The Ringling Museum, located in Sarasota, Florida, is an incredibly unique museum. The massive piece of land was originally owned by John Ringling, former owner of the Ringling Brothers Circus. The museum grounds contain two separate museums, and a beautiful landscape dotted with gardens, statues, and walkways. Here’s why you should make time to visit this incredibly unique museum!
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Massive Art Collection
The Ringling Art Museum was originally started by John Ringling himself. As an avid art collector, he gathered hundreds of pieces during his lifetime. The museum has grown since his death but owes its establishment to his contribution and care of his collected paintings, statues, and other artworks.
The museum is home to thousands of individual pieces, created by artists such as Rembrandt, Veronese, and Gainsborough. You will find pieces from Northern Europe, France and Italy, and throughout South East Asia. Works from the Gothic period, Renaissance period, and Contemporary art can be found throughout the different exhibits.
Circus Museum
The Ringling Brothers joined the famous Barnum and Bailey (yes, P.T. Barnum from The Greatest Showman) to form the circus as it’s known today. What began as the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey, the Ringling Brothers Circus was founded, and continues to this day.
On the grounds is a museum dedicated to the history of the famous circus. Inside are costumes, props, and videos from the circus, both past and present. For those who enjoy the performing arts, it is a great collection to visit!
Mable Ringling’s Rose Garden
Every time I visit the Ringling Museum, I make an effort to stroll through the rose garden. Located near the center of the grounds, the large rose garden once belonged to Mable Ringling, John’s wife. There are dozens of different kinds of roses, laid out in a walk through the garden, with sculpted statues watching over them. When in full bloom, the rose garden is quite exquisite.
Historic Architecture
The expansive grounds of the museum were originally John and Mable’s winter home. Their mansion, Ca d’Zan, sits directly on the waterfront, offering stellar views of the water. Be sure to visit the mansion at sunset for a spectacular show of colors!
John Ringling was very interested in architecture and real estate, and it shows in his immaculate winter home. Each building displays a different architectural style and contributes to the artistry of the grounds and collections. I could spend a large portion of the day simply walking the grounds and admiring the historic buildings!
Immaculate Sunsets
Sarasota Bay has some of the best sunsets I have ever seen. Different every night, the colors that light up the sky are incredibly vibrant. You can enjoy the bayfront sunset from John’s mansion overlooking the water, and you will not be disappointed!
The Ringling Underground
Finally, the museum hosts a huge event on the first Thursday of every month: The Ringling Underground. Live music is played in the beautiful courtyard of the museum, and activities and traveling art exhibits are available for your enjoyment. Each underground event is different, with widely ranging genres of music, different activities, and vastly different exhibits to enjoy.
During this event, the majority of the museum is closed, and only the event’s exhibits are open for visitation. You will still have plenty to enjoy! There’s something magical about dancing under the stars, surrounded by statues, fountains, and art collected by John Ringling himself. Check out the Ringling Underground schedule here!
The museum can be a bit pricey to visit at $25 for an adult ticket ($15 for Underground), not including guided tours. However, college students get a massive discount, and the museum is free to visit on Mondays. Bring those old college IDs when you visit! You can spend an entire day here, so the price is well worth it.
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