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    Recommended Reviews - Circus World

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    Utterly delightful! I don't know what I was expecting, but on a hot day in July, I stepped into a world of magic! The displays are engaging, informative, and attractive - a feast for the eyes, mind, and imagination! I allowed myself to wander and wonder! Highlights for me were - the circus wagons, the miniatures, and an absolutely heartwarming circus performance!!! I could go on and on about how my face hurt from smiling, how I wanted to keep clapping the whole way through, how I was spellbound by the skill and prowess of the family (both related and non) of artists, but I won't. I'll simply encourage you to GO AND SEE FOR YOURSELF! Don't go with a tight agenda or an unforgiving timetable. But do be sure to catch the circus - I think I found the fountain of youth!

    Shakari B.

    I came to this place on a family vacation and was pleasantly surprised! While we only had about 2 hours before close, we made the most of it. The museum had a lot of history which included posters and pictures with artifacts; My children enjoyed looking at the wagons and black and white panoramic pictures. We came on a weekday so unfortunately we were not able to enjoy the face paintings and pony rides that were offered. We saw the last circus show of the day and it was very good. The acrobatics,jugglers, and father daughter duo unicyclists were so entertaining to my kids. I personally enjoyed the equestrian team and appreciated how they would get the crowd hyped up before a performance. It was raining pretty hard so they had a shuttle from the circus tent back to the building which was much appreciated with three kids and a stroller. There is a gift shop upon leaving with circus themed items and plushies. I do plan to revisit in the near future to enjoy more of the grounds and more interactive experiences. If you plan on coming to Wisconsin Dells make a stop here as well. You won't regret it.

    Apurba B.

    Circus World is a Wisconsin Historic Site that is a peek in the rich circus history of the town of baraboo. From a live circus show under the Big Top to museum exhibits explaining the beginnings of Al Ringling Bros and Bailey and Barnum, this place does a great job at pulling you into the world of trained animals, circus freaks and traveling carnies. Great place to bring kids and adults have a blast too!

    Ruth C.

    What a great way to spend the afternoon! Tip #1: Go to the outlet mall and get a coupon book. It gives you $5 off admission for up to 4 people! You get a lot of "bang" for your buck at Circus World! The museum is informative, but you also get live shows! We thoroughly enjoyed the musical performance, the Human Cannon Ball.... and best of all the big top show! There are also old circus cars you can view in the buildings in the back. Definitely make this a stop if you're in the Wisconsin Dells area!

    Agustin Z.

    This place is great! It checks the boxes for all ages. If you're into history, you'll enjoy it! Also great for kids since they have face painting and a circus show. Definitely a place to check out if you're in the Wisconsin Dells area. There's indoor and outdoor exhibits. The outdoor portion has historical buildings, which was really cool. The circus show they have there is the closest thing that my kids will ever get to experience that was like the Ringling Brothers circus act.

    Big top
    Troy S.

    Tickets available online, but there was no line when we got there on a Tuesday morning in early August. Decent museum. 2 of the old buildings have decent displays, the rest need some restoration and don't have much to see. The big top show had great performers. One of the elephants had what looked like prolapsed rectum. My wife walked out. I heard this is the last year with elephants. Wild animals should be wild. There are elephant and pony rides for the kids after the performance. The circus wagons were the best part. Other than the big top show (1 hour long, at 11 and 2:30) and the carousel, I don't think kids would have a lot of fun. Snack bar on site with fair food.

    The museum if filled with beautiful displays of circus history!
    Cindy P.

    What a day!! What a wonderful, delightful day we had at Circus World! We had no idea what we were in store for and we were just enthralled more and more around every corner! You enter through the museum and get a vast amount of history of the circus, not just Ringling Brothers. We learned so much about the evolution and history of the circus with all the displays. A lot of work has gone into the presentations in the museum, they are very thorough and rich. Once you go through the doors to the outside you are transported back in time to the circus of your childhood memories! From the elephants to the circus in the big top, the side show tent to the carousel, it was just one fun and childlike moment after another! Our favorite part of Circus World was the carriage museum, it was jaw dropping!! We walked in the door to massive, ornate and beautifully restored carriages that once graced towns with their music, carvings, animals and performers. Imagining them parading through town brought smiles to our faces and music to our soul! Circus World is magical and I highly recommend everyone add it to their bucket list!

