Barnum didn’t go into the circus business until relatively late in life.
Much of his ongoing fame stems from the circus business, which he started when he was 60 years old. In 1870, he established the "Great Traveling Museum of PT Barnum, Menagerie, Caravan & Hippodrome," which went by a variety of names throughout the years. It was a traveling circus, field camp, and "monster" museum.
Despite the fact that Barnum is best renowned for his three-round circus performances, he didn't begin walking on the heights until he was 60 years old. Prior to that, he was more well-known for owning the American Museum in Manhattan, which had a sizable collection of historical artifacts, aquariums, slaughterhouses, strange zoological specimens, and quirky performances. The museum's most renowned exhibits include "The Little Mermaid Fejee," which is actually the upper half of a monkey sewed onto the bottom of a fish, and "General Tom Thumb," a dwarf youngster that Barnum famously took to audiences with Queen Victoria of England. Barnum did not start his traveling circus until two fires destroyed his museum. In 1881, he joined forces with his well-known partner James Bailey, and the two went on to earn a fortune performing in "The Greatest Show on Earth."
Barnum's American Museum was completely destroyed by fire in 1865. As a result, PT established a brand-new facility close by. However, a fire in March 1868 also completely destroyed this museum.
