The grandparent of weird entertainment is the circus. Its purveyors coveted “new and unusual” to keep fresh beyond the usual acrobats and exotic animals, so the roster included human cannonballs, sword swallowers, pigs that could solve math problems – anything that would look good slapped on a banner.
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The grandparent of weird entertainment is the circus. Its purveyors coveted “new and unusual” to keep fresh beyond the usual acrobats and exotic animals, so the roster included human cannonballs, sword swallowers, pigs that could solve math problems – anything that would look good slapped on a banner.
Baraboo was home to the Ringling Brothers, a family of successful circus proprietors, and the highly competitive industry gravitated to their home state. Towns like Delavan joined Baraboo as circus colonies, with Wisconsin headquartering over 100 different companies to earn the nickname “The Mother of Circuses.”
During the late 1800s and early 1900s, it wouldn’t be unusual to see rows of elephants strolling down the street or packs of clowns comparing oversized shoes in these towns.
This colorful history is archived and displayed in Baraboo at the Circus World Museum, spread across 64 acres in the Ringlings’ former winter headquarters.
Opened in 1959, the museum is full of displays of ornate circus wagons, costumes, posters and thousands of other artifacts, as well as a research library. The museum’s Big Top tent is only open in summer and offers visitors a taste of the circus experience with trapeze artists, jugglers and other amazing feats.
Also near the museum is the International Clown Hall of Fame, a great place to learn about masters of the clown arts (but not a good visit if you have coulrophobia). You can also grab some food and a beer at the AL. Ringling Brewpub, housed in Albrecht Ringling’s restored mansion. The beer that inspired the business is supposedly a Ringling family recipe found underneath a floorboard in the mansion during renovation.
