John Steinbeck drew on the biblical tale of Cain and Abel extensively when writing his 1952 classic novel ‘East of Eden.’

The creator of chiropractic medicine was inspired by a séance.

The infamous rhyme misrepresents several details about the Borden murders.

Essays analyzing the intersections of Disney studies and animal studies.

Here's why the world's most famous escape artist became a global sensation.

These legendary clubs influenced the sound, style and culture of America.

What began as a series of children's novels grew into one of America's most enduring cultural touchstones.

This volume contextualizes the circus as a cultural force in North America during the long nineteenth century.

Was P.T. Barnum superstitious?Barnum was famous for humbug, spectacle, and skepticism — but one number kept following him around: 13.From a Christmas dinner in London with General Tom Thumb, to repeated hotel rooms numbered 13, to the burning of…

During the Civil War, even small Connecticut towns were pulled into the national fight over secession, loyalty, and the future of the Union.In August 1861, a “peace meeting” was planned for Stepney Green in Monroe, Connecticut. But in the North, that…

Before P.T. Barnum owned the American Museum, it belonged to the family of John Scudder, a self-made taxidermist and amateur naturalist who opened his museum in New York in 1810.But the story did not pass quietly from Scudder to Barnum. After…

Step right up for a fascinating look at what the circus can teach us about identity, reinvention, and breaking society’s expectations. Entertainment historian Betsy Golden Kellem explores the surprising cultural impact of the nineteenth century…

P.T. Barnum didn’t build his fame alone.One of his closest friends and collaborators was Moses Kimball, the Boston Museum owner who helped bring the famous Fejee Mermaid into Barnum’s orbit.This video explores Kimball’s museum, his friendship with…

In this episode of Showman’s Shorts, the Barnum Museum explores P.T. Barnum’s “Living Chinese Family,” nineteenth-century curiosity culture, and the ways Chinese performers were presented to American audiences through spectacle, exoticism, and…

The Illuminati began as a secret society with Enlightenment ideals. Its legacy has since taken on a life of its own.

In the 1800s, women playing tragic leads captivated crowds while critics struggled to reconcile talent with gender norms.

Here's how a prayer became part of the playbook.

Emily Brontë’s sole novel shocked readers—and still does.

These photos convinced people fairies were real.

Freaks asked audiences to think about the exploitative display of human difference while also demonstrating that the sideshow was a locus of community.