Barnum Museum facts for kids
Quick facts for kids The Barnum Museum |
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| General information | |
| Architectural style | Byzantine, Islamic, Gothic and Romanesque influences |
| Town or city | 820 Main Street Bridgeport, Connecticut |
| Country | United States |
| Completed | 1893 |
| Client | P. T. Barnum |
| Technical details | |
| Structural system | Stone and terra cotta |
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Barnum Museum
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U.S. Historic district
Contributing property |
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 Location in Connecticut
Location in the United States
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| Location | 820 Main St., Bridgeport, Connecticut |
| Part of | Bridgeport Downtown South Historic District (ID87001402) |
| NRHP reference No. | 72001300 |
| Significant dates | |
| Added to NRHP | November 7, 1972 |
| Designated NHL | December 11, 2023 |
| Designated CP | September 3, 1987 |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Longstaff & Hurd |
| Engineer | Longstaff & Hurd |
The Barnum Museum is a cool place to visit in Bridgeport, Connecticut, USA. It's filled with amazing things about P. T. Barnum and the history of Bridgeport. The museum is inside a really old building. This building is so important it's listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The museum is also connected to a part of Bridgeport Center. This is a group of buildings finished in 1989.
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Building the Barnum Museum
P. T. Barnum himself started the plans for this museum building. He gave the money and land for it. Barnum wanted a home for the Bridgeport Scientific Society. He also wanted a place for the Fairfield County Historical Society. The building was finished in 1893. It has been the Barnum Museum ever since.
Architectural Style and Details
The museum is three stories tall. It's in downtown Bridgeport. The building is made of stone and terra cotta (a type of baked clay). Its design mixes many old styles. These include Byzantine, Islamic, Gothic, and Romanesque architecture.
A special carving called a frieze runs along the top. It was made by Henri Plasschaert. This frieze shows five scenes from American history. They are called "Native American (1670)" and "Early Settler (1760)." Others are "Maritime (1840)," "Civil War (1861)," and "Industrial Revolution (1870)." You can also see busts (head and shoulder sculptures) there. These show a Native American, Christopher Columbus, and George Washington. There are also busts of Elias Howe, Civil War General Winfield Scott, and Grover Cleveland.
The Museum's Story Through Time
Before he passed away, P. T. Barnum left $100,000 for the museum. The building was finished in 1893. It first opened on February 18 of that year. It was called The Barnum Institute of Science and History. It was meant to be a library and a place for talks. Famous people like the Wright brothers and Thomas Edison came to speak there.
Changes and Challenges
The building was designed to have shops on the first floor. But no businesses ever moved in. This caused money problems for the societies inside. They needed the shop rent to help pay for things. During the Great Depression, both societies struggled. They had to close down. In 1933, the City of Bridgeport took over the building. The city then opened the Barnum Museum in 1936.
The museum closed in 1943 for changes. It reopened in 1946 as a city hall annex. Only the third floor showed some museum items. The building was used this way until the 1960s.
Becoming a Museum Again
In 1965, people wanted the building to be a museum again. All city offices moved out. The building was then fixed up and changed. It reopened as the P. T. Barnum Museum in 1968. It showed exhibits about Bridgeport's history. It also had exhibits about Barnum's life. City employees worked there.
In 1972, the building was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This means it's a very important historic site. In 2023, it became a National Historic Landmark. This shows how important Barnum was in shaping American culture.
Modern Era and Digital Collections
In 1986, The Barnum Museum Foundation started managing the museum. This group helps keep the museum going. Renovations began that same year. They cost $7.5 million. The museum reopened in June 1989. New areas were added. They showed local industrial history and more about P. T. Barnum. A new section was built for special exhibits and events.
This new part also had a copy of P.T. Barnum's own library. This was from his old home, Iranistan. Many other items from 19th-century Bridgeport life were on display. There was also an exhibit about Tom Thumb. He was one of Barnum's most famous performers. The oldest item the museum owns is a 2500-year-old Egyptian mummy. Experts say it is real. Sadly, storms damaged many items between 2010 and 2012.
In 2016, the museum got a grant. This was to make parts of its collection digital. The P.T. Barnum Digital Collection is online. It has over 1,200 items. These include letters, clothes worn by Barnum, Lavinia Warren, and Tom Thumb. There's even a slice of fruitcake from Warren and Thumb's 1863 wedding! You can also see furniture from Barnum's home. There's also a rare copybook of letters Barnum wrote in Europe.
The museum is part of the North American Reciprocal Museums program. This means if you are a member, you might get free entry to other museums too!
See also
- History of Bridgeport, Connecticut
- Barnum's American Museum – Barnum's museum in New York City (1841–1865)
- Hotel Barnum, another historic building in Bridgeport
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Bridgeport, Connecticut
