Ringling Museum — Attraction in Sarasota

The Ringling Museum: A Truly Great Place to Visit! The Ringling Museum in Sarasota, Florida, is far more than just a museum; it's an expansive estate that offers a captivating journey through art, history, and nature. It truly is a great place to visit, offering something for everyone.

The Museum of Art is a treasure trove, boasting an impressive collection of European paintings, including masterpieces by Rubens, Velazquez, and Titian. The sheer scale and beauty of the works, housed in a stunning Renaissance-style building, are breathtaking. Don't miss the central courtyard with its classical sculptures and fountains – it's a perfect spot for reflection.

Beyond the art, the Circus Museum is an absolute delight. It vividly brings to life the vibrant history of the American circus, with fascinating exhibits like historic wagons, dazzling costumes, and the incredible 44,000-piece Howard Bros. Circus Model, which is a miniature recreation of an entire traveling circus. It's a nostalgic and entertaining experience for all ages.

A highlight of any visit is the magnificent Ca' d'Zan, the opulent Venetian Gothic mansion that was the winter residence of John and Mable Ringling. Tours of this grand home offer a glimpse into the lavish lifestyle of the Roaring Twenties, with its intricate details, antique furnishings, and stunning views of Sarasota Bay.

The Bayfront Gardens are equally impressive. Spanning 66 acres, these meticulously maintained gardens are a serene oasis, featuring majestic banyan trees, Mable's Rose Garden, and various other botanical wonders. It's a wonderful place for a leisurely stroll, offering beautiful vistas and a peaceful escape.

Whether you're an art enthusiast, a history buff, or simply looking for a beautiful place to explore, The Ringling provides a rich and diverse experience. With its world-class collections, stunning architecture, and picturesque grounds, it's undoubtedly a must-visit destination...

Reviews are always hard to do if you are fair about doing them, because the review is obviously based on your personal experience and not how others may feel.

I was underwhelmed.

From the circus side there are only 2 buildings.

The first is primarily the exhibition of the scale model of the circus in its heyday. It truly is amazing that a single person was so obsessed with recreation of a childhood experience that clearly impacted them greatly.

There is an intro video before you see the model produced by PBS with the creator. In the interview, the moderator asks the creator… “Are you sane?” his answer basically “probably not”. Ya, agreed. That made the experience kinda dark for me.

The second Circus museum building is very limited in what is there. The private railcar of John Ringling was the highlight for me. Other very interesting pieces [carriages and what not] but a very limited amount of stuff.

For Florida, the fine arts museum is arguably the best in the state for volume and quality of the collection. Yes i am a native Floridian and love this state.

The statuary garden was very disappointing because NONE of the fountains were filled or running. None. Few things quite as disappointing as viewing beautiful empty fountains.

I enjoyed the visit and glad i went for the experience! It was just a ways away from a 4 or 5 star experience for me but still totally worth the ticket...

A glorious compound with two circus museums, an art museum, a statue courtyard, rose garden, historical residence, and welcome center with its own theater space, gift shop, and restaurant. This stop can easily last you 6 hours of entertainment and the restaurant is totally worth eating at (the calamari was delicious!) The first circus museum is geared toward children but worth a visit especially due to its sprawling miniature of a circus caravan and honestly, the interactive bits like the clown car and balancing on the back of a horse were still fun as an adult! The second circus museum houses a full train car and wonderful circus wagons with lots of history about the brothers. The rose garden will certainly be a stop to make if the season is right. The Ca’Z’Dan house was glorious from the marble deck that reaches out to the gulf water to the ceilings of every single room inside - definitely do not skip buying the ticket that includes the first floor of the house (second floor tour of bedrooms seems unnecessary). The art museum was pretty magnificent - modern and local side had a great variety of pieces and media, the classic side had quite a few commanding pieces and I enjoyed the styling of the rooms. All staff were lovely from the restaurant to the gift shop to the museum docents. We bought tickets online, Will...