    So much fun even without kids and during the the off season. Off season is cheaper too! In the fall you can do the tour in maybe 2 hours if you push it but allow yourself 3. Will be back in the summer to see the circus acts, historic carousel, and animal acts.

    Braden W.

    This was an excellent destination when it was going to be colder. It ended up raining alot this day so we did not see the onsite circus show but everything else was great so i imagine it would have been great. Alot of outside things to do, alot of buildings to go thru learning about the beginning of how the circus was run. We had old and young in our group including teen agers and everyone enjoyed it. Next time i am back in town we will stop again.

    Armando and his friend ...
    Steve C.

    Over the past decade or more we've always enjoyed spending part of our day here at the Circus World Museum. The circus has a rich and fascinating history and it's all on display here. The highlight of our visit of course is the live entertainment that they have had here in years past. Where else of course can you see a live tiger or an elephant only feet away from you! The animals are well-cared for and the grounds are well maintained. The displays of course are museum quality. Fun for the whole family, highly recommended! Long Live the Circus!

    Circus wagons

    Visit soon. The elephants will retire. Its always fun to visit especially with children. This review is an update with photos I forgot I had

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    Ask the Community - Circus World

    Review Highlights - Circus World

    The big top shows are very interactive - so if you have very young kids, encourage them to be part of the show.

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    Rick Wilcox Theater

    Rick Wilcox Theater

    (70 reviews)

    Heads up for parents: This family magic show involves children being unusually brought on stage,…read moreincluding ours, much more than a typical performance. Families expecting a standard show may find the level of audience participation overwhelming or uncomfortable. Not the Family Magic & Comedy Show We Expected As a mom, I went with my husband and our children to this family magic show, expecting a fun, traditional performance but several children, including ours, were brought on stage more than we anticipated. Children on Stage - More Than Expected While audience interaction can be fun, it became a larger focus than we expected for a family show. Some parents nearby also seemed a bit uncomfortable and unsure with this part of the performance. The performer's style felt fairly intense at times, which influenced our family's comfort level. After a while, we decided it was best to leave before the show ended. Between our experience and observing other families' reactions, this was a bad experience for us. I ended up with a bad deal on this one. Be careful. I would not recommend attending the show or purchasing tickets for this. Families and customers should exercise caution. Every family has different comfort levels, so it may be helpful to know that the show brings children from the audience onto the stage. This review reflects our family's personal experience and perspective. Other families may have different experiences, and this is not a statement about the show's overall quality or intentions.

    The show was fantastic!! I've always loved magic, & of course we were looking for all the tricks…read moreand never could really find them. Great show, great evening, great time- Thank You Rick!!!

    Great Scott "Milwaukee Magician" - Great shows for kids and families!

    Great Scott "Milwaukee Magician"

    (1 review)

    Menomonee River Valley

    Amazing, fun, funny, great magic tricks, and an outstanding children's entertainer. I hired Great…read moreScott for my sons 5th Birthday and the show was unbelievable. I had 40 people in my home ranging in ages from 1 year to 75 years and everyone was thoroughly entertained! The kids were so excited and laughing hysterically. Great Scott went above and beyond to make my son feel special and included all 15 young children in the show at some point. If you want your child to have an unforgettable time, Great Scott is the only way to go. He is literally the best and people are still talking about the show! Hire him, he WILL NOT disappoint!!

    From the owner: Full-time, professional entertainment from Great Scott "It Must Be Magic!"…read moreScott offers a range of show types: * Strolling close-up magic (magic in your hands and right under your nose) * Stage shows * School Assembly programs (several educational programs available) * Gospel illusion shows (Sunday school, special events, aimed at families) * Scouting shows such as Blue & Gold banquets * Birthday parties Well . . . the list goes on, but these are some of the specialty shows that Scott has developed over his career. Scott's shows are suitable for children, adults or families. He effortlessly adjusts to the audience and their needs. You can expect an amazing performance filled with awe and wonder, laughter and fantastic fun. "Thank you very much for the wonderful time we had with your performance. All the children and adults are still talking about the show. You are a professional entertainer with a wonderful talent. Best wishes." - Barb K. New Berlin, WI

    Circus World - museums - Updated August 2026

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