The annual meeting of The Magic Lantern Society at the Cinema Museum

Monday, April 7, 2025

During the meeting, attendees were able to attend conferences, visits, demonstrations and magic lantern shows, a very popular audiovisual spectacle during the 18th and 19th centuries and one of the precedents of cinema. The Magic Latern Society is the most important international entity dedicated to the study of this pre-cinematographic spectacle

On April 5, 2025, the annual meeting of the British association "The Magic Lantern Society" took place at the Museo del Cine with the attendance of 41 members. This entity is one of the most prestigious worldwide in the study and dissemination of the magic lantern, the most popular pre-cinematic audiovisual show in the 18th and 19th centuries. The research and publications carried out by the members of this entity allow us to know what this show was like, the techniques they used to project images, what were the images that were projected, what topics were covered, what audience attended, where they were held, what equipment they used, etc.

During this meeting, and after a long and in-depth visit to the permanent exhibition of the Museo del Cine, the members of the Magic Lantern Society attended various conferences and demonstrations of magic lanterns. The day ended with the show "The images Hunter" by illusionist, magician, plumber and somber Sergi Buka. An eminently visual show that combines shadows, magic lantern projection, illusionism tricks and a final surprise produced by new technologies. This show was open to the public, which filled the auditorium.

In 2002, the Magic Lantern Society already held another annual meeting at the Museo del Cine. As always, it was a pleasure and a privilege to be able to enjoy your visit to the Museum of Cinema.