Barnum Museum Will Offer Birthday Party

For Its Benefactor On July 5

BRIDGEPORT — The Barnum Museum wants everyone visiting the region over the July 4 weekend to see the William Brinley Amazing, All-New Miniature Circus and attend the annual birthday bash for P.T. Barnum, famed showman, philanthropist and one of Bridgeport’s best-known citizens.

The birthday bash is being held on Barnum’s birthday – Monday, July 5 – from 11 am to 2 pm, at the museum, 820 Main Street in downtown Bridgeport. The museum is typically open on Sundays, but in order to really honor P.T. properly, the museum will be closed on July 4, Independence Day, and then reopen its doors on Monday instead.

 The party will feature family activities, crafts, clowns, entertainers, face-painters, special guests, and of course a delicious, Jumbo (the famous P.T. Barnum elephant) birthday cake, generously donated by Luigi’s Bakery.

A discounted admission of $2 per adult and $1 per child will be in effect on July 5. As always, children under the age of 4 will be admitted free. Proceeds of the celebration will benefit the museum’s collections and education programs.

 Throughout the party, members of Bridgeport Police Department will offer free fingerprinting for the children’s identification program and Jammie the Gentle Clown will be doing face painting. Tongue-Tied Tilly and Stardust, from the Stratford-based Sawdust Clowns, will also be on hand to entertain during the celebration.

In addition, there will be a special performance by The Amazing Andy, a juggler and magician extraordinaire from noon to 1 pm.  From 1 to 2 pm, BB, the Bluefish team mascot, will meet and greet visitors, and as a special treat, pitcher Shane Arthurs, also from the Bluefish, will be at the museum to sign autographs. 

Phineas Taylor Barnum, one-term mayor of Bridgeport and four-term member of the Connecticut General Assembly, was born July 5, 1810 in Bethel and died April 7, 1891 in Bridgeport.  The Barnum Museum, his last gift to the city, opened February 18, 1893.

The William Brinley Amazing, All-New Miniature Circus currently on display at The Barnum Museum is underwritten in part by Friedberg Smith & Co., PC of Bridgeport, People’s Bank, and Sodexho Corporate Services. The miniature circus, the latest created by Mr Brinley, took over four decades to create.

The circus is being shown in entirety for the first time and includes more than 5,000 hand carved performers and animals, wagons, bleachers, props, railway cars and other items to re-create a traveling circus from the early 20th Century. In keeping with the era, the tiny flags flying above the Big Top have 48 stars – details are what make the Brinley circus so impressive.

The circus was put on view in June and will remain on view until July 2005.

It complements a permanent circus model on the third floor that was also created by Mr Brinley and his father.

For more information, call the museum at 203-331-1104 or visit www.barnum-museum.org.