This DIY Cardboard Magic Lantern Kit lets you build your own 19th century type magic lantern (projector to you and me). You get all the pre-set panels, lenses, and a bulb, all you need to do is assemble with glue and sling in some AA batteries. So it’s not going to replace your 50 inch flat screen on the wall for entertainment value, but it’ll be fun swinging back in time for a while. $33.86/£21.99. [video]
In the days before television and cinema, a Magic Lantern show would have been an amazing experience, and these often reached high levels of sophistication. Ghostly images were projected onto clouds of smoke, multiple lanterns and background sound effects added to the impact, and there were even animated slides, and slides that showed scenes that changed from night to day and back again!
