Robert L. Parkinson Library and Research Center

Note: Due to the recent resignation of our archivist, the Robert L. Parkinson Library and Research Center is currently closed to the public while a search continues for an archivist to fill the vacant position. We regret any inconvenience this may cause to researchers and suggest that you visit the Wisconsin Historical Society's Web site for more information.

Circus World Museum is home to the Robert L. Parkinson Library and Research Center, the world's foremost research facility for circus history. The library's collections cover all aspects of American circuses and Wild West shows. The holdings document the history of the American circus from its inception in 1793 to the present day. The museum collects and preserves all types of material, from the business records of circuses to pieces of ephemera such as posters and heralds. It also houses a small collection of materials from related fields such as carnivals. The Wisconsin Historical Society owns Circus World and its collections, which are independently managed by the not-for-profit Circus World Museum Foundation. The library was established in 1965 to manage and maintain the museum's paper, image and sound materials. It was named in 1991 for the man who served as its director for 26 years.