If you're interested in American circus history, now's your chance to ask questions and give your two cents worth. The new guy at the Circus World Museum in Baraboo wants to meet you, so he's hosting an open house and town hall meeting. Sure, you might already be familiar with longtime lawmaker Steve Freese, but he's got another side. As the new Executive Director, the former representative from Dodgeville will manage fund raising, while making the experience more enjoyable for the customers.
Freese says he wants to open up communication with the public so they know what's going on at the museum as they reshape their business model and discuss plans for the 2007 performance season. The Circus World parade has had its share of financial troubles, and was even canceled in 2006, but Freese says he's is not focused on that just yet. "We have the care of all the historic wagons, the archives and library, the museum and the operation here … the performance season. So I'll be directly dealing with that first. Down the road, you know, that's certainly not out of the realm of possibilities but first thing's first."
The private, nonprofit Circus World Museum Foundation operates the museum independently under a lease-management agreement with the Wisconsin Historical Society, which owns Circus World. The meeting is Wednesday evening the 10th.
The reception is from 6:30 to 7pm in the lobby of the Irvin Feld Exhibit Hall and Visitor Center, followed by the meeting in the auditorium until 8pm.
NOTE: For more info: 866-693-1500