The Ringling Reviews

My husband and I visited on a Monday which is free admission day for the gardens and museum. We also did the circus museum which is a must. They have an amazing miniature exhibit explaining the history of how the circus travelled, set up the production, the productions and breakdown which was very educational. We were unable to visit the house of Ringling because it was under construction but could see the outside architecture and grounds which were beautiful. Was a nice day trip activity. Make sure to wear comfortable shoes as there is a lot of walking and keep hydrated on hot days as there isn't a lot of shade when walking the grounds.

Went a on Monday when tickets are free to art museum and the grounds. Beautiful views on the bay. Artwork was impressive

The Ringling was an awesome place to visit. Highly recommend going. Very interesting history of the Ringlings and how important the circus was to so many communities way back then. If you don't pay to go in the house, make sure you walk around it and the grounds. Excellent.

We exited I-75 with the intent to drive through Sarasota's historic district. We did get a good look at this quaint town and headed north on US 41 Tamiami Trail. As we began to research the location of The Ringling Museum online we stumbled upon it. Parking was free and plentiful. Senior pricing for the museums (excluding the house) was $23. We headed straight to "The Big Top" where we saw a great video about The Ringling tent circus. A hall with digital copies of circus posters followed. We then entered a 360 degree diorama containing a huge model of a tent circus that explained how the tent circus operated 100 years ago. After we exited the diorama we went to another hall in this same building where we saw another video about acts that traveled with the circus and lots of real Ringling Circus memorabilia. John Ringling's first rail car was in in an adjoining building along with other circus animal wagons and larger memorabilia. We only toured these buildings due to time constraints but several other venues, including an art museum and gardens, were available for touring on the basic ticket. This museum visit was the highlight of our Thanksgiving weekend trip to Florida.

this was not on our radar but we had a free afternoon, and it turned out to be a really great way to spend the day! the circus museum was very interested and had a huge diorama! The grounds and gardens were lovely and the art museum was quite large and impressive!

Never been to Saresota and we had to visit Ringling and we were not disappointed. The two museums were excellent but we found the Historic exhibit the best with the actual artifacts. Our only disappointment was the rose garden as the roses were very distressed and the need for water was very evident.

Discovered the Ringling museums/gallery/house on line and are so glad we did. We raved about this experience to others in Florida and were surprised that so few people seemed to know about it. Be sure you allow plenty of time. We spent a lot of time marveling at the museum with a miniature circus set up, then proceeded to the museum of historical circus artifacts, then the house. We spent most of the day at the Ringling and barely touched on the art galleries. There's a LOT of wonderful things to see!

Wonderful experience! Your full day admission gives you access to the 66 acre complex. The first two buildings, contain circus history and a wonderful miniature circus, next is the the winter home of circus royalty, followed by John and Mable Ringling's private collection of art. As you walk from building to building you are traversing their lovely gardens.

Very interesting place to visit in Sarasota. We drove down from St. Pete (about an hour away) and spend most of the day there. They have 2 circus museums and a several art museums. By far, I enjoyed the grounds and the Ringling house on the water the best.

Such an informative, beautiful and relaxing place. So much history-enjoyable experience. Everyone with us was impressed!

Great tour, museum and garden...wow! Well preserved and so unque. What a view on the water and it was right next to our hotel. Great bookstore too.

Loved the vintage circus posters and memorabilia plus the display of the tiny circus figures and animals, tents and more...what an amazing work of art!

The location is absolutely worth seeing. We took 2 days to do it. But it was extremely hot!

The Circus Museum is a hit!

Well worth a visit if you’re in other Sarasota area.
Staff are super friendly and very informative.
The history of The Ringling/Barnum and Bailey Circus is explored throughout the museum with lots of interesting exhibits.
The Howard Bros miniature circus is a spectacle in itself.
The on site art museum is also worth making the time to see.
Due to the damage caused by Hurricane Helene we were not able to tour inside the
Ca' d'Zan but it still looked wonderful from the outside.
The views from the Bayfront garden are beautiful.

The property of the Ringling brothers is quite impressive. The home tour, was worth the extra cost to tour. The view out back on the terrace/patio was breathtaking! The art gallery was interesting as well. The coffee shop upstairs left us feeling we wouldn't go there again. Gals were quite slow and only a hand full of seating. There is a sit-down restaurant and it looks lovely, but we didn't eat there this time. Looking around the grounds requires a lot of walking, so they could use more benches for some people to rest up during the grounds tour. The museum was amazing! Loved the miniature circus and all the posted information on what it took to plan and execute sitting up a circus. That was so informative, great job they did! Yes, do plan on this tour if you get a chance, either by tour company or just plan on going yourself and touring at your leisure.

