Circus World Museum, Wisconsin

Baraboo, Wisconsin was once the headquarters and winter home of Ringling Brothers Circus, and this museum is housed in some of the famous circus’ former buildings. Ringling Brothers started in Baraboo in 1884, and joined with Barnum and Bailey in 1918 to become the best known circus in the USA. In 1927, the circus moved its headquarters and winter home to Florida. In 1967, Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus was sold, and shifted hands and strategies a few times, and was even owned by Mattel for a period (from 1971-1981). Its last performance was in New York, in 2017. Baraboo was the site of company’s Clown College for a period in the 1990s, but by 1959 was a museum already, owned by the state historical society. It is said have the largest collection of circus materials in the world.