House of Mysteries in Ghent, Belgium, started out in 2017 in an old mansion outside of the city’s downtown. Luc Poppe was president of The Magic Circle of Ghent at the time, and the group held meetings there. Luc was also interested, however, in testing out the concept of holding immersive public shows, and the old building became his testing ground. The space wasn’t ideal though, and after three or four years of searching, he found and purchased a historic spot in Ghent’s city center.
The four-story building that now holds House of Mysteries is also old; it was built in the 1800s behind a hotel that’s no longer there, and served as the quarters for the staff who served the hotel’s guests. “It has a beautiful architecture, and it had space to accommodate what we wanted,” explained Nikolaas Martens, an architect and magician who helped Luc create the venue.
That space included a garden, which was the perfect size to fit a large mirror tent or Spiegeltent that Luc owned. “It really fitted into the venue; two inches from the sides, two inches from the top. So it was like the venue was made for this, which was kind of incredible,” said Nikolaas.
Many Spaces for Magic
House of Mysteries was ready to open in 2020, and then the pandemic hit. The delay allowed them to further think through how to make the best use of the different areas they had in the venue. The result is the restored Spiegeltent, which seats up to 80 people and is the signature space of the venue, a museum called the Expo Room full of cupboards and cabinets displaying magical artifacts, a modern black-box space for up to 40 people, a library, and an attic for séances seating about 30. Public shows are held on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, and can be in Dutch, English, or French depending on the audience.
Guests visiting House of Mysteries enter via the Spiegeltent, where they can get a cocktail or two. There, they can see a show, or potentially head to the Expo Room, which also holds a small bar dedicated to Suzy Wandas. Along with their drink, they might see reenactments of old magic tricks like Dr. Hooker’s Rising Cards, and also learn about the history of magic. “We really want to give the people the experience of infotainment, so information on the magic history, and then entertainment because we can show them the tricks,” said Luc.
On most Saturday nights, Nikolaas hosts a séance show in the attic, and the venue also hosts a Sunday afternoon show geared more toward a family audience. Those performances are aimed at those ages 6 and up, with the evening shows having a recommended age of 12 or older. Nikolaas performs regularly, and Joel Pablos is a resident magician there. Many magicians who are lecturing in Ghent also do a night at the venue, and past performers have included Manuel Luarte, Miguel Ángel Gea, and Aaron Crow.
Clockwise, top: Guinelli; Nikolaas Martens; and Joel Pablos.
Magic and History
House of Mysteries is also a home for learning about magic. Luc and Nikolaas have founded a nonprofit organization called The Mystery Lab, which has a mission to study the heritage and history of magic and its allied arts. To that end, the organization holds lectures, workshops, and events at House of Mysteries that delve into the history of and backstories around magic. They’ve also collaborated with other organizations on projects, such as a book they put out with the University of Antwerp on the history of the Minard Theatre, another establishment in Ghent that spearheaded popular theater in the city.
Luc and Nikolaas have more ideas for House of Mysteries. They have a Houdini exhibition up now to commemorate the escape artist, and they’re looking to create magic and jazz nights, mystery tours for corporate groups, and more. Overall, however, the two are proud of what House of Mysteries has become over the past six years. “The project is never complete, but now it’s blossoming,” said Nikolaas, “so that’s very nice to see.”
Photos courtesy of House of Mysteries / Nikolaas Martens courtesy of Patrick Pickart
House of Mysteries
A theatre full of wonder, illusion, and magic! Come and be enchanted in the mysterious chambers of this beautiful theatre located in the center of Ghent, Belguim.