When the Circus Comes to Town exhibit opens
October 1
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The circus is coming! Visit the Oklahoma Territorial Museum and Carnegie Library in Guthrie to see its latest exhibit about the history of the circus. This first annual spotlight exhibit will be on display beginning on Wednesday, October 1, 2025.
Oklahoma has a long, rich history with the circus, its variety of performers, and curious side shows. Circuses often traveled through Indian Territory. Did you know that within months of the opening of the Unassigned Lands, a circus visited Guthrie on its summer tour around the country?
“The Greatest Show on Earth” is considered one of the most successful and profitable entertainment events in US history. Explore the exhibit that showcases how Oklahoma has uniquely influenced circus history and how the “big top” left its mark on the state.
The exhibit will be on display through October 2026.
The first circus in Guthrie, Indian Territory. Elephants watering in the river (3313, L. Haynes Buxton Collection, OHS).
