| Barnum's American Museum |
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Barnum’s American Museum was a collection of curiosities that included minerals, fossils, stuffed animals, real animals, elaborate hoaxes, and unusual people. Situated in the heart of the city at the corner of Broadway and Anne Street, Barnum was out to create a European style event hall, rather than a circus, as was popular in America at the time.
 Barnum offered Anna $23 a week in gold, comfortable lodging, the finest clothes, and a tutor for three hours a day for three years to further her studies. Her tutor was to act as a female attendant or companion, which was common for a young lady in Victorian times. The contract also provided for her mother to stay in New York and travel to and from Nova Scotia. The Swans found this offer from Barnum acceptable. One year later, Anna’s mother felt comfortable leaving her daughter in the “wicked city” and returned to New Annan. When Barnum first put Anna on exhibit, he put her in the minor rooms where she stood, while people wandered through to look, sometimes making comments. Barnum came to realize that she was intelligent and as her studies in piano, voice, and acting progressed, he allowed her to perform in the big lecture hall. Her performances evolved to include playing the piano, taking part in tableaux, giving lectures, and even playing Lady MacBeth. In the time Anna worked for Barnum, he wrote many flattering things about her. “She was an intelligent and by no means ill looking girl, and during the long period she was in my employ, she was visited by thousands of persons.” P.T. Barnum, noted for treating his employees with disrespect, showed respect for Anna. Barnum billed her as “The Tallest Woman in the World”, 8 feet 1 inch, and she was, in fact, this height while wearing a particular hairstyle. He had a spectacular dress made for her, containing 100 yards of satin and 50 yards of lace, costing over $1000. Barnum paired Anna with Commodore Nutt, who was less than two and a half feet tall. Barnum provided carriages for both Anna and Commodore Nutt in which they would travel around the city. Anna’s carriage was pulled by two Clydesdales and was such a large size that it attracted curious people who followed it to Barnum’s American Museum. Commodore Nutt’s was shaped like a walnut and pulled by two Shetland ponies. It was small enough that he would ride it onto the stage for a grand entrance. As much as Anna enjoyed her life in New York, she was homesick at times. Rude comments from patrons bothered her at first, but she came to feel she had a career and independence. Her family in New Annan anticipated the arrival of news from their “Annie”. Her letters told of strange sights and people she met at the Museum - the Living Skeleton, the Dog-Faced Boy, midgets, dwarfs, Siamese twins - freaks to some, but humans to Anna. She had also become good friends with Tom Thumb, the famous 2 foot 5 inch dwarf and his wife Lavinia who was only 3 feet 6 inches. Anna’s grandmother always told her “Stand tall, lass, and be proud of your highland ancestry.” Words of wisdom like this and growing up in a closely knit Scottish family where she always felt part of the community gave Anna her sense of self-worth. Many of the other performers at the museum were not as fortunate.
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