The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art — Attraction in Sarasota

The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art in Sarasota stands as Central Florida’s cultural gem. With more than 50 visits over the past decade, I can confidently say this isn’t a place you can rush through—it’s a full-day event. Its seamless blend of world-class art, rich circus history, and captivating exhibits creates an experience so memorable, it keeps my family coming back time and again.

Start your journey at the Glass Pavilion, a showcase of colorful glass art just past the membership desk. From there, head to the Tibbals Learning Center, a tribute to the wonder of the circus. Downstairs, a detailed miniature circus, while upstairs, exquisitely carved and painted wooden figurines left me in awe during my most recent visit—the craftsmanship is truly extraordinary. Next, the Circus Museum awaits, filled with antique circus treasures and John Ringling’s opulent private train car.

At the heart of the property lies the Museum of Art, home to breathtaking Renaissance-style paintings that mesmerize with their intricate detail, transporting visitors to a bygone era. Nearby, the Asian Art Center offers delicate works.

Rotating exhibits ensure there’s always something new to discover. On our most recent trip, we explored Conjuring the Spirit World: Art, Magic, and Mediums, a exhibition that felt perfect for October — and my kids and I couldn’t help but imagine how incredible it would’ve been around Halloween. It captivated us nonetheless, sparking conversations after we left.

What truly sets The Ringling apart is its accessibility. Free Mondays have long made this cultural treasure available to our family, and the homeschool programs have enriched our children’s education for years. I especially loved when volunteers were stationed throughout the museum, offering insights on two or three paintings during each visit. It added so much depth to our experience and became a wonderful part of our homeschool curriculum. Unfortunately, there seem to be fewer volunteers now, and I sincerely hope they bring that part of the program back — especially since this is our final year of homeschooling.

Two years ago, we became members, enjoying the museum throughout the year, and we’re excited to renew our membership soon, particularly when the Ca’ d’Zan Experience Tours resume. Even without the full tour, the Ca’ d’Zan mansion is a beautiful building. We’ve wandered its magnificent first floor many times, and it continues to leave us in awe.

Families with children will appreciate the museum’s outdoor spaces. Strolling through the gardens is a delight, and the playground provides a perfect escape for children in need of a break. These outdoor amenities complement the museum’s indoor treasures, making it a destination everyone can enjoy.

I feel truly fortunate to have The Ringling in our community. Whether you’re a local or a traveler, this museum is...

My daughter and I had a wonderful time touring the grounds which was 55 acres and despite some damage from the hurricanes, it was still beautiful. We are not really into the art scene however we did enjoy the art museums as well as the circus museums. Very lovely staff friendly, and the tickets are very affordable. It’s a good place to go for a few hours or for a full day. We elected not to tour the homeon the grounds because its sustained damage from the hurricane and only the bottom floor was open. Still for on the grounds because it’s sustained damage from the hurricane and only the bottom floor was open. Still for $30 it probably would’ve been worth it to still go. I would definitely go back, especially once they fix the hurricane damage on the grounds. The only bad thing that we experienced was that while we were posing for pictures, one of the workers an older, grouchy lady with short hair and a bad attitude who was in one of the museums where the carriages Were Came and got onto us and inaccurately accused us of moving one of the carriages while we were posing for pictures which simply did not happen. She was not kind or nice about it and very accusatory. She saw the carriage move. We did not move the carriage and would not do that out of respect for the museum however, we did not allow this employee to take away from our fun day on the grounds. She could’ve been nicer about it, and just been honest to say Move the car carriage instead of accusing us of having done so which was an absolute lie. I understand she has a job to do And I admit that I did touch the carriage which is actually not permitted. So I own that I did that but being falsely accused of moving it, and in the tone that she used with us was a little bit upsetting that she seemed to follow us as she were keeping her eye on us in case we did anything else not to her liking. I highly recommend going here and experiencing these museums and hearing the stories. Make sure you take the time to watch the videos and the days of the circus history because it’s quite impressive that they would move the circuses set them up move again set them up, etc., don’t forget to learn the history of his first wife, Mabel and his second wife who was quite a piece of work and he ended up divorcing back, then was unheard of but for good reason as she was after his fortune. I like that when he passed away from pneumonia he left her one dollar. I also appreciate that in his will he elected that one day per week that anyone can come tour the museum in the grounds for free. We did not know this before we But for those of you who would like to do this experience for free that day is Mondays every week. I would’ve given this five stars had I not had the negative experience with the grumpy, old lady and the...

You will leave in awe. Well worth the money spent and I would absolutely go again and again.

During my first trip to Sarasota, FL, it was recommended by associates that I take a day to visit the Ringling Brothers Circle Musuem. At first, I was hesitant because I thought how much history could be involved with the circus. Boy, was I completly wrong.

Here are some pointers for first-time visitors.

Get your tickets online, it will make your trip easier because you can use your phone to scan your tickets. Plus, it save time waiting in the admission lines.

Wear comfortable shoes. The grounds look small at first glance or online but there is tons to see and hours spent there will go by faster than you think.

Bring water or snacks - you will need it for all the walking you will do but there is a Cafe for dining as well as a restaurant. The restaurant requires a reservation.

Be prepared to take lots of photos.

Please check out the remodeled train and circus display. It is BREATHTAKING. There is a light show and some of the models move. Kids of all ages will enjoy.

It's an all day event because there are so many different but extraordinary places to see. There is the house they lived in, the circus museum, the art museum, the beautiful grounds to explore, and etc.

Please check out the ART MUSEUM. The artwork collected by the Ringling Brothers is mindblowing.

Overall, I was amazed at how much history the circus was involved in. Especially, major historical events. I tried to take a s many photos as I could but I don't think they do the museum justice.

The Ringling Brothers appreciated very fine art and anything associated with them oozes wealth. Seeing some of the artifacts up close just make you feel surrounded in...