Maker
The First Picture Show
Jack Judson reveals the beginnings of the entertainment industry at his
Magic Lantern Castle Museum. By Dale Dougherty
The magic lantern was the earliest example of
how projection could be used to tell stories.
From as early as the 1500s, the large-scale
images projected by the magic lantern fascinated
people and could make them laugh or cringe while
sitting together in a dark room. The magic lantern is
the first technology of the entertainment industry,
as well as the predecessor to the more mundane
PowerPoint presentation.
Collecting magic lanterns became an obsession
for Jack Judson late in life. After retiring from
business he began collecting hundreds of magic
lanterns, mainly from the 19th century. He not only
had to learn how to build and organize his wonderful
collection of magic lanterns and research their
history; he had to learn how to create his own
museum to preserve the treasures he’s gathered.
28 Make: Volume
16
The Magic Lantern Castle Museum is hidden
away in a stretch of strip malls in San Antonio,
Texas. The only flourish on the exterior of its
nondescript building, which was once a disco, are
the castellations. Inside, Judson has transformed
the space into a private den where he can share his
remarkable collection, alongside a workshop where
he keeps the magic lanterns in working condition.
I took a tour of the museum and then sat down
with Judson to explore the rich history of this
fascinating technology.
Dale Dougherty: The first thing we see in your
museum is a statue of a lanternist.
Jack Judson: The lanternist was a traveling showman who carried a magic lantern on his back, and
out front he’s carrying a hurdy-gurdy, and he would
Photography by Michael Thad Carter
