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You Mean A Lot To Us
and We Need Your Help!

Dear Friends,

I invite you to be a part of a great American legacy!

P.T. Barnum was a benefactor to hundreds of charitable organizations during his lifetime and now he needs your help. The Barnum Museum shares with you the challenges of these economic times, and we are working very hard to remain a vital part of the regional cultural heartbeat.

Sadly, The Barnum Museum was suggested for removal from the State's bonding program. The bonding is exclusively for the critical capital repairs of the imperiled historic building. Major structural rehabilitation is necessary to arrest the on-going deterioration of the structure and ensure the future health of the historic building. It is urgent that the repairs and restoration begin as soon as possible as the building interior and exterior are suffering from significant failures in structural and environmental integrity.

We urgently need your help, and hope you consider making a commitment to support The Barnum Museum's Annual Appeal.

It is a privilege and extraordinary responsibility to be the guardian of one of America's greatest national treasures, and our preservation efforts, programs, and exhibitions are made possible by the generous support of community minded individuals like you.

Every donation makes a difference. I hope we can count on your support so we can continue to serve as a premier educational resource and steward to all those seeking knowledge. With your support, we can remain a vital part of Bridgeport's cultural heartbeat.

A place of community pride and a site of national significance, The Barnum Museum is dedicated to preserving our American heritage. On behalf of the Museum staff and Board of Directors, thank you for your consideration of this meaningful gift to The Barnum Museum Foundation.

Click to Donate Now

Kathleen Maher
Executive Director/Curator
The Barnum Museum
The Barnum Museum Foundation, Inc. is recognized as an IRS 501 c3 charitable & educational organization. Contributions are fully deductible if you itemize your taxes. Consult your tax advisor.


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P.T. Barnum to spend the summer on Long Island
An Exhibit Celebrating P.T. Barnum Opens at
The Ward Melville Heritage Organization in Stony Brook

Read the Press Release

The Ward Melville
Heritage Organizaiton
Educational & Cultural Center in
Stony Brook Village Center, New York
presents

Celebrating P. T. Barnum!

Grand Opening July 12!

Exhibit runs
July 10 - August 23

In honor of his 200th birthday!


Featuring...The life of Phineas Taylor Barnum,
known to most of the world as the
“Great American Showman”

Authentic Tom Thumb furniture

Authentic Jenny Lind memorabilia

Circus memorabilia

Photographic montage of P.T. Barnum

“The Life of P. T. Barnum”
July 23, 6:30 pm
Speaker: Kathleen Maher,
Executive Director/Curator,
The Barnum Museum

Items on loan from The Barnum Museum

Call for details, 631-751-2244

CLICK HERE TO VIEW AND PRINT
THE FLYER FOR THIS
PT BARNUM EXHIBIT

 

 


Museum Hours:
Tuesday to Saturday: 10:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Sunday: 12:00 Noon - 4:30 PM

Last admission to the Museum is at 3:45 PM

Barnum Birthday Bash
Sunday, July 5
12:00 noon to 3:00pm

Get ready for balloons, and birthday cake! Our Annual Birthday bash returns to celebrate P.T. Barnum's 199th Birthday!

The Barnum Museum wants everyone to enjoy the annual Birthday Bash for P.T. Barnum, famed showman, philanthropist, and one of Bridgeport's best-known citizens. The 199th party is being held on Barnum's birthday, Sunday, July 5 from noon to 3:00 p.m. at the museum, 820 Main Street in downtown Bridgeport, CT. Admission is $3 for adults and $2 for children.

The party will feature on-going activities and crafts with balloon animals by Joe Barney from noon to 1:00 p.m. The popular and hilarious Amazing Andy will begin his magic stage show at 1:00 p.m. A delicious birthday cake donated by Luigi's Italian Pastry shop will be served after the performance. Children may immerse themselves in art projects while their parents register to win tickets to one of the October 2009 performances of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey® Over the Top at Arena at Harbor Yard.

Bridgeport Free Shakespeare 2009 will be at the party starting at 2:00 p.m. rehearsing some scenes and talking about their open rehearsals through July 11 for A Midsummer Night's Dream which opens at Connecticut's Beardsley Zoo on July 17. For more information on these performances contact Ellen Lieberman at ellen@ctfreeshakespeare.org or 203-232-8805.

Now You See It, Now You Don't - For Kids
Thursday, July 9
1:30pm-2:30pm

Learn some of the mystifying magic that you can amaze your family and friends with. This will be a make and take workshop and is suitable for ages six and up. Join award winning comedy magician Joe Barney for plenty of 'oohs' and 'ahhs' and, how did he do that? This is a drop off program.

Be a Clown, Be a Clown! - For Kids
Thursday, July 16
1:30pm-2:30pm

Ever wanted to try on a giant pair of shoes, a red nose and crazy hair? Well, now's your chance, learn how to be a clown from a real Red Nosed Funster. Join Joe Barney, a professional clown and artist in residence of Clowns of America as he slaps on the grease paint and gives you some pointers about being a clown in the Center Ring. This is a drop off program.

Connecticut Free Shakespeare Open Rehearsals
Tuesday, June 30- Thursday July 9
Museum hours

Connecticut Free Shakespeare (a professional theater company under contract with the Actor's Equity Association) will conduct their rehearsals for a forth year in the Museum's People's Bank Gallery. As part of our commitment to community outreach, the rehearsals will be open to the public.

 

 

The Barnum Museum | 820 Main Street Bridgeport, CT 06604 | phone: 203-331-1104 | fax: 203-331-0079

 

Our special thanks to: