Barnum Museum Refuses Conditional PETA Donation

Cash-strapped Barnum Museum in Bridgeport this week turned down an offer of a $10,000 donation from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals because the offer came with a condition regarding the museum’s presentation of animal-related issues.

A letter received by museum Executive Director Kathy Maher on Thursday from John Di Leonardo, PETA’s assistant manager for animals in entertainment, offered the money “toward the renovation and modernization of the museum if it will include the important stories of exploitation” of animals that performed in the now-defunct Ringling Bros and Barnum & Bailey Circus.

The letter cited specific subjects PETA wanted addressed and offered to provide materials for the museum to exhibit.

Maher responded on Friday with a letter refusing the funds. She added that she was willing to sit down with PETA to discuss its concerns, just not in relation to a conditional donation.

“PETA’s voice is welcome without the contribution,” she wrote.

In an interview Friday, Maher said that “ethically, you can’t take money to put forward somebody else’s platform. No museum can. And PETA knows that.”

Maher’s letter closed with a suggestion that PETA donate the money to one of Barnum’s pet charities, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

Barnum was friends with ASPCA founder Henry Bergh. After Bergh’s 1888 death, Barnum paid for a horse statue in Bergh’s honor, which sits in Bridgeport’s Seaside Park.

When Barnum died in 1891, his will left about $5,000 to the ASPCA, Maher said.

Di Leonardo’s letter also cited Barnum’s exploitation of African Americans and people with disabilities, giving no specifics. In the interview, Maher responded “I don’t know what he means by that.”

Maher said the museum needs $55 million to repair the building and realize its interpretive master plan. The museum has struggled financially since a 2010 tornado touched down in Bridgeport, severely damaging the Main Street historic landmark.

Two years ago, the management of Lucy the Elephant, a elephant-shaped historical building on the Jersey Shore modeled after Barnum’s elephant Jumbo, received a similar offer from PETA and turned it down.

Richard Helfant, executive director and CEO of Lucy the Elephant, said in an interview Friday that PETA offered $3,000 toward a $38,000 fundraising campaign on the condition that Lucy wear shackles and have tears in her eyes.

“That was contrary to our mission,” Helfant said. “Even if they had offered the entire $38,000 we would have said no.”