BRIDGEPORT — A century and a half ago, P.T. Barnum arranged to have the European singing sensation Jenny Lind travel to and then tour America. Barnum had never seen or even heard Lind, but he knew of her reputation and realized the cultural impact she would make on audiences on this side of the Atlantic. He arranged a concert tour to transform Americans’ opinion of the arts as quality family entertainment and education as well as to elevate his own social position.

When Lind arrived in New York Harbor aboard the steamship Atlantic on September 1, 1850, an estimated 30,000 excited, curious people gathered on the Canal Street wharf and another 20,000 had congregated at her hotel on Broadway.

The tour was overwhelmingly successful. Barnum gained recognition and esteem for introducing the Swedish singer to America. He netted receipts of over $535,000 and Jenny Lind $176,000, plus thousands she donated to charities.

The excitement surrounding Jenny Lind’s appearances was described in Barnum’s Own Story: The Autobiography of P.T. Barnum: “Songs, quadrilles and polkas were dedicated to her and poems sung in her praise. We had Jenny Lind gloves, Jenny Lind bonnets, Jenny Lind riding hats, Jenny Lind shawls, mantillas, robes, chairs, sofas, pianos — in fact, everything was Jenny Lind.”

On September 11, 1850, ten days after Lind’s arrival in North America, more than 5,000 people crowded into New York’s famed Castle Garden for her first concert performance in America, anxious to hear the voice that had been praised by the composers Mandelssohn, Chopin and Wagner.

A new exhibition, “P.T. Barnum Presents The ‘Divine Jenny’ Lind,” has opened in the second floor Curator’s Gallery at The Barnum Museum. The exhibit will remain on view through August 13.

The exhibit celebrates the 150th anniversary of P.T. Barnum’s promotion of the 1850 American concert tour by the coloratura soprano, who was known throughout Europe as the “Swedish nightingale” and whom Barnum affectionately called the “divine Jenny.”

The exhibition illustrates the museum’s ongoing policy of providing educational and entertaining programs about P.T. Barnum and the people he promoted throughout his long career. The exhibit was created and developed by Barnum Museum curator Kathleen Maher.

Artifacts in “P.T. Barnum Presents the ‘Divine Jenny’ Lind” include items from The Barnum Museum collection and others on loan from the American Swedish Museum, Bridgeport Public Library, Connecticut Historical Society, The Discovery Museum, Fairfield Historical Society, Litchfield Historical Society, Museum of the City of New York, New-York Historical Society, Stowe-Day Foundation and Strong Museum.

Jenny Lind was born October 6, 1820, in Stockholm, Sweden. Her extraordinary soprano voice was discovered at age nine and, soon after, she was taken to The Stockholm Royal Theater and offered an operatic career at the government’s expense.

Lind made her formal operatic debut at age 16 and sang throughout Europe for many years. She died November 2, 1887, in England, where she is buried.

The museum’s special exhibition is categorized in vignettes, entitled “P.T. Barnum: A Time for Change,” “Greeting To America: Preparing the Public Mind,” “Welcome Jenny: A Beautiful Stranger,” “Lind Mania: The Industrialization of a Nightingale,” “Artistic Perfection” and “A Star That Passes.”

Jenny Lind is now familiar to residents of the greater Bridgeport region, largely because of P.T. Barnum’s foresight and continued annual Barnum Festival events that include the selection of an American Jenny Lind, a visit by her Swedish counterpart, and concerts here and in Sweden. This year’s concert will take place on June 23 at Polka Dot Playhouse, around the corner from The Barnum Museum.

Additional celebrations of the 1850 Jenny Lind concert tour will take place at the museum all year. Curator’s gallery tours are scheduled for June 6, July 8 and August 3, at 11 am, and on May 13, at 1 pm. The tours are included with regular museum admission ($5 adults, $4 seniors and college students, $3 ages 4-18). Guided tours of the full museum are offered every Saturday and Sunday at 2 pm. Reservations are requested for the curator’s tours, but are not needed for the regular weekend tours.

On Saturday, June 24, a unique treat for the whole family will be offered with the program “Jenny Lind and the Royal Family.” The two Jenny Linds selected for this year’s Barnum Festival — one American singer, and one from Sweden — will perform a special and first-time-ever children’s concert featuring popular music and audience participation during the museum’s monthly Breakfast at The Barnum series. An appearance by the Barnum Festival Royal Family is “likely” that morning.

Doors for Breakfast at The Barnum events open at 10 am, with health and safety information provided by Bridgeport Hospital’s P.T. Barnum Pediatric Center staff. Performances begin at 10:30 am. Breakfast is available until showtime, included with admission.

The museum is at 820 Main Street in Bridgeport. Information on all programs, as well as directions to The Barnum Museum, is available by calling 203/331-1104.