There's something so appealing to me about single-genre museums—like the Bunny Museum or the Banana Museum—and narrowly-curated collections, like the Crochet Museum or the Beauty Bubble Salon and Museum.
So, despite having no particular affinity to clowns (other than dressing up as one last Halloween), visiting a clown museum in Barstow was still a must-do detour on my way back from Death Valley this past summer.
The California Clown Museum is located in a 6300-square-foot building (built circa 1958) that used to serve as a medical office complex.
It no longer houses a cardiology center, but now it might make your heart skip a beat—that is, if you suffer from coulrophobia. ("You're not scared of clowns, are you?" I asked my traveling companion as I was about to tell her my plan for our return trip.)
Any object you could ever imagine having to do with clowns has some place in this museum—which is open to the public, but by advance appointment only.
It's not just clown dolls and figurines...
...but also clown cookie jars, banks, soap dishes, ashtrays, plates...
...salt and pepper shakers, stained glass windows, and more.
Museum founder Steve Triola has collected these over the course of 15 years—himself a professional clown, and something of a clown culture historian, too.
When it's fully open (hopefully in Spring 2026), Steve says it'll be the largest clown museum in the world.
The central focus is circus clowns, of course—be they made of fabric, ceramic, porcelain, wood, plush, or a multitude of other materials.
But Steve is interested in clown culture in general—and so that also includes hobo clowns, harlequins, sad clowns, happy clowns, hip hop clowns, rodeo clowns, and more.
But sometimes clowns are hard to classify—because even happy clowns can seem a bit sad. (Or is that just the effect of the papier-mâché?)
Every room at the California Clown Museum has its own theme so as to assemble the objects together in some way that makes sense.
A former helium tank cover in the shape of a clown's head forms the centerpiece of the "children's bedroom"...
...where a shelf full of clown toys would surely keep a child up all night, with the feeling of being stared at.
Steve has collected clown items from all over the world, too—from China, Morocco, Egypt, and Mexico to Germany and Paris, France.
Steve has been known to purchase an entire lot of clown souvenirs—because why just buy one, when you can take them all?
With clowns in every shape and size, there's no reason to leave much blank space on any wall.
In the hallway known as "Clown Alley," clown paintings and pictures are interspersed with clown books and records mounted on the wall...
...along with some sewing patterns, too.
A closet is full of clown marionettes hanging on by their strings...
...slowly bouncing to the rhythm of a silent band organ playing somewhere inside their little clown hearts.
Of course, there are famous clowns—like Bozo, Clarabell the Clown (from Howdy Doody), and Ronald McDonald.
Steve has a clown for seemingly every occasion...
...including ones dressed for every holiday, from Halloween to the 4th of July.
A room on the history of clowns shows the various clown costumes throughout time and around the world, from Egypt to Native Americans to contemporary American birthday party clowns.
But of course thanks to horror movies like IT, scary clowns are becoming more and more popular...
...which is why an entire "adults-only" upstairs area of the museum is devoted to clown villains like Pennywise, The Joker from Batman, and serial killer John Wayne Gacy (who dressed up as "Pogo the Clown" and visited children's hospitals).
To see it all for yourself, text Steve at the number on the museum website and let him know when you'd like to stop by. Tell him Sandi sent you! (And thanks to Todd Lerew of Every Museum of Greater Los Angeles for the heads up.)
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