The Barnum Museum

Summary Information

Location:
The Barnum Museum

Bridgeport, C.T.

Creator:
Bridgeport Scientific Society, Bridgeport Historical Society, Barnum Institute of Science and History
Title:
Records of the Barnum Institute of Science and History1880-1993 [Bulk 1880-1901]
Call No.:
Physical Description:
1 manuscript box, 1 oversize box
Language:
Collection material in English
Summary:
The records of the Bridgeport Institute of Science and Technology represent the first part of the Barnum Museum’s life and the original purpose it had - a building given by P.T. Barnum to the Bridgeport Scientific Society, Bridgeport Medical Society, and the Fairfield County Historical Society. The records present include the activities present before the institutions came together under one roof, their activities during the time they were housed here, and the end of the building’s original use in the 1930s. Materials include are primarily correspondence and programs, but also member lists and clippings about events.
Note:

For information about The Barnum Museum collections and services, see the The Barnum Museum home page

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Scope and Content Note

The records of the Barnum Institute of Science and History represents various clippings, original programs, and documentation about the previous occupants of the historic Barnum Institute building where the Barnum Museum resides today. It includes membership applications, programs, and tickets, as well as a wealth of clippings.

It should be noted that a large number of the materials in this collection are not original documents, but are photocopies.

The oversized ledger contains accession records of the institutions, and verifies some of the Barnum Museum’s contemporary holdings such as Charles Dickinson’s coat.

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Arrangement Note

In order to maintain intellectual control of the material, it was decided that archival documents would be split between materials related to Barnum’s life, subject files, photographs, and then oversized material. Correspondence was given priority in series I, followed by other material from Barnum’s hand before any other material. It was decided that items related to his death and funeral would come at the end of the series. Due to the fairly small amount of material, it was decided that there would be no subseries within the collection.

Series II, the subject files, represents a number of performers from Barnum’s American Museum. Several of these files were intermixed with the materials related to the circus housed within the Barnum Museum, and were removed to this collection. Likewise, a box labeled “Barnum’s Special People” contained a mix of American Museum performers and circus performers, and was split between this collection and the BM-MSS 04 Circus Collection.

A decision was made that in regard to image material, this collection would include photographic works, but not illustrations. Therefore, non-photographic portraits of Barnum, his homes, and other associated material was removed and will be treated at a museum object level with the Barnum Museum.

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Administrative Information

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Name and Subject Tracings

  • Name and Subject Tracings
  • Personal and Coporate names
  • Barnum, P. T. (Phineas Taylor), 1810-1891
  • Secor, David Pell, 1824-1909
  • Barnum Institute of Science and History
  • Bridgeport Scientific Society
  • Fairfield County Historical Society

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Subjects

  • Subjects
  • Historical societies
  • Natural history museums
  • Scientific societies

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Detailed Description of Records/Container List

Series I - Fairfield County Historical Society, 1881-1892

Title/DescriptionInstances
Fairfield County Historical Society, Articles of Association, 1881 box 1 folder 1
Fairfield County Historical Society, annual report, 1889 box 1 folder 2
Fairfield County Historical Society, correspondence, 1881-1899 box 1 folder 3
Fairfield County Historical Society, membership applications, 1887 box 1 folder 4
Fairfield County Historical Society, member list, undated box 1 folder 5
Clippings - Fairfield County Historical Society, 1891-1892 box 1 folder 6

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Series II - Bridgeport Scientific Society, 1881-1894

Title/DescriptionInstances
Bridgeport Scientific Society, correspondence, 1881-1899 box 1 folder 7
Barnum Scientific Society, membership applications, 1881-1888 box 1 folder 8
Bridgeport Scientific Society, early collection documentation, 1887-1894 box 1 folder 9
“Rooms of the Bridgeport Scientific Society,” 1881 box 1 folder 10
Bridgeport Scientific Society, programmes and tickets, 1880s-1893 box 1 folder 11
Testimonial in memory of Scientific Society President Rev. Beverly E. Warner, November 1, 1893 box 1 folder 12
Clippings, Bridgeport Scientific Society, 1880-1892; undated box 1 folder 13

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Series III - Bridgeport Scientific and Historical Society and the Barnum Institute, 1881-1892

Title/DescriptionInstances
Permit number 2240 from Board of Building Commissioners, March 30, 1894 box 1 folder 14
Bridgeport Scientific and Historical Society, opening exercises of the Barnum Institute, February 18, 1893 box 1 folder 15
Bridgeport Scientific and Historical Society, correspondence, 1901-1924; undated box 1 folder 16
Bridgeport Scientific and Historical Society, programs and tickets, 1893-1907 box 1 folder 17
“Catalogue of the collections of the Barnum Institute,” 1891 box 1 folder 18
“Division of space in the Barnum Institute,” undated box 1 folder 19
“To the public spirited citizens in behalf of the Bridgeport Scientific and Historical Society…” undated box 1 folder 20
Barnum Scientific and Historical Society letterhead box 1 folder 21
Foreclosure and civil action documents from the city of Bridgeport, August 13, 1934 box 1 folder 22
Clippings related to the Barnum Institute, 1897-1903 box 1 folder 23
Clippings regarding the Barnum Institute losing money, closing, and reopening, 1895-1933; 1986 box 1 folder 24

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Series IV: Additional material, 1893-1993

Title/DescriptionInstances
Biographical clippings of Scientific Society, Historical Society, and Barnum Institute associates: Oliver Bullard, Rev. James Linsley, Elizabeth Latfeld, David Secor, Grace Walkman box 1 folder 25
Curatorial research on the Scientific and Historical Societies conducted by the present Barnum Museum, 1989-1993 box 1 folder 26
Photographs, includes photos of clippings, 1st floor of the Scientific Society, 1897; ubdated box 1 folder 27

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Series V: Oversized, 1848-1891

Title/DescriptionInstances
Fairfield County Historical Society Ledger, 1892-1915 box Container 1

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Content Review Lists: