The International Magicians Society (IMS) is the world's largest magic

Magic (illusion)

Magic is a performing art that entertains audiences by staging tricks or creating illusions of seemingly impossible or supernatural feats using natural means...

 society as recorded in the Guinness Book of World Records. The IMS began in 1968 and now has over 37,000 members worldwide. It was created to help promote and preserve the art of magic and provide a format where magicians could share their secrets and ideas.

The IMS named Siegfried & Roy

Siegfried & Roy

Siegfried & Roy are two German-American former entertainers who became known for their appearances with white lions and white tigers....

 as the Magicians of the Century in 2000 and named David Copperfield

David Copperfield (illusionist)

David Copperfield is an Emmy Award-winning American illusionist, and was described by Forbes as the most commercially successful magician in history. Copperfield's network specials have been nominated for 38 Emmy Awards and won a total of 21 Emmys...

, Doug Henning

Doug Henning

Douglas James Henning was a Canadian magician, illusionist, escape artist and politician.-Early life:...

, Harry Blackstone Jr., Criss Angel

Criss Angel

Christopher Nicholas Sarantakos , better known by the stage name Criss Angel, is an American illusionist, writer, director, musician, and actor...

 and David Blaine

David Blaine

David Blaine is an American illusionist and endurance artist. He is best known for his high-profile feats of endurance, and has made his name as a performer of street and close-up magic. He has set and broken several world records...

 as the most influential magicians of the past 25 years. The organization awards the Merlin Award

Merlin Award

Merlin Award is a recognition instituted by the International Magicians Society. It is regarded as the highest level prize in the field of Magic/Illusion and the top recognition a magician can achieve.-History & Norms:...

s, every three years. "Every three years, the International Magicians Society hosts a banquet dinner, where those magicians who have achieved the highest level in their craft are awarded the coveted Merlin Award. The voting members begin with approximately one hundred names and narrows down to a handful. The criteria that the voting members consider are talent, showmanship, originality, skills, and above all the rare ability to entertain under any conditions."
Recipients of the Merlin award include (in no particular order) Jay Marshall, Bill Malone

Bill Malone (magician)

Bill Malone is an American magician who specializes in card magic, close-up magic and bar magic.Malone was raised in Chicago, Illinois and became interested in magic at the age of 17. He is a protege of Ed Marlo and a recipient of the Merlin Award from the International Magicians Society...

, Jeff McBride

Jeff McBride

Jeff McBride is an American magician from Monticello New York. He is known for his sleight of hand skills and specializes in the manipulation of playing cards, coins, and other small objects. His stage performances blend elements of kabuki, a Japanese theater form, with traditional conjuring...

, Lennart Green

Lennart Green

Lennart Green is a world champion close-up/card magician, a title which he won in 1991 at the FISM convention in Lausanne, Switzerland...

, Rene Lavand

René Lavand

Héctor René Lavandera, usually known as René Lavand , is a magician from Argentina specialising in close-up performance...

, Penn & Teller

Penn & Teller

Penn & Teller are Las Vegas headliners whose act is an amalgam of illusion and comedy. Penn Jillette is a raconteur; Teller generally uses mime while performing, although his voice can occasionally be heard during their performance...

, Doug Henning

Doug Henning

Douglas James Henning was a Canadian magician, illusionist, escape artist and politician.-Early life:...

, Criss Angel

Criss Angel

Christopher Nicholas Sarantakos , better known by the stage name Criss Angel, is an American illusionist, writer, director, musician, and actor...

, Andre Kole

André Kole

André Kole is the stage name of Robert Gurtler Jr., an American magician and inventor of magical effects. He is also a committed Christian and is a public speaker for the evangelical group Campus Crusade for Christ International....

, Keith Barry

Keith Barry

Keith Patrick Barry is an Irish illusionist, mentalist, and close-up magician.-Early and personal life:Born in County Waterford, Ireland on 2 October 1976, Barry's interest in magic began at the age of fourteen when he purchased a book entitled Magic for the Complete Klutz.Barry's grandfather, 82,...

, Channing Pollock

Channing Pollock

Channing Pollock may refer to:* Channing Pollock * Channing Pollock...

, Bob Chua

Bob Chua

Bob Chua, more well-known as Uncle Bob, is a veteran magician from Singapore who specializes in close-up, street and children's magic. He is one of the few Singaporeans who have won a Merlin Award, earning the title of "Best Close Up Magician" Merlin Award from The International Magicians Society...

, J C Sum

J C Sum

J C Sum is a Singaporean illusionist and illusion designer. Nicknamed "The Thinking Man's Magician", J C is one of the most highly regarded illusionists and illusion designers from Asia. AsiaOne named him as "one of the most celebrated illusionists in Asia" and MagicSeen called him "The Ace in...

, 'Magic Babe' Ning

Magic Babe Ning

Ning Cai , better known as ‘Magic Babe’ Ning, is a Singaporean magician and entrepreneur. She has been recognised by Channel News Asia as "South East Asia's First Professional Female Magician" and when she first burst onto the entertainment scene, she was acknowledged as "Singapore's Only...

, David Copperfield

David Copperfield (illusionist)

David Copperfield is an Emmy Award-winning American illusionist, and was described by Forbes as the most commercially successful magician in history. Copperfield's network specials have been nominated for 38 Emmy Awards and won a total of 21 Emmys...

, Harry Blackstone

Harry Blackstone, Jr.

Harry Blackstone, Jr. was an American stage magician, author, and television performer.-Career and life:Blackstone was born in Three Rivers, Michigan, the son of noted stage magician Harry Blackstone, Sr. .As an infant, he was used as a prop in his father's act...

, Siegfried & Roy

Siegfried & Roy

Siegfried & Roy are two German-American former entertainers who became known for their appearances with white lions and white tigers....

, Peter Marvey

Peter Marvey

Peter Marvey is a magician and illusionist best known for his combination of sleight of hand and large-scale stage illusions.-Biography:In his early childhood, Peter Marvey was fascinated with any form of flying, whether the flight of birds, stage "flying" or aviation. He expressed his passion by...

, and John Hirokawa.