The Retreat: Washington DC: Magic’s Hidden Treasures

The Adventure

We aren’t just taking you on one adventure, but many! And don’t miss, below, an optional extension on this trip where we’ll be doing a full, whirlwind day of more traditional DC can’t-miss attractions.

The Greatest Collection of Magic You’ve Never Seen

You may not know that the Library of Congress houses not one but two of the most important magic collections in the world, notably the personal collection of Harry Houdini. But these materials are not on display, nor do they tour, nor are they accessible to tourists. Thanks to our partnership with Congressman Mark Pocan (who not only is a collaborator on this trip, but he is a Retreat alum and will be attending alongside the rest of us), we have been working closely with the Library of Congress on a special closed-door exhibition of some of magic’s finest and most important artifacts. This exhibition is curated for our group alone, in a one-day event that will be something, we hope, none of us will ever forget. Personal sketches of original Houdini illusions that he never built, one-of-a-kind magic posters that have never been photographed or printed, and props from the golden age of magic that haven’t been exhibited since they were used onstage in the nineteenth-century.

One of The Greatest Magic Poster Collection…in Our Friend’s Home

Ken Trombly is many things: a lawyer by trade, a magician by night. But perhaps most remarkably, Ken Trombly has amassed one of the most important collections of magic posters and imagery in the world. How does one see it? Well, you can’t. Unless you’re part of The Retreat: Washington DC, of course. We’ve arranged for a special welcome at the residence of Ken Trombly, where he will curate a private tour of his home, with walls adorned with the most important and scarce posters from magic’s golden age. Thurston, Kellar, Brush, Chung Ling Soo are all represented with one-of-a-kind examples you simply can’t see anywhere else. One of the strengths of Trombly’s collection is Houdini, and you’ll see some fine photographs, ephemera, and posters that unveil a side of Houdini you haven’t heard about before. The pairing of Ken’s collection with his inimitable stories and coloring of what we’re seeing will make for an enlightening afternoon. Since this is his home and not a museum and Ken doesn’t give private tours, this is, yet again, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for most of us.

The Spy Museum

Having won several museum-industry awards on an international scale, The Spy Museum is a museum unlike any other. It celebrates espionage and deception throughout history, and we felt it would make an ideal adventure for our guests. There are so many highlights that magicians will find of particular interest: shell coins that house secret codes, shoes with secret compartments, and other magic-tricks-turned-spy-tools. It’s a treasure trove of deception.

The Capitol with a “Magical” Congressman

What’s a trip to Washington DC without a visit to our nation’s Capitol building? And what better way to see this building than with someone elected to serve our nation, from the great state of Wisconsin? Congressman Mark Pocan is our magician-in-legislature, and he will give us insight into his role in working with David Copperfield at the Smithsonian, and on National Magic Day, and more.