Things to do / Travel Guide
Address:550 Water St.
Baraboo, Wisconsin
Tel:
(866) 693-1500
America's Circus World Museum is open year round to delight and entertain folks looking for a peek into the past of America's circus. A massive treasure trove collection of circus history awaits you in this world's largest one-of-a-kind circus collection.
The museum is located at the site of the original Ringling Bros. Circus Winter Quarters - a National Historic landmark located in Baraboo, Wisconsin. The museum's exhibits include the world's largest collection of antique circus wagons, dating from the 1820s. Originally, these wagons were colored bright colors, then mirrors and simple carvings were added, and at a later stage the wagons became artistically designed, highly carved masterpieces covered in gold. Wagons from Barnum & Bailey's 1903 The Greatest Show on Earth are proudly on display here, many of which were built specifically for the occasion.
Other exhibits include The Story of the Ringling Brothers, A Century of Spectacle, Trumpets of Paper, and a big-screen video about the Ringling Brothers.
A wonderful circus store has books, circus apparel, music, novelties, posters, videos, and many other circus type gift items. The Pie Car a dining car on a circus train, serves up great food for the whole family including hotdogs, hamburgers and chicken sandwiches, but is only open during the summer season.
Your circus history filled day awaits you as you ride US Route 90/94 and then head west on US Route 39. You'll see the museum just before you hit US Route 12.
Step right up boys and girls, the circus has arrived!
From Circus World Museum:
interprets archival material and artifacts relating to the history of the American circus. In addition to the circus museum, it maintains and operates a circus library and research center. Through its exhibits and educational outreach programs, Circus World Museum strives to encourage an appreciation of the historic role of the circus in American life, including the presentation of live circus performances during the summer season. The summer season includes a full range of family entertainment including stage shows, circus music demonstrations, train loading demonstrations, clown acts, animal and carousel rides, and educational animal training demonstrations. During the fall and winter seasons, exhibit facilities are open for self-guided tours. A variety of seasonal programs change as the seasons do.