Gorgeous setting. Gardens in bloom would have been lovely. Wrong time of year. We expected more circus history and more circus-related “stuff.” We think we would have seen something akin to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, but circus-style. The miniature circus was amazing.

Ringling Brothers eatate is a must experience while in the area. Winter home, museums (2), and amazing Art gallery, including beautiful gardens wait. Expect to stay 2-4 hrs to see everything, depending on purchased tickets. Learn the history of the grand days of the Circus, the set up and logistics. The Winter home overlooking the intercoatal and on the grounds of the Ringling Brothers winter estate, this was the winter home, beautiful architectural building and marble terrace / boat dock to the West. Interior is of opulence, with European decor popular in the early 1900s, first elevator in Florida and amazing marble grand staircase take you to the second floor. Main salon exhibits a beautiful art decor organ, ornate ceilings, windows, and wall decor abound. Dining room, tap room, kitchen, ball room give you an experience of the grandure and wealth of the Ringling Brothers, in the class of the Rockefellers and others of their time.

Great way to spend a few hours taking in the history and various collections of art. A great stroll both inside the buildings and outside gardens. A national treasure.

Beautiful gardens, incredible museum. Definitely go through the circus museum to learn about the fantastic logistics required to make the great show on earth happen. The Ringling House is amazing too.

Beautiful and enjoyable. Histories of the Ringling Brothers Circus, family and their art collections was most enjoyable.

I came here as a kid and decided to revisit many years later. It is even better than before. The exhibits are fun and very well presented and cared for.

Our day started off with an intimate circus show at the Historic Asolo Theater at The Ringling (not to be confused with the separate Asolo Repertory Theatre). The performances were of the highest quality and having it in the small theater made it so much better!

The museum itself is of the highest quality. From the train room to the historical equipment and the room spotlighting some of the circus's most famous acts. Our families favorite room was the massive miniature circus room that showed the circus from set-up to tear-down as the exhibit changed from daytime to night-time every few minutes. We probably spent 20-25 minutes in that room alone!

This museum was one of our highlights in Sarasota and I highly recommend it!

The Ringling Museum in Sarasota is an absolute must-see. Whether you’re an art lover, history buff, or just someone looking for a beautiful and enriching experience, this place has it all — and then some.

First of all, it’s free on Mondays, which is an amazing bonus and makes it super accessible to everyone. Even if you visit on a paid day, it’s still absolutely worth every dollar. Free parking is another great perk that makes the visit stress-free from the start.

The art collection is incredible — one of the best I’ve seen in Florida. From classical masterpieces to decorative arts and rotating exhibitions, there’s so much to see and appreciate. The galleries are spacious and beautifully maintained, and the architecture of the museum itself is impressive. It feels like walking through a European palace.

The gardens are stunning — peaceful, lush, and filled with sculptures and shaded paths. They’re perfect for a walk or just sitting and taking in the scenery. It’s easy to spend time just relaxing in the outdoor spaces between galleries.

And of course, the Ca’ d’Zan mansion is amazing. The house is beautifully preserved and gives you a real sense of 1920s luxury and the unique personality of the Ringlings. The waterfront views from the terrace are breathtaking, and every room tells a story.

This museum has it all: world-class art, incredible architecture, beautiful gardens, and fascinating history — all in one place. Whether you’re visiting Sarasota or live nearby, you should absolutely make time for the Ringling. It’s easily one of the best cultural experiences in Florida.

Who doesn't like the Circus? Visiting the Ringling property in Sarasota was well worth it. The history of the Ringling Circus was amazing. Seeing the miniature layout of the circus, understanding logistics, what it took to move and put on the circus was mind boggling. So much to see. I would not recommend Ringling as a place for children or even teens as they likely would find it boring to view the exhibits, tour the mansion, the grounds, and art museum. The art collection and the details of the mansion was something to marvel.

museum was wonderful. definitely worth a visit. plan to go back and see their home. Art museum was very nice. should allow at least half a day for museums

Great place to visit. The house and grounds are beautiful. The circus memorabilia is very interesting. The only problem was there was no where to eat on the grounds. Both restaurants were closed. I was disappointed the employees of the museum and house didn’t seem to know much of the history. The paintings are fascinating. Quite a unbelievable collection Lighting was poor in the museum but they are going to be updating the lights

This is a very large facility houses numerous art galleries Theatre, the John and Mable Ringling home /estate , Ringland brothers museum’s plan on 2 to 5 hours overall

Beautiful Venetian mansion on the water with amazing water views. Wonderful art gallery with famous painters such as Rubens. The courtyard is stunning with European statutes in it. I enjoyed sitting there and just looking at the statues.
Restaurant is wonderful with the chef from Italy.

