SPECIAL EXHIBITIONS
Step right up and discover dangers and delights alike in Freaks & Sideshows: American Circus Banners 1920 – 1970. Often more thrilling than the acts they promoted, circus banners enticed audiences to wander through the strange and wild side of life through bold colors and designs. Freaks & Sideshows explores the people behind the banners – both the signpainters and the performers – and shares the stories behind sensational and often exploitive nature of the circus. Come be amazed by over 25 banners seen in midways across the country during the 1920s – 1970s.
Freaks & Sideshows is comprised of banners on loan from the collection of Dave & Lynn Waller.
THE MAIN EVENT
Thursday, July 30, 2026 | 5 – 8 pm
Join us for the grand opening! Prepare to feast your eyes on the towering graphic wonders, bizarre oddities, and eye-popping colors of America’s historic traveling midways! Enter a world of curiosity with toe-tappin’ tunes by The 1936 North American Heat Wave and jaw-dropping live spectacles from Cincinnati Circus!
FREE for Members!
Just $20 for Non-Members
Take a Peak Behind the Curtain!
Explore Our Exhibit-Related Programming
Collector Talk
with Dave Waller
Beyond the Banner:
A Look at How the Circus Impacted the Disability Community
with Jason Harris
Full Circle:
The Golden Era, Decline, and Rennaissance of the American Carousel
with Danielle Bennignus
Special thanks to Pop Rocket Creations for the Freaks & Sideshows logo design.
Special Exhibitions at the ASM
The American Sign Museum’s rotating exhibits showcase the creativity, innovation, and cultural impact of American signage across time. From spotlighting historic sign making techniques to exploring design movements and materials, these limited-time exhibitions offer fresh reasons to visit and new perspectives on the art and history of signage.
Check back often to see what’s coming next!
Wednesday – Sunday
10 am – 4 pm
10 am – 4 pm
