The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art is Florida's official state art museum — a 66-acre bayfront complex in Sarasota that represents the extraordinary personal collection of circus magnate John Ringling, assembled during the 1920s at great expense and donated to the state of Florida upon his death in 1936. It remains one of America's most distinctive museum experiences.
The Art Museum
The core art museum building (modeled on a 15th-century Venetian palazzo) houses one of America's finest collections of European Baroque paintings:
- Rubens collection — One of the finest Peter Paul Rubens collections in the New World
- Velázquez, Titian, Tintoretto — Major works from the Spanish and Italian masters
- Tiepolo ceiling paintings — Monumental works transferred from a Venetian palazzo
- Decorative arts and antiquities — Ancient Greek and Roman sculpture, European decorative objects
The museum's rose garden courtyard, with antique Baroque statuary, is one of the most beautiful outdoor spaces in Florida.
Ca' d'Zan ("House of John")
Ca' d'Zan is John and Mable Ringling's winter mansion — a 36,000 square-foot Venetian Gothic palazzo built 1924-1926 on the shores of Sarasota Bay. With 41 rooms, terrazzo floors, hand-painted ceilings, and a 60-foot tower, it's one of America's most extraordinary Gilded Age homes. Tours operate daily.
The Circus Museum
The Howard Bros. Circus Model is the centerpiece — a 3,800 square-foot, hand-crafted scale model of the Ringling Bros. Circus at its 1920s peak, with 42 railroad cars, hundreds of wagons, tents, and thousands of miniature performers. A remarkable historical document.
The Bayfront Gardens
The Ringling's grounds extend to Sarasota Bay with formal gardens, banyan trees, and a cafe overlooking the water. The bayfront lawn hosts regular outdoor events and movie screenings.
Planning Your Visit
- Admission: ~$25 adult, $10 child under 12
- Hours: Daily 10 AM – 5 PM (Thursdays until 8 PM)
- Time needed: 3-5 hours for the full complex
- Ca' d'Zan tours: Included in admission; specific tour times listed at entrance
Getting to the Ringling
- From SRQ Airport: 10-15 minutes, from $35
- From Downtown Sarasota: 5-10 minutes, from $25
- From TPA Airport: 70-80 minutes, from $90