A great place to visit on a rainy day or if you need a day out of the sun. There is so much to see and the paintings are amazing. Too bad it isn’t used as it was designed for anymore.

Only visited gardens as were passing though and house tours were later in the day. Gardens were disappointing certain areas closed off. House was being worked on.

We have been here about 15yrs ago and seen that they had added quite a bit since our last visit. We order our ticket online and arrive when they 1st open which I would recommend to avoid the crowd later in the day. We started with the Howards Brothers Miniature Circus model which is impressive in the details and size. It is worth taking the time to read the description sign in front of each part of the display, just appreciate the logistic that had to go into moving and setting up a circus of this size. The nest building is the also part of the Circus Museum with “hands-on” displays for kids of all ages. We enjoyed watching the video of the clown apply his make-up and the numerous steps to get it just right. We then proceed to Ca’ d’Zan. We brought head buds to use with our cellphone for an audio tour but could never get them to work correctly which was very disappointing. When we were there, we didn’t notice anyone else using the audio tour either. I wish that they offer audio wands as they did at Flagler Museum for a more enjoyable experience. Even when we were here 15 yrs. ago, they had stands with descriptions which was better. We also could go on the 2nd floor without an additional cost. I did not think the additional $10 per person was worth the cost. By the time we got to the Museum of Art, we were exhausted and had spent almost 5 hours without seeing everything. We only had enough energy to see the Rueben’s and take a much-needed break sitting out on the deck to admire the courtyard statues. My Tips: Go early & buy your ticket online to save time. Wear comfortable walking shoes. Prioritize what is more important for you to see and do that 1st-it’s will be hard to see and appreciate everything in 1 day.

This is definitely a first class Museum! Don't come thinking you will only be here a couple of hours because you can easily spend all day here, especially if you add on the first floor of the house! We started off in the circus museum, which included the miniature circus exhibit and the interactive circus exhibits. We then found ourselves in another circus museum that housed a giant railcar, which was fully furnished on the inside and many different circus wagons, which were very colorful and amazing to see! Then we toured the first floor of Jon Ringling's house (this is an add on for $10), the rose garden (which was not in bloom), and last but certainly not least, the art museum. I'm not a huge fan of art, but the original galleries were absolutely breathtaking!! We were here for over 4 hours!! It's definitely worth a visit, but be sure to add on the self guided house tour...

What an unexpected delight this visit was;l on a Thursday morning; massive estate on the inter coastal waterway nr Sarasota, Gulf Coast, established by successful entrepreneur John Ringling in the early 1900s. And founder of Barnum Circus. Amazing Venetian villa, circus museum and history of art museum.
Well worth a visit.

After years of traveling to the Sarasota area we finally journeyed off the beach to the Ringling. True confessions we were drawn by FREE Mondays. What have I been waiting for - it is definitely worth the price of admission. We saw the free offerings which were full access to the art museums as well as the beautiful grounds including outdoors to Ca’d’Zan “house of John.” Getting there after 1:00 allowed for easy parking and spent 2 hours knowing we would go back again. It truly is world class and a real must see

The Ringling Museum and grounds is a "must see" place. There is so much to see and appreciate. There is walking involved between Ca D' zan, the circus and art museums but not too far apart. Shout out to Lou, security guard, who helped us get around the grounds!

We arrived with only an hour and a half- not enough! First we entered the Art Museum collection- I was blown away! Large scale Rubens orginals, a highe 13-14th century collection of FLemish, Italian peices, Titian, Baroque, and solme modern pieces- HAd no idea this gem was in Sarasota! Befitting of the MET or the Louvre! Wow! We did not have the time to leisurely explore the grounds, but saw a few equisite sculpture peices in the garden-
spent 40 min in the incredible Miniature model Big Top, life-work of Howard Tibbals (see the short film first, then see the model). Unbelievable recreation of the Big Top in exquisite detail!
Would come again, with at least 3 hours to spend, if not more!

