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Before the invention of the television allowed us to witness amazing acts, death-defying stunts, and hilarious bloopers through a screen, people would travel far and wide to witness these things--at the circus! The circus scene captivates the senses; the sights, smells, and sounds leave audiences in awe. On the flip side of the audience is the performers who make it all happen--the circus family. In this blog series, we cover the three rings that comprise The Children’s Museum’s newest exhibit Circus—Starring YOU!
After reading this blog, be sure to learn about Ring Two and Ring Three.
The evolution of the circus takes place over 200 years. In ring one within the exhibit, you can take a ride through circus history, and hop the whole family in a “clown car” while you’re at it!
- In an artifacts display case, you’ll see printed programs from national circuses and carved pieces from real circus wagons. You’ll learn about the traveling circus and its ties to Indiana.
- Because circuses are known to tour from city to city, circus performers spend a lot of time together and develop kinship. Some circus families are actually families, like the Wallendas or Ringling brothers! From little tykes, to grown men and women, each member of a circus family plays a special part in the act. See photos from circus families in our flipbooks.
- Hop on a unicycle and snap a photo, then watch real footage of circus performances and see how it has evolved over decades.
- Clowns have been a long-standing tradition in circuses. In ring one, children and families will see real vintage artifacts like a clown costume and shoes illustrating the history of clowns in the circus. Each family member can even learn about the different types of clowns and get their faces painted in an digital interactive activity.
Beep! Beep! Your clown car is waiting! And while you’re here, be sure to share your clown-car photos and all of your Circus—Starring YOU! moments using #atTCM for a chance to be featured on our website or social media. Get the whole family inside to see Circus—Starring YOU!, open Feb. 18 through Nov. 26, 2017.
