'Inside the Houdini Museum' on The Travel Channel

A new documentary, Inside the Houdini Museum, will air on The Travel Channel this month. Below is a report by Eric Klister from the Appleton Post Crescent:

It's not too often that Appleton and the Fox Cities get national TV time, but when the subject is Houdini, the experts know where to turn. 

The Houdini Historical Center in downtown Appleton will be featured in a documentary that will air next week on the Travel Channel. "Inside the Houdini Museum" will air at 8 p.m. Monday on the cable network. 

The program will explore the secrets of Houdini's escapes, as well as the tools of his trade, including his handcuffs, trick keys and straitjackets. The documentary also will offer biographical information about the escape artist, beginning with his childhood in Appleton. 

Lori Van Handel, marketing officer for the Outagamie County Historical Society, is happy to see that the program will draw attention not only to the Houdini Center, but to Appleton in general. 

"We're really happy that the documentary has been filmed' here and that they chose to focus in on our collection," she said. "There has always been an interest in Houdini, not only among magicians, but among the general public." 

Many magicians will be If featured, including escape artist Bill Shirk, known as the "modern-day Houdini." He will attempt a seven-ton burial escape.