Museum of Science and Industry brings down the big top on once-beloved circus exhibit

The circus exhibit at the Museum of Science and Industry — with its small-scale models and dioramas — was an anachronism in a place that showcased technology.

Still, it was fun to see, particularly when it was much larger and originally sat in the MSI’s east rotunda in the years following its 1973 installation.

Visitors and school groups drawn to the museum to see the Apollo 8 space capsule or the U-505 submarine could also experience life under the big top, rendered in miniature.

But the circus exhibit’s days at the MSI have ended, with the show packed up and its pieces headed for auction this week.

As the old show leaves, we couldn’t help but take a moment to wave farewell, and remind ourselves that change is constant — even in museums.

For instance, those of a certain age might likely remember the MSI’s popular Telefun Town, an exhibit dedicated to telephone communication and sponsored by Illinois Bell.

By the 1960s, the “town” included a Picturephone, a futuristic device that enabled users to see, as well as hear, the person on the other end of line.

Telefun Town is long gone now. And you might be reading this editorial on the technologically advanced — and far smaller — descendant of the Picturephone, the smart phone.

“We want to always be relevant to our audience,” said Kathleen McCarthy, the museum’s director of collections and head curator. “Science and technology is a field that really advances quickly. So this content is nostalgic. While really enjoyable and entertaining, we just thought we needed the space to introduce new content.”

McCarthy is right, of course. And even real circuses aren’t the beloved events they once were, as society becomes more enlightened about the way circus animals are often treated.

The gavel will fall on the items Saturday, courtesy of Potter & Potter Auctions at potterauctions.com.

May the winning bidder give the exhibit a good new home.

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