175 Items Tagged

Magic

Siegfried Tieber specializes in sleight-of-hand magic using small objects, as well as mentalism, which gives the illusion of reading minds.

Does a Magician Really Never Reveal Their Tricks? AO Wants to Know.

Professional magician Siegfried Tieber performs extraordinary feats with everyday objects.

Andrew Coletti May 1, 2025

Remnants of the streetcar station.

Treat Yourself to a Scavenger Hunt Through DC’s Most Delightful Destinations

13 places, 5 hints, and 70 secret doors.

Sponsored by washington.org

Fairy Rock behind Saltom Pit

15 Places to Find Fairies

Hiding among glens, gardens, and tiny magical doors, you just might find a mysterious little creature.

Roxanne Hoorn January 10, 2025

A 1914 illustration by John Bauer from the Swedish fairy-tale collection <em>Bland Tomtar och Troll</em>, meaning "Among Gnomes and Trolls."

The Real-Life Origins of Taboo Fairy Romance

Long before <em>A Court of Thorns and Roses,</em> 17th-century Swedish courts investigated supernatural love.

Andrew Coletti December 17, 2024

In the original <em>Dracula</em> novel, the count is able to bite Lucy only after her necklace of garlic flowers is removed.

Banishing Evil With Edible Plants

All-natural monster repellent for spooky season might lurk in your kitchen.

Andrew Coletti October 14, 2024

Indianapolis, Indiana

Magick Candle

Tucked into the heart of historic Irvington, this 56-year-old metaphysical shop specializes in the olde ways.

Kamakura, Japan

Seimei Stone

Associated with Japanese folklore's most eminent sorcerer, this slab of rock is said to be both a blessing and a curse.

museums and collections

Podcast: Showgirl Magic Museum

In San Francisco, learn all about the history of showgirls.

The Podcast Team April 16, 2024

Rose Mackenberg believed in something beyond the world we see—but she didn't believe the mediums who said they were in touch with it.

The Ghost-Busting 'Girl Detective' Who Awed Houdini

As an undercover investigator, Rose Mackenberg unmasked hundreds of America’s fake psychics.

Nina Strochlic March 14, 2024

A large warehouse lined with tables full of produce and goods.

Paramaribo, Suriname

Maroon Market

This "witch's market" is filled with Amazonian herbs, remedies, and the occasional libido-strengthening tincture.

Harvard Bridge Houdini Plaque

Boston, Massachusetts

Harvard Bridge Houdini Plaque

Harry Houdini plunged into the Charles River and performed one of his escape acts here in 1908.

A stone slab with a plaque surrounded by a garden and fence.

Edinburgh, Scotland

Corstorphine Physic Well

A spring purported to have healing properties lies just outside Scotland's capital.

Covington, Kentucky

Hierophany and Hedge

A shop for all your magical needs and notions.

Apatosaurus trackway

21 Unexpected Wonders in Colorado’s Vibrant Cities and Small Towns

Uncover hidden gems within Colorado’s charming cities and small towns–like Durango, Golden, Grand Junction, Last Chance, and more.

Sponsored by Visit Colorado

8 Supernatural Spots You Can Only Find in Northern Kentucky

Indulge your proclivity for the paranormal and explore the mystifying side of the Bluegrass State.

Sponsored by Meet Northern Kentucky

Victorian séances led to spook shows, which led to <em>Rocky Horror.</em>

Rocky Horror Has Surprising Roots in Victorian Seances

'Time Warp' all the way back to 1800s spiritualism, magic performances, and spook shows.

Victoria Linchong October 11, 2023

In Early Modern Russia, Witches Were Men and Belief in Magic Was Universal

Terrifying love spells and protective "spells to power" offered the chance for control in a fiercely hierarchical society.

Valerie Kivelson October 2, 2023

Étienne-Gaspard Robertson's Tomb

A phantasmagoric tomb honors a Belgian artist-scientist's contributions to the world of spooky entertainment.