canyon Boulevard in Los Angeles, while making movies for Lasky Pictures. His wife occupied it for a time after his death. As of 2011 the site of the cottage was a vacant lot and up for sale. The main mansion building itself was rebuilt after it was destroyed in the 1959 Laurel Canyon fire, and is now a historic venue. While Houdini did not likely live at the "mansion," there is some probability that his widow did.

The museum's collection includes original Houdini memorabilia: e.g., handcuffs, personal correspondence, and "precious artifacts." A Bible once owned by Houdini is part of the collection. It also includes original props from the Houdini film – Oxygen (1999), which featured Adrien Brody, an Oscar winner, and the later miniseries. The facility opened on June 16, 2016.

Budapest was chosen as a relevant locale, since Houdini was born in the city. A cornucopia of the escapist’s possessions includes a Bible once owned by Houdini at age 19.

The museum is the product of David Merlini, an escapologist who served as technical advisor on the Houdini miniseries. Its artifacts were previewed at Budapest's National Széchényi Library.Joe M. Turner exchanged commemorative plaques with Merlini at the then proposed site of the museum on Houdini's birthday. This followed an earlier exhibition in Milan, Italy.