October 2, 2012

Itty Bitty Circus

SDP 10-2-12
Within the circus museum is the Tibbals Learning Center, where an extensive miniature circus is on display. It's extremely detailed and shows life on the road with the circus -- from train cars to acrobats to clowns to animal trainers.  The creator, Howard Tibbals, spent 50 years making the miniature scenes, which collectively are known as the Howard Bros. Circus model.  Occupying 3,800 sq. feet, not only is the display impressive, it really highlights how many people and how much work was involved with the circus coming to town.  Interestingly, when I first walked in the building, I immediately was told by a museum volunteer the Ringling name was not authorized to be on the model, thus the name Howard Bros. Circus.   You can learn more about the miniature model and the man behind it here.  This scene shows spectators watching  trapeze artists, clowns, and dancers along with lions and tigers. While I was taking this photo, I overheard an elderly gentleman say excitedly, 'You see the lions and tigers in the same cage?  That's how it really was!  That was the first time it was ever done!  No one ever thought that could happen.'

2 comments:

Michelle said...

What an interesting comment from the older gentleman!

PerthDailyPhoto said...

What an extraordinary achievement this is SRQ, must have been fascinating to see.