To: Dennis O’Malley, Only in Bridgeport.
After 30 years absent from a visit to the Barnum Museum, you are likely to require a wait of a few added years for this notable site to currently receive National Historic Designation, the first such recognition in Bridgeport history, and the completion of external and internal repairs for the safety of human visitors and the protection of valuable artifacts.
The structure physically housing the Barnum Museum Foundation, Inc is owned by the City of Bridgeport. At the time of the tornado in 2010, Hurricane Irene in 2011, and Super Storm Sandy in 2012 physical damage was done to the Museum building, as well as many of the artifacts that were property of the Foundation. Insurance to repair, restore, and make whole the artifacts were protected by the not-for profit Board to the extent of $2 Million insurance through the years. The Museum staff responded by saving over 20,000 historical documents and objects from loss with the assistance of the National Endowment for the Humanities, also.
However, repair of damage to the building of significant extent depended on City financial arrangements. For some time, Bridgeport had claimed that such City risks were self-insured. Not true. It was subsequently discovered that a $5.2 million property insurance policy protected Bridgeport, but it was only settled in this case for $700,000 by a City Attorney without inclusion of the Barnum Museum Foundation in the information flow. No final statement of the difference between damages, claims, and coverage was distributed to the Foundation Board. After an adjuster was compensated, only $400,000 remained for the Museum to spend on immediate and emergency issues including elevators, pigeon removals, and some design. Over $6.9 million has been spent since then on external repairs based on a pre-COVID budget through assistance from State of CT bonding and grants from several organizations as well as basic public support.
Phineas T. Barnum suffered at least two complete personal financial reversals during his lifetime, based on fires, not weather. From 2012 until March 2020 when COVID-19 disrupted public life as we knew it, visitors came to enjoy the Museum, exhibits and programs numbering up to 10,000 per year. Patience, and informed support, will serve to finish this National Historic site on Main Street, Bridgeport. No one can predict the date, though it will not be August 24. 2023. Time will tell.
JOHN MARSHALL LEE
Hoping this signifies Barnum Museum reopening to the public. Looks awesome from the street but I fondly remember visiting thirty years ago.
25 cents to the Egress
To: Dennis O’Malley, Only in Bridgeport.
After 30 years absent from a visit to the Barnum Museum, you are likely to require a wait of a few added years for this notable site to currently receive National Historic Designation, the first such recognition in Bridgeport history, and the completion of external and internal repairs for the safety of human visitors and the protection of valuable artifacts.
The structure physically housing the Barnum Museum Foundation, Inc is owned by the City of Bridgeport. At the time of the tornado in 2010, Hurricane Irene in 2011, and Super Storm Sandy in 2012 physical damage was done to the Museum building, as well as many of the artifacts that were property of the Foundation. Insurance to repair, restore, and make whole the artifacts were protected by the not-for profit Board to the extent of $2 Million insurance through the years. The Museum staff responded by saving over 20,000 historical documents and objects from loss with the assistance of the National Endowment for the Humanities, also.
However, repair of damage to the building of significant extent depended on City financial arrangements. For some time, Bridgeport had claimed that such City risks were self-insured. Not true. It was subsequently discovered that a $5.2 million property insurance policy protected Bridgeport, but it was only settled in this case for $700,000 by a City Attorney without inclusion of the Barnum Museum Foundation in the information flow. No final statement of the difference between damages, claims, and coverage was distributed to the Foundation Board. After an adjuster was compensated, only $400,000 remained for the Museum to spend on immediate and emergency issues including elevators, pigeon removals, and some design. Over $6.9 million has been spent since then on external repairs based on a pre-COVID budget through assistance from State of CT bonding and grants from several organizations as well as basic public support.
Phineas T. Barnum suffered at least two complete personal financial reversals during his lifetime, based on fires, not weather. From 2012 until March 2020 when COVID-19 disrupted public life as we knew it, visitors came to enjoy the Museum, exhibits and programs numbering up to 10,000 per year. Patience, and informed support, will serve to finish this National Historic site on Main Street, Bridgeport. No one can predict the date, though it will not be August 24. 2023. Time will tell.
JOHN MARSHALL LEE