We went to the circus museum and did not visit the art museum. If you are fascinated by circuses and the logistics it took to bring it all together this is the place for you. My wife was bored so if not interested in the circus then it may not be as interesting. The diorama was unbelievable. Such detail and it depicted the circus in it's heyday to perfection. Really brought it to life. There are two buildings and be sure to see the 2nd one with the circus artifacts. The rail car is not to be missed. A lot of reading and interesting facts. Spent about 3 hours and it was worth it. We didn't even get to the 2nd floor. Gardens were extensive but not impressed with the upkeep. A bit shabby. Went in April so should have been at their peak. But the Banyan Trees are truly magnicificient! . Did not go into the mansion but the outside is nice sitting on the bay. They had a couple of cafes and a food truck. Café seems expensive so we grabbed sandwiches from the food truck. They were fresh and reasonably priced. Grounds are easy to navigate and assessable. A lot of shaded walkways. Worth a full day if you want to see the art museum. Can also pay extra to see the inside of the home but I think it would be difficult to see everything in a single day.

I love a good historic building and museum. The grounds are well maintained and very clean. We saw the rose gardens, secret garden and two circus museums. Sadly the house was closed when were there but we did walk along the patio. Mainly of the snack places were also closed which was unfortunate. Overall it was amazing to learn about the history of the circus and the miniature was very cool.

There are several areas of the complex. I wanted to go to check out the buildings about the circus. There are two of them and on the day I visited one was closed. I was very disappointed. The attendant who sold me a ticket said it wasn't serious and it might be open in a couple of hours....That didn't happen.
The Art buildings housed classical art and when we were there, there was a photography display. I loved the photography.

There were many people to direct you around the complex...There are picnic tables and a very, very small cafe with minimal seating. The restaurant had very long lines.
It was a nice day...just not what I expected.

My wife and I spent a pleasant and interesting day here. We began with an audio tour of the home of John and Mable Ringling, Ca' d'Zan. Interesting mansion with a beautiful front on Sarasota Bay. The highlight of the circus exhibits was the sprawling, 3,800-square-foot Howard Bros. Circus model, a miniature re-creation of the combined Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey circus of the early 1900s. We topped our visit off with a quick walk through the art museum, where there is a good collection of Asian Art. The grounds, with their many banyon trees, are very pleasant to stroll through between museums.

very nice activity to do with kids. It is abeautiful place will a lot of various artworks. The circus part is great, and the outdoor very peaceful. I recommend.

Circus museum continues to attract me and the Ringling grounds are a continual source of delight. Susan Venice florida

This is an amazing experience. There are two circus museums and the MASSIVE art museum that houses John Ringling's collection. The art ranges from medieval (they have FIVE huge Rubens paintings!) to contemporary. The grounds and gardens are beautiful and tranquil. We spent more than 6 hours there (yes, they have lunch alternatives) and will go back some day to finish!!

Wandering the grounds here is a wonderful experience.

Covered in banyan trees, and located on the bayfront, the gardens here are a peaceful retreat.

I recommend going in the morning to avoid crowds.

Three museums in one. The Circus Museum due to John Ringling’s winter home in Sarasota.The Ringling Museum with art masterpieces and some contemporary art. And finally CzDZan, House of John, Ringling’s 1926 winter mansion in Sarasota which you are able to tour.

I allotted 3+ hours. Fun to see circus stuff, mansion then art museum in one place. Could of used some more restful seating spots in the museums and long hot walking trails… and I’m pretty physically fit. The 4 (not 5) rating is for my wandering the art museum area outdoor trails w no signs anywhere how to get back to the exit to the parking lot in front. Luckily I found knowledgeable visitors around who knew the way… or I’d of spent 40 minutes looking and being more tired. Luckily I wasn’t on a tight time schedule.

The management is extremely rude and uncaring. We purchased advanced sale tickets for a Monday. The main part of the museum was closed for a boiler issue on the day we were there. The Art Museum is free on Mondays. They refuse to refund our money. So we paid $47.50 to see the FREE Art Museum!!!!!! I can't tell you how the main part is because we never got to see it. Yes, this sounds absurd, and it is!

The Ringling Brother Circus museum was way more than we had expected, if as a child you had the opportunity to visit a Ringling Circus, you need to make time to visit this museum, there's a huge scale model of the Ringling Circus including all aspects of the circus which one man took fifty years to create, there's an area which discusses the history