The Barnum Museum

Join award-winning author Eric Lehman for a look at the extraordinary partnership between Charles Stratton—better known as General Tom Thumb—and P.T. Barnum. Long before film, television, or social media, Barnum and Stratton created a cultural phenomenon that captivated audiences on both sides of the Atlantic and helped invent the modern concept of celebrity that transformed fame into a cultural force.

Beginning in July and continuing through December, the Barnum Museum presents Humbug & History, a dynamic lecture series exploring P.T. Barnum’s remarkable life, legacy, and lasting impact on Bridgeport and American culture.

Join baseball historian and poet Michael Bielawa for a journey through the city’s rich baseball heritage, from early post–Civil War clubs and East Side “muffin” teams to industrial leagues and the rise of professional play near P.T. Barnum’s Winter Headquarters.

Join Barnum Museum Executive Director Kathleen Maher for a candid account of the challenges, frustrations, and hard-won victories that have shaped the Museum’s recovery and transformation.

Writer Historian Michael Bielawa leads a fascinating and slightly macabre Wicked Walk lantern stroll of historic downtown Bridgeport on October 30th. EVENTS COMING UP: HUMBUG & HISTORY

Year-Round, on Thursdays & Fridays from 11 am to 3 pm, come and enjoy a fun-filled walk through of the fascinating art and artifacts of the historic Barnum Museum! Be dazzled by wondrous collections including Tom Thumb carriages, the miniature menagerie tent, the FeJee Mermaid and the mythological Centaur. Gallery tours take up to one hour. Free to the public, donations are welcome. Full Details FILTER BY: Date

BARNUM MUSEUM CLOSED AT THIS TIME. Year-Round, on Thursdays & Fridays from 11 am to 3 pm, come and enjoy a fun-filled walk through of the fascinating art and artifacts of the historic Barnum Museum! Be dazzled by wondrous collections including Tom Thumb carriages, the miniature menagerie tent, the FeJee Mermaid and the mythological Centaur. Gallery tours take up to one hour. Free to the public, donations are welcome. EVENTS COMING UP: