Three years ago, in October 2022, the museum “Collection” launched the themed exhibition "Circus Parade".

The exhibits presented there were united by the theme of circus, one of the oldest and most popular forms of performing arts. The exhibition "Circus Parade" held in the museum “Collection” allowed visitors to immerse themselves in the mesmerising atmosphere of Parisian circus performances in the Belle Époque period and learn how the musical mechanisms of amazing circus artists – automata – work!

Within the framework of this exhibition, visitors learned the history of the companies that were manufacturing mechanical dolls, discovered the unique features of amusing automata and the way their mechanisms functioned. The exhibition featured works by renowned French artisans such as Gustave Vichy, Jean Marie Phalibois, Alexandre Theroude, Leopold Lambert, Jean Roullet, Ernest Decamp, and others.

While the exhibition was in full swing, various thematic articles on the origins of circus art, its history, peculiarities of circus programmes in different countries and historical periods, authentic national circus, and skilled craftsmen that created mechanical wonders were posted on the museum site.

Videos of tours through the themed exhibition ‘Circus Parade!’ (Part 1 and Part 2) were posted in the museum Video archive.

Let us remind you that in October 2025, the Moscow Circus on Tsvetnoy Boulevard is celebrating the 145^th anniversary since its first performance. During this time, it has survived a revolution, a war, perestroika, and even a pandemic. Since its opening, the Moscow Circus has continued to develop and adapt to new conditions, combining elements of classical circus with new show formats. Modern performances are becoming increasingly dynamic and multimedia-based, where artists, video installations and lighting effects merge together.

On the birthday of the circus on Tsvetnoy Boulevard, let us remember the classic circus and its characters.