Barnum Museum Salutes Showmanship

Nearly a century ago, in 1891, impresario P.T. Barnum made his final exit, and unfortunately--certainly for him--it was no hoax.

However, Barnum has recently made a comeback in a scenario that could have been concocted by the old prince of humbug himself.

It concerns his museum.

When Barnum died, he left a building in Bridgeport, Conn., that could only be described as Barnumesque--a bizarre mix of architectural styles topped off by a red-tiled dome.

Despite the strangeness of the structure, and although Barnum was never noted for an innate sense of modesty, he never intended the building to be a tribute to his life. Rather, this was the Barnum Institute of Science and History, a museum for scientific and historical collections, the final gift of the great showman to his adopted city, which he truly loved and where he even had served as mayor in 1875.

Unfortunately, the building, which opened in 1893, has had a history that can only be described as sad.

In the 1930s, the city foreclosed on the building and then, under the leadership of Socialist Mayor Jasper McLevy, who did not believe in wasting anything, converted it to a city hall annex. Part of the third floor was made into a museum for the Barnum memorabilia.

The tiny attic museum remained virtually unknown until 20 years ago, when dedicated volunteers got together to try to make the museum bigger and better, to do justice to the memory of Barnum.

Robert Pelton, a former schoolteacher and librarian who was also a Barnum enthusiast and about as knowledgeable as anyone on P.T., was hired as curator.

Pelton supplemented the collection with lots more Barnum memorabilia--original circus posters, the piano of Barnum’s protege Jenny Lind, tiny carriages used by the famous midgets Tom Thumb and Commodore Nutt.

During the past decade, Barnum aficionados from throughout America and the world have visited the museum.

But the museum has suffered from both a shortage of money and nearly a century of neglect.

Three years ago, the museum was shut down for emergency repairs to the roof and exterior walls. It was a stopgap measure. In an age of sharply rising construction costs, it appeared that the museum associated with the magical name of Barnum just might be at the end of the line.

And then something happened: People’s Bank of Connecticut announced a major redevelopment plan for parts of Bridgeport.

Architect Richard Meier of New York, who loves the color white, would design the modernistic, 16-story, $108-million Bridgeport Center as a spectacular show of strength for a revitalized Bridgeport.

There was only one problem: What could be done about the funny-looking, reddish, three-story building called the Barnum Museum, a relic from the Victorian age?

What could be done, it was finally decided, was to take a new bank structure and wrap it around the back of the Barnum building. Strangely enough, the two buildings melded well, an arresting blend of the new and the old.

Of course, the old museum building would need a complete face lift for its new status.

And that is what has been done.

An $8.5-million renovation--paid for by the state, city and People’s Bank--is being completed. Outside, the structure looks about as it always did--strange--but inside it has been converted into a lighter, brighter, safer and more convenient exhibit hall, with such modern touches as TV monitors used in explaining exhibits and a catwalk to better see a scale model of “The Greatest Show on Earth.”

In addition, a new gallery has been built, connecting the museum and the bank building. It will house traveling exhibits, the first of which will be on carousel art.

The most fascinating exhibits in the museum are those that delighted people a century ago--a two-headed calf, Tom Thumb’s tiny bed, and a 2,500-year-old mummy.

But the biggest star is P.T. Barnum, of course.

A new wooden statue of him is the first thing people see when they walk inside. Also, a new image of him is perched above a miniature circus, floating among clouds.