Saturday, December 26, 2009

FROM CIRCUS VERN--


Circus World Museum closes for winter

By Meg Jones of the Journal Sentinel
Posted: Dec. 17, 2009
Because of a money crunch and low visitor turnout, Circus World Museum in Baraboo has closed for the winter.
The museum board decided earlier this week to close the facility located at the site of the Ringling Brothers winter quarters and lay off four employees.
Circus World Museum will reopen as scheduled May 22.
Executive Director Steve Freese said the museum averages only 1,700 visitors between Jan. 1 and May 21 and about half get in for free because of promotions. And between Oct. 1 and Dec. 31, only about 2,000 visitors come to Circus World Museum. Attendance this year was 62,000. Because much of the museum is outdoors, few people showed up last week and this week because of cold weather.
"We have challenges just like all nonprofits," Freese said Thursday afternoon. "Our funding has been impacted by our donors because of what has happened to the stock portfolios."
Freese pointed out that the museum, which celebrated its 50th year this season, closed during the winter between 1959 and 1991. Circus World Museum is owned by the Wisconsin Historical Society and most of the other properties owned by the society close down during the winter.

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