Ringling Circus & Art Museum – Sarasota, FL

Established in 1948, the Ringling Circus Museum celebrates the American circus. located just north of Sarasota the museum is a must-see for visitors to the Sarasota area. The museum was the first in the country to document the rich history of the circus.

More recently the world’s largest miniature circus has been on display since 2009. The small replica was created over a period of more than 50 years by the master model builder and philanthropist Howard Tibbals. As you enter the museum you will see all stages of circus life from loading up the train that will transport not only the circus people but the animals, tents, food, etc. The many circus tents are cut open so you can see what is going on inside including the makeup tent, the food tent, the rehearsal tent, etc.

We think the most beautiful parts of the museum are these circus wagons.

All aspects of circus life are depicted in the miniature circus museum.

The Ringling’s beautiful mansion, Ca’d’Azn is next on the tour. Fashioned after some of the Bauer-Grunwald hotels in Venice, construction on Ca’d’Azn was completed in 1925, at a cost of $1.5 million.

Last, but not least, is the Ringling Museum of Art. Built by John Ringling to house his personal collection of masterpieces, the Museum of Art today features paintings and sculptures by the great Old Masters including Rubens, Van Dyck, Velázquez, Titian, Tintoretto, Veronese, El Greco, Gainsborough, and more. The European, American, and Asian masterworks available here make the Museum of Art an awe-inspiring retreat.