Barnum's Museum

After learning about Barnum's museum of attractions and curiosities it becomes easier to understand the twisted mind of Walt Whitman. A museum full of monkey fetuses, birds, beasts and other curiosities would spark the imagination of most people. Some could view curiosities as odd things that separate people, yet Walt thought otherwise. I believe that Walt saw bizarre artifacts as unifying objects of our bizarrely fortunate existence. This is why he put himself in the center of the exhibit (Barney). He sat in front of the window inside the museum and observed the motion of the city with the same curiosity that people observed the oddities inside the museum.

Being a meticulous observer became a trait that had helped Whitman create such a profound view of the world around him.His observations, through each  of the different senses, must have had a huge inspiration to Leaves of Grass.