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BM-MSS 01 Guide to the Records of the Barnum Institute of Science and History, 880-1993 (BM-MSS 01)
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
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.
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.
Administrative Information
Publication Statement
The Barnum Museum 2017
820 Main Street, Bridgeport, CT 06604-4912, info@barnum-museum.org, 203-331-1104
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
Detailed Description of Records/Container List
Series I - Fairfield County Historical Society, 1881-1892 | |||
---|---|---|---|
Title/Description | Instances | ||
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 | |
Series II - Bridgeport Scientific Society, 1881-1894 | |||
Title/Description | Instances | ||
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 | |
Series III - Bridgeport Scientific and Historical Society and the Barnum Institute, 1881-1892 | |||
Title/Description | Instances | ||
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 | |
Series IV: Additional material, 1893-1993 | |||
Title/Description | Instances | ||
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 | |
Series V: Oversized, 1848-1891 | |||
Title/Description | Instances | ||
Fairfield County Historical Society Ledger, 1892-1915 | box Container 1 | ||