The Barnum Museum

Activity Overview

The Barnum Museum is a fascinating museum in Bridgeport, Connecticut, which is just an hour's drive south of Hartford. It is dedicated to the history of Bridgeport and features an impressive collection of artifacts related to P.T. Barnum, who is best known as the founder of the world-famous Barnum & Bailey Circus. In addition to learning all about Barnum's circus career, the museum showcases exhibits related to topics such as the Civil War, the Victorian era, and Native Americans in Bridgeport.

Things to Do

• View the exhibit dedicated to P.T. Barnum's intriguing entertainment career, which features all kinds of unique personal items.
• Take a photo with Baby Bridgeport, the second elephant born in captivity, which was born in the city in 1882.
• Check out the gallery that contains an impressive 1,000 square foot scale model of a circus, which includes over 3,000 sculptures of things like a big top and circus animals.

The Barnum Museum Insider Tips

• Attend an upcoming event at the museum such as a special exhibition or family program.
• Admission to the museum is generally free, but donations are greatly appreciated in order to help pay for restoration of the its historic building, which was damaged in a tornado a few years ago.
• Don't miss Pa-Ib, the oldest artifact in the museum, which is an Egyptian mummy that was donated to the museum by Barnum's wife in 1892.