International Clown Hall of Fame, Clown hall of fame in Baraboo, Wisconsin, US
The International Clown Hall of Fame is a museum in Baraboo, Wisconsin, dedicated to the history of professional clown performance. It displays costumes, props, photographs, and personal belongings from performers who shaped this art form over many decades.
The museum was founded in 1986 and later moved to Baraboo, a city with deep roots in American circus history. Since then it has inducted performers from different eras, building a record of the craft across generations.
The collection shows how clown styles differ across countries, with European mime traditions sitting alongside American circus acts. Walking through the displays, you can see how performers adapted their look and technique depending on the stage and the audience.
Visits are often by appointment, especially in fall and winter, so it is a good idea to contact the museum before making the trip. Baraboo itself has other circus-related sites nearby, making it easy to combine stops in a single outing.
Baraboo was once the winter home of the Ringling Bros. Circus, so the city already had a long connection to clown performance before the museum arrived. Some of the objects on display came directly from artists who performed in that same tradition.
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