Jun 13 2011 12:19 am
Posted by Kate Pioreck under June 13 Assignment
Kid, I’ll make you a star
When I think of P.T. Barnum I think of the showman. Tom Thumb is one of people who I most readily associate with Barnum. Barnum understood what attracted people and he was a master of exploiting it. The people of the buttoned up Victorian Era were as interested in sensationalism as people are today. This website is helpful in drawing parallels between entertainments in the 19th century and today. Although I am a bit skeptical of museum exhibitions compiled by a man who said, ” there’s a sucker born every minute”, I can see why his attractions would be just as successful today as they was in his own lifetime.
The Lost Museum was an interesting web site to explore. As a teacher I think it can be a great tool to help students to explore the cultural history of the 19th century. I also liked how the archives provided a jumping off point for additional research into artifacts on display. An artifact can make a event or time period so much more engaging than just text about it.
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