Circus World Museum Baraboo Wisconsin RV Travel Destination

Big Top Memories
Museum preserves circus heritage

In 1884, five brothers named Ringling started a circus in their hometown of Baraboo, Wisconsin, a small community located in the heart of the state’s dairy land. Within twenty years the enterprise grew into the largest circus in the world, and the Ringling brothers were famous. Eventually they bought out their biggest competitor and their company took on the name "Ringling Brothers, and Barnum and Baily Combined Shows, The Greatest Show On Earth."

For decades before competition from movies and television began to erode circus crowds, the Ringling Brothers Circus entertained and thrilled people in small towns and large cities from coast to coast and border to border. As the era of the great tent circuses drew to a close, the Ringling brothers attorney, John M. Kelley, conceived the idea for a museum to preserve circus history for future generations to see and enjoy. Kelley envisioned a museum in Baraboo, Wisconsin, where the Ringling Brothers Circus had its winter quarters for 34 years.

In 1954, at age 81, Kelley’s dream came true and he began to organize Circus World Museum. After years of promotion and fund raising, Circus World Museum opened on July 1, 1959 with two buildings on less than one acre of land. The Museum’s collection consisted of a handful of donated artifacts. The collection has grown enormously over the years, and today Circus World Museum incorporates many historic buildings and a huge modern exhibit hall on several acres, with thousands of artifacts ranging from circus posters and costumes to elaborately decorated horse-drawn wagons.

Every year visitors from all over the world come to Baraboo to tour the Museum’s exhibits, view the extensive collection of ornate circus wagons, and enjoy the daily shows under the Big Top. Hour long live performances by some of the world’s greatest circus performers thrill audiences young and old alike. The clowns and magicians of the Razzle Dazzle Revue variety show bring forth exclamations of delight and awe from standing-room-only crowds.

The Museum’s collection of circus wagons are painstakingly restored to their original condition by skilled craftsmen in the on-site shops, where visitors can see dilapidated old vehicles given new life and brought back to their original glory. In the Ring Barn a wonderful carved miniature circus features thousands of tiny figures, many animated, while clown exhibits tell the story of the painted artists known for their hilarious antics. The old Elephant House is now home to the Wild West Exhibit, which includes artifacts from many of the famous Wild West shows from the heyday of touring extravaganzas.

Visitors begin their adventure at Circus World Museum in the Irvin Feld Exhibit Hall and Visitor Center, where exhibits tell the story of the Ringling Brothers and their circus empire, along with displays of elaborate costumes and giant colorful posters. A free video shown on a huge screen covers the Ringling Brothers and their contributions to the circus tradition. The Visitor Center also includes a fine gift shop.

The Museum is home to a wonderful collection of circus animals, including elephants, camels, and horses, and a petting zoo where kids can get up close and personal with gentle smaller animals. Special shows all day long include performances, demonstrations of circus skills, an Elephant Encounter, train loading shows, a Camel Classroom, and clown classes, as well as juggling.

Children will make wonderful memories as they have the opportunity to ride elephants and camels, or become a part of the show when the clowns draw them into the performances. This is a place for nostalgia, as the antique carousel and circus artifacts bring back memories of days gone by.

Every July Circus World Museum loads a train with wagons and animals and heads to Milwaukee to present the Great Circus Parade, a three mile long, two hour experience featuring fifty historic circus wagons, 650 horses, thirty bands, 2,000 costumed performers, dozens of exotic animals, and over a hundred clowns. Thousands turn out to watch the review, and the parade has become a Wisconsin tradition.

Circus World Museum is an experience guaranteed to touch the child in all of us. The Museum is open year round, with shorter hours and more limited activities during the winter months. But any time is a great time to come and experience the thrill of the Big Top. The Museum has adequate parking for any size RV, and the friendly staff is always ready to make visitors feel welcome.

Located at 550 Water Street in Baraboo, Circus World Museum is located fifteen minutes from Wisconsin Dells, two hours from Milwaukee, three hours from Chicago, and four hours from Minneapolis. For more information, call the Museum at 608-356-0800, or visit their website at www.circusworldmuseum.com.