Contents
P. T. Barnum
Building an entertainment empire of museums, publicity and circus shows.
American Museum · Barnum & Bailey
- Born
- 5 July 1810
- Birthplace
- Bethel, Connecticut, United States
- Died
- 7 April 1891
More people
P. T. Barnum
P. T. Barnum turned spectacular promotion into a mass entertainment business. His museums and circus drew huge audiences, while his career also included fabricated attractions and the exploitation of people exhibited as curiosities.
Early life
Connecticut upbringing
Born into a family involved in shopkeeping, tailoring and innkeeping.
Early ventures
Ran small businesses and started a newspaper before moving into entertainment.
Career
- 1835
Exhibition business
Promoted Joice Heth, an enslaved woman, using false claims about her age and identity.
- 1841
American Museum
Bought a New York museum and expanded its mix of performances and exhibits.
- 1871
Travelling circus
Entered the large-scale circus business with partners.
- 1881
Bailey partnership
Combined operations with James Anthony Bailey and other partners.
Companies & projects
Barnum’s American Museum
Combined theatrical shows, specimens and sensational attractions.
Jenny Lind tour
Organised the Swedish singer’s extensively publicised American tour.
Barnum & Bailey
A circus partnership associated with elaborate travelling spectacles.
Beyond work
Public office
Served in Connecticut’s legislature and as mayor of Bridgeport.
A contested legacy
His commercial ingenuity sits alongside deceptive advertising and the dehumanising exhibition of performers.
Sources & photo credit
Biography ↗Life and work ↗Photo: Brady-Handy Photograph Collection (Library of Congress). Public domain · Original image. Cropped and displayed in monochrome.
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