THE BALLOON MAN

'Sneak Peek' series continues with Brinley Circus

from:  ctpost.com

Phyllis A.S. Boros

May 14, 2014

Pieces from the handmade Brinley Circus, started in the 1930s, will be the focus of a "Sneak Peek" lecture Wednesday, May 21, at the Barnum Museum. 

Photo: Contributed Photo

One of the Barnum Museum's most popular displays, Brinley's Miniature Circus, will return -- albeit partially -- to public viewing on Wednesday, May 21, as part of its monthly "Sneak Peek" series.

The circus exhibit "has been carefully tucked away since the tornado in 2010," said Kay Page Greaser, a museum spokeswoman. "At the request of our many guests, we will bring selected pieces of the handmade circus model out for all to see. William Brinley began making his circus model as a child growing up in the 1930s, using a variety of `found' materials.

"For example, he transformed the common wooden cheese boxes that were used at the time into circus wagons, and remnants of plain cotton cloth were stitched together to become tents. He learned to carve animal figures from blocks of scrap wood; examples of elephants in various stages of carving will be shown."

Pieces from the handmade Brinley Circus, started in the 1930s, will be the focus of a "Sneak Peek" lecture Wednesday, May 21, at the Barnum Museum.

 Photo: Contributed Photo

According to Kathy Maher, museum executive director, "The `Sneak Peek' series of informal lunchtime lecture programs began to keep our visitors engaged and curious about the museum as we move into our exciting re-envisioning process."

The landmark structure, owned by the city of Bridgeport, is still undergoing repair following a 2010 tornado that struck the building. All programs and exhibits are now offered in the People's United Bank Gallery that is situated behind the historic museum and is attached to the bank building.

"We have so many visitor inquiries about the collections and Barnum stories, and they are eager to learn and explore more about some of the museum's vast and extraordinary history. These `show and tell' discussions began in February of 2013 and have continued every month offering visitors a firsthand opportunity to experience behind-the-scenes aspects of the museum and have a truly unique opportunity to see the rarest artifacts in the collection. Each month we pick a theme and feature some fascinating, rarely seen items from the museum's collection."

Maher noted that since the museum just opened "The Lost and Found Circus," an exhibition of sculpture by Bridgeporter Susan Tabachnick, "It was perfect to feature selected pieces from the William Brinley Miniature Circus. The full model has more than 3,000 painstakingly hand-carved circus performers, animals, tents and wagons."

The Barnum Museum is open every Thursday, Friday and Saturday through the summer from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Barnum Museum, 820 Main St., Bridgeport. Wednesday, May 21, 12:15 p.m. $3, free for 11 and younger.