Barnum Museum
The Barnum Museum has an extensive collection related to P. T. Barnum and the history of Bridgeport, and is housed in a historic building on the National Register of Historic Places.
The building was originally contracted for construction by P. T. Barnum himself. The funds and land for the building and museum were provided by Barnum to house the work of the Bridgeport Scientific Society and the Fairfield County Historical Society. The structure was completed in 1893 and is home to The Barnum Museum today.
The Barnum Museum’s collection is astonishingly diverse! It contains thousands of artifacts as well as an archive of manuscripts and photographs.
The collection of Barnum’s personal and family items includes elaborate furniture, household items, artwork, clothing, and books that reveal his taste, interests, and achievements.
In addition to our P. T. Barnum holdings, many items from early days of The Barnum Institute of Science and History have remained in the collection, including a 4000-year-old Egyptian mummy, early tools and ceremonial items from cultures around the world, American colonial-era and Civil War artifacts, and biological specimens. Bridgeport’s early industries are also represented in the collection.