Cool event at the Barnum Museum April 16. Check it out.
A global day of discovery and exploration–Atlas Obscura Day–designed to celebrate the world’s most curious, wondrous and awe-inspiring places to discover, including ruins, temples, theaters, cemeteries, parks and museums. Created and promoted by the web site Atlas Obscura, claiming to be the definitive guide to the world’s wondrous and curious places, Obscura Day 2016 is the fifth annual global day of exploration, celebrating their mission of discovery and exploration. One doesn’t have to travel far to discover one of the 200 locations–Bridgeport’s own Barnum Museum, a true national treasure. To celebrate this unique day, guests will have the opportunity to join Barnum Museum Executive Director Kathy Maher and Curator Adrienne Saint-Pierre in viewing rarely seen artifacts up close, including Tom Thumb’s clothing, carriages and personal items, P.T. Barnum’s wedding top hat from 1829 and his fascinating hand-written Copy Book that chronicles the European tour of Tom Thumb in 1845.
In addition, guests will join the staff on an exclusive hard-hat tour of the top floors of the historic Barnum building, currently under restoration after a tornado in 2010. Guests will be among the very first to witness the disaster recovery effort and learn the Museum’s exciting re-envisioning plans for the future!
Following the tour, there will be a lively Q & A with the Museum staff. Light refreshments will also be served. Photography will of course be encouraged.
Don’t wait to register, as this is a limited seating, rare event, on Saturday, April 16; 11:00am to 1:00pm. Tickets cost only $35 a person. Barnum Museum is located at 820 Main Street, Bridgeport.
For reservations and more information, call the Barnum Museum at (203) 331-1104 ext.100
ABOUT THE BARNUM MUSEUM:
Bridgeport’s Barnum Museum is one of P. T. Barnum’s many philanthropic gifts. Completed in 1893, the architecturally significant building boasts a unique combination of styles and terra cotta ornamentation, and is listed on the National Register. Today the museum proudly shares the history and legacy of the world-famous entrepreneur, showman, and museum proprietor, who was also a state legislator, mayor, real estate developer, and philanthropist. The museum is home to thousands of artifacts, many pertaining to Bridgeport native Tom Thumb and his wife, as well as the P. T. Barnum Family, and Nathaniel Wheeler Family. Their furniture, carriages, artwork and other items are currently displayed, along with a centaur and mermaid. Since 2010, the historic building has been undergoing repair and restoration due to a series of weather events that comprised the structure. The Museum is currently open for visitors in the People’s United Bank Gallery located behind the historic building, open for viewing and tours from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m on Thursdays and Fridays year ’round. There is no admission charge but donations are welcome.
ABOUT ATLAS OBSCURA:
For people who still believe in discovery, Atlas Obscura is the definitive guide to the world’s wondrous and curious places. In an age where everything seems to have been explored and there is nothing new to be found, we celebrate a different way of looking at the world. If you’re searching for miniature cities, glass flowers, books bound in human skin, gigantic flaming holes in the ground, bone churches, balancing pagodas, or homes built entirely out of paper, the Atlas Obscura is where you’ll find them. Atlas Obscura is a collaborative project. We depend on our far-flung community of explorers (like you!) to help us discover amazing, hidden spots, and share them with the world. If you know of a curious place that’s not already in the Atlas, let us know. atlastobscura.com
