The famous Bulgarian artist and illusionist Nencho Ilchev is preparing a larger building for the Museum of the magic discovered in his native Momchilovtsi exactly a year ago, BNT reported.
The new home of the illusion will have two floors and will be located in the center of the Rhodope village. Visitors will be able to view all over 1,000 costumes and props collected by Nencho Ilchev personally for many years.
After the reconstruction, which starts next spring, the old knitting workshop in Momchilovtsi will become not only the largest Museum of Illusions in Europe, but also the richest collection.
"The new building will have two floors. It will display the exhibits that are currently being presented and all the items kept in storage. In the halls there will be special effects and lighting, a shop for tricks. Everything will be at a world level," the curator of the current exhibition revealed to BNT. It includes unique costumes and props of the great illusionists in our country - Mr. Senko, Orfi, Astor, Fakira Miti - father of the legendary Emil Dimitrov and many other gods of magic in our country and around the world.
As soon as you enter the museum, which is still housed in the old cell school of Momchilovtsi, Orfi smiles at you to the right of an old poster.
Exactly this poster was taken down by Nencho, before the start of the performance of the great magician who visited Momchilovtsi in 1985. The absence of the advertising poster was immediately discovered by Orfi himself, who scolded the 13-year-old Nencho. He, with pain in his heart, returned the poster to the wall, but after the presentation he took it again and it was already his forever. He folded it in four and kept it as the dearest memory of his first meeting with Orphy. The fold marks are still visible today.
The "Deathbed" illusion, also by Orpheus, which won a world prize, should not be missed. Visitors to the "Museum of Magic" in the Rhodopes they will also learn with which number Astor received the "Golden Oscar".
At the center of the current exposition, is one of the pride of the museum. "The Electric Chair" - illusion of Mr. Senko from 1930. The coil that powered the installation was made personally by Nikola Tesla and is unique in the world.
Most interesting for children is the story of how Mr. Senko came up with his famous number by shaking his head. The Bulgarian magician showed this illusion for the first time at the International Congress of Illusion Art in Berlin in 1939 and won second place. All this and more secrets about magic can be learned only if you go to the village nestled in the Rhodopes.
It is a little known fact that Nencho Ilchev's friends thought that the location of the Museum of Magic was in Sofia. However, the native of Rodop was adamant that he would be in his native Momchilovtsi. Thus, the village becomes the center of tourism in the region, because it is also home to the largest Focus Museum in Europe.
"There is also one in Paris, but it is much smaller. Actually the largest collection of magic art is in Vegas and it belongs to David Copefield. Although it has exhibits of all the world's illusionists, it cannot be visited because it is private. A personal invitation from Copperfield is required. It was he who invited Nencho Ilchev, as soon as he learned that his colleague from Bulgaria was going to build a museum dedicated to the history of Bulgarian illusionists, and the collection had been collected for 30 years," says the curator of the native magic museum.
The exposition was opened on September 1, 2023, on the first day of the sixth edition of the "Yogurt Festival" in the Smolyan village.
The Museum of Magic is open year-round, with opening hours every day, except Wednesdays, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. There is no entrance fee, just a donation box. Every round hour, friendly tour guides immerse you in the secrets of illusion and magic.