The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art, Sarasota, Florida
Collections Database
The Federation has developed and maintains a list of libraries, museums and archives holding Circus collections. The website will be improved to include a search function. Ongoing efforts focus on adding additional collections and incorporating general descriptions of the collections. The Federation will continue to explore the possibility of incorporating this material and/or linking with the SIBMAS database of libraries and museums for the performing arts when that database is developed.
To correct and/or add to the information concerning the collection for which you are responsible, please send an email to: laura@circusfederation.org
Explore by the list below, or search for something in particular.
Institution   | Description | Contact Info | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| American Circus Collection, 1891-1939 | This collection of circus and theater related clippings, illustrations, programs, publicity, photographs, and memorabilia was More | Details | |
| CEDAC | The Educational Documentation Centre of Circus Arts (CEDAC) was established from the will of the More | M. Antonio Giarola antonio.giarola@articircensi.org | Details |
| Cincinnati Art Museum | With 60,000 original works of fine art including European masters and American artists, the Cincinnati Art More | Ms.Kristin L. Spangenburg Curator, Prints, Drawings & Photos kspang@cincyart.org | Details |
| Circus and Buffalo Bill Collection | The Buffalo Bill Collection consists of a variety of paper including books, magazines, advertising posters More | Conrad H. Schoeffling Special Collections Librarian Conrad.schoeffling@liu.edu | Details |
| Circus City Festival Museum | Peru, Indiana has been the center of American circus activities for more than a century. More | Details | |
| Circus Friends Association Archive | Malcolm Clay malcolmclay@talk21.com | Details | |
| Circus Museum Eastern States Exposition | The Circus Museum of the Eastern States Exposition (The Big E) is housed in the More | Mr. Wayne McCary, CEO wmccary@thebige.com | Details |
| Circus World Museum | The original winter quarters buildings of the Ringling Bros. Circus, known historically as Ringlingville, serves More | Peter Shrake pshrake@circusworldmuseum.com Librarian/Archivist, Tel: (608) 356-8341, e-mail archivist@circusworldmuseum.com Ralph Pierce rpierce@circusworldmuseum.com | Details |
| Clown Pepie Museum | The Clown Pepie Museum is part of a well-respected professional theatre, and houses a collection More | Dr. Hans van Keulen hvankeulen@tin.nl Tel +31205513316 | Details |
| Ersten Circus-Museum in Deutschland | The Ersten Circus-Museum in Deutschland was the first museum dedicated to the German circus. It More | M. Axel Peers-Gloyer | Details |
| Guidhall Library | Dr. Vanessa Toulmin Director nfa@sheffield.ac.uk | Details | |
| Hertzberg Circus Collection | The personal circus collection of attorney Lawyer Harry Hertzberg was bequeathed to the San Antonio More | Ms. Marise McDermott, President/CEO marisemcdermott@wittemuseum.org | Details |
| International Clown Hall of Fame and Research Center | The International Clown Hall of Fame and Research Center, located in the Ringling brothers hometown More | Greg DeSanto Executive Director GKDeSanto@aol.com | Details |
| Internationales Artistenmuseum | M. Roland Weise | Details | |
| McCaddon Collection | The McCaddon Collection of the Barnum and Bailey Circus at Princeton University consists of correspondence, More | Details | |
| Milner Library | The Circus and Allied Arts Collection was established in 1955 to document the important role the More | Maureen Brunsdale mbruns1@ilstu.edu Steve Gossard Curator skgossard@aol.com | Details |
| Mitchell Library | Australian circus historian and scholar Mark St. Leon donated material to the permanent circus collection More | Details | |
| Musée du Cirque | The Musee du Cirque was the first circus museum in France. Its collections are built More | Details | |
| National Library of Australia | Australian circus historian and scholar Mark St. Leon donated material to the permanent circus collection More | Preservation Services Email: preservation@nla.gov.au | Details |
| National Library of New Zealand | Tel: +64 4 474 3000 Fax: +64 4 474 3035 | Details | |
| Performing Arts Museum | Ms. Janine Barrand Director - Collections, Research & Exhibitions janine.barrand@theartscentre.com.au T + 61 3 9281 8192 F + 61 3 9281 8282 M 0409 936 196 | Details | |
| Queensland Performing Arts Centre | Christopher Smith Tel: +61 7 3840 7444 | Details | |
| Roncalli - Museum | M. Bernard Paul | Details | |
| Royal Library | Dr. A.J. Hofmeester Art.hof@wxs.nl | Details |