By Linda Tancs

Based at the University of Sheffield in Yorkshire, England, the National Fairground and Circus Archive chronicles every aspect of the fair, circus and allied entertainments, and the culture, business and life of traveling show people in Britain. The collection includes photographic, printed, manuscript and audiovisual materials on entertainment related to fairground, circus, variety and music hall, magic, sideshows, boxing booths, traveling cinematograph shows, pleasure and zoological gardens, amusement and theme parks, menageries, performing animals, optical illusion, traveling exhibitions, seaside entertainment and world’s fairs and expositions. Among the highlighted collections you’ll find one of the most important collections of early British cinema ephemera in the U.K. curated by leading film historian, author and collector Bill Barnes as well as the largest public collection of circus history in the country. A reading room is available during opening hours for exploration of the archives.