Beside Ballou Hall is Barnum Museum, named for P. T. Barnum, an early trustee of Tufts College and donor of the building. P. T. Barnum brought the famous soprano Jenny Lind, "the Swedish Nightingale," to America, and he founded the "Greatest Show on Earth."

The central portion of Barnum Hall was destroyed by fire in April, 1975. Sadly, many of the building's contents were irreplaceable. This building housed the largest college mascot in the world. His name even appears in Webster's dictionary. Every Jumbo sandwich, Jumbo sale or Jumbo balloon that you have ever eaten, attended or blown up was named for this Jumbo, the most famous elephant ever held in captivity. In times past, students put pennies in Jumbo's trunk so that they would pass their examinations.

Barnum was built in 1883 and sections were added to it in 1894, 1935, 1964 and most recently, in 1979 when it was completely renovated to provide excellent modern facilities for the study of biology.