The incredible exhibit Chico Circus Town, which has been on display at the Chico Museum since mid-October, is being shown in six parts through June 21. This week, the “Side Shows, Freaks Shows and Wonders of the Midway” began.
We visited last weekend and were quite impressed. A lot of effort went into these feature exhibits, which are drawn from the collection of Grace and Arvel Allread. There’s a baboon cage (no baboon, though) and scenes set up with a bear and another with an elephant. The vintage posters are great, and the freak show part isn’t too freaky to scare little kids. Alec’s favorite part was pretending to walk the high wire—an authentic tightrope placed along the floor. Visitors can also learn what makes a good “circus town” and see how the circus tent was raised.
This part of the exhibit closes Feb. 15. The next installments are: “Screamers, Bandsmen & Circus Fanfare March” running Feb. 21-March 29; “Wild, Wild West Shows” running Apr. 4-May 10; “Lions & Tigers & Bears, Oh My!” running May 16-June 21.