I’ve been fascinated by magicians ever since a trip to Vegas in the ’90s. Before that, I mostly associated them with children’s birthday acts and assumed you could easily figure out how the tricks were done, if you saw them in person. But a performer in the Flamingo Hilton revue forever changed that opinion. A slim man in a tux, he conjured full-grown macaws from thin air and commanded them to fly out over the audience then back. Common sense says they were hidden up his sleeves, but… how? Soon afterwards, we bought tickets to Siegfried & Roy’s show. At that point, it was the most expensive ticket I had ever purchased, but the experience was worth every cent. And I was hooked.

Now the Houston Museum of Natural Science is exploring the phenomenon in its “Magic” exhibition (through September 6). Not only do magicians perform live, but others are shown on screen (including a vintage Houdini escape and Lance Burton’s first performance on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson). Most fascinating to me were the magic artifacts — cabinets for sawing or slicing women in two (or three); a large collection of vintage and reproduction cups and balls from around the world; a spiritualistic rapping hand (shown here); eerily lifelike automatons; magic lanterns; a doll’s-house illusion from Fred Culpitt, circa 1927; an ancient copy of The Discoverie of Witchcraft by Reginald Scot, circa 1584; and a wealth of Harry Houdini memorabilia, including his milk can (from which he would famously escape, starting in 1908), escape trunk and handcuffs. History is explored on the walls as well, via posters, artwork and text chronicling the craft through time, including the advances made by Robert-Houdin — considered the father of modern magic, his name would later inspire magician Ehrich Weiss to market himself as Harry Houdini.

Our performer on Saturday morning was Scott Wells, a locally based talent twice named Magician of the Year by the Society of American Magicians in Houston. Even more fascinating than his stage show was the close-up magic he performed for a handful of us moments before. Cards were guessed, holes disappeared from metal washers, foam bunnies multiplied in a closed-fisted population explosion. Stage performances take place on the hour, Wednesdays through Sundays, starting at 10 am, so check the HMNS Web site to target shows by Wells, John Carney, Ben Jackson, Richard Hatch, The Rhythm of Magic, Bill Palmer, Michael Blanco and more.

The associated gift shop appeals to the aspiring magician in us all. Indulge in complete magic sets, card decks and pocket-sized magic tricks in addition to how-to and history books, colorful T-shirts with silhouetted graphics, top hats, plastic wands, magnets, even stuffed bunnies (and stuffed bunnies in top hats, of course).

Tickets are $15 for museum members, $27 for nonmembers ($22 for children ages three to 11 and seniors). Information hmns.org.

Image: And you thought that OUIJA boards were spooky … Carved wooden hands like this one were used in the late 19th and early 20th centuries as part of a spiritualistic stage effect. The hand, resting on a sheet of glass held by audience members, would rap out answers to numerical questions, such as “How many children will I have?” See this one at the Houston Museum of Natural Science in “Magic,” through September 6. Photo by Tom DuBrock.