Research Access

Overview

The Upchurch Collection of Magic supports responsible research into the history, performance, people, objects, and material culture of the magical arts.

Researchers may request access to selected materials that are not currently available through the public website or on exhibition. Access is provided on a case-by-case basis and may be in person, remotely through digital reference materials, or through staff-assisted research when direct access is not practical.

Because the Collection includes rare, fragile, privately donated, and historically sensitive materials, not every item is available for unrestricted research.

Who May Request Access

Research requests are welcome from individuals with a legitimate historical, scholarly, documentary, or professional research purpose, including:

• Academic researchers and students
• Museum, archive, library, and cultural institution staff
• Authors, historians, and biographers
• Journalists and documentary researchers
• Magicians and magic historians
• Genealogists and family historians
• Researchers studying performance history, popular culture, entertainment, collecting, or material culture
• Other individuals with a clearly defined research project

Institutional affiliation is not required.

Materials That May Be Available

Depending on condition, rights, donor restrictions, and the nature of the request, research access may include:

• Original magic props, apparatus, and performance materials
• Correspondence, manuscripts, notes, and personal papers
• Photographs, programs, posters, advertisements, and ephemera
• Books, catalogs, periodicals, and printed materials
• Audio and audiovisual materials
• Provenance and acquisition documentation
• Catalog records and related historical research
• Digital reference images of selected Collection materials

Availability varies by item.

Restricted Materials

Certain materials may be unavailable or subject to additional restrictions.

Access may be limited because of:

• Fragile or unstable physical condition
• Privacy concerns involving living or recently deceased individuals
• Copyright or other third-party rights
• Donor, lender, estate, or acquisition restrictions
• Security concerns
• Unprocessed or uncataloged collections
• Sensitive provenance information
• Confidential correspondence or personal information
• Exposure of proprietary magical methods, workings, or performance secrets

The Collection may provide partial, redacted, supervised, or digital access when full access is not appropriate.

Magic Methods and Secret Material

The history of magic presents unusual research considerations because some historical materials document methods, gimmicks, apparatus construction, routines, or secrets traditionally protected within the magical community.

The Collection seeks to balance legitimate historical research with responsible stewardship of this material.

Access to method-sensitive material may therefore be restricted, supervised, or limited to researchers whose project demonstrates a legitimate need for access.

Public availability of a catalog record does not necessarily mean that all associated technical documentation or secret material is available for inspection or reproduction.

How to Request Research Access

Research requests should be submitted through the Contact page.

Please include:

• Your name and contact information
• Institutional affiliation, if applicable
• A brief description of your research project
• The subject, magician, artifact, or materials you wish to study
• The intended use of the research
• Whether you are requesting in-person, remote, or reproduction access
• Any relevant publication, exhibition, academic, or production deadline

Specific requests are generally easier to evaluate than broad requests for unrestricted access to the Collection.

Requests are reviewed individually.

In-Person Research

In-person research appointments are available only by prior arrangement and are subject to the location, condition, security, and availability of the requested material.

Researchers granted physical access may be asked to:

• Follow handling instructions for each object or document
• Wash and dry hands before handling materials when appropriate
• Use only pencils for note-taking near collection materials
• Keep food and beverages away from research materials
• Handle only one item or file group at a time
• Maintain the original order of archival materials
• Use provided supports, gloves, or handling equipment when requested
• Refrain from photography unless permission has been granted

The Collection may require staff supervision during research appointments.

Remote Research

When an in-person visit is unnecessary or impractical, the Collection may be able to assist researchers remotely.

Remote assistance may include:

• Confirmation of catalog information
• Reference photographs
• Selected document scans
• Provenance information
• Bibliographic information
• Staff responses to focused research questions

The availability and extent of remote assistance depends on the scope of the request and the condition and accessibility of the material.

Extensive research performed by Collection staff on behalf of a requester may not always be possible.

Photography and Reproduction

Photography, scanning, and reproduction are separate from research access.

Permission to examine an item does not automatically include permission to photograph, reproduce, publish, broadcast, or distribute it.

Requests involving publication, exhibition, documentary production, commercial use, or high-resolution images are subject to the Collection's Image Use & Reproduction policy and any applicable third-party rights.

Where appropriate, reproduction requests should be made as part of the original research inquiry.

Citation

Researchers who publish information derived substantially from the Collection's holdings should identify the source appropriately.

A typical citation or acknowledgment may include:

The Upchurch Collection of Magic

More detailed citations may include the artifact title, accession number, correspondence file, or other identifying information when available.

The Collection can provide recommended citation information for specific materials upon request.

Publications Resulting from Research

Researchers are encouraged to notify the Collection when research based on its holdings results in a book, article, thesis, documentary, exhibition, presentation, or other publication.

When practical, the Collection welcomes a digital or physical copy for its research files.

Fees

There is generally no charge for ordinary research inquiries or reasonable access to catalog information.

Fees may apply in the future for services involving:

• Extensive scanning or digitization
• High-resolution reproduction
• Special photography
• Large research requests
• Shipping or physical reproduction costs
• Commercial licensing

Any applicable fees will be disclosed before work is performed.

Privacy and Sensitive Information

Some archival materials may contain addresses, personal correspondence, family information, financial information, or other details concerning living or recently deceased individuals.

The Collection may restrict, redact, or withhold sensitive information where appropriate.

Researchers granted access to sensitive materials are expected to use them responsibly and in a manner consistent with applicable law and accepted research practices.

Access Is Discretionary

Research access is provided as a service of the Collection and is not guaranteed.

The Collection may decline, limit, postpone, or withdraw access when necessary to protect:

• Collection materials
• Personal privacy
• Intellectual property or third-party rights
• Donor or lender restrictions
• Security
• Confidential information
• The integrity of ongoing cataloging or research

Restrictions may also change as additional provenance, ownership, or rights information becomes available.

Contact

To request research access, inquire about a specific artifact, or discuss a research project, please use the Contact page.

Providing the accession number, magician name, artifact title, or other specific identifying information will help us respond more effectively.