Practice sessions and character portrayals are just part of the new exhibit. The core is Circus Magicus, an exhibition of artifacts, videos and photographs from European, Canadian and United States collections that was assembled by Quebec's Musee de la Civilisation and co-produced by Cirque du Soleil in 1999. Visitors can see a costume worn by a Cirque du Soleil member in the troupe's famed Chinese Pole act and also watch the act on video in the exhibition just inside the West Court. But they should be sure to walk the periphery of the ring to catch the rest of the displays, including a circus trunk filled with clown shoes and juggling pins and a bicycle used in the famed Wallenda high-wire act. It really pleased me.
People can get the history of the circus and see a current circus on video.
It's all-encompassing from a circus standpoint. Speaking of sneaking a peek behind the scenes, the following tidbits are some insider information passed along by the Royal British Columbia Museum in British Columbia, Canada, which recently featured Circus Magicus. Always enter the ring with the right foot. Never count the audience. Do not sit on the circus ring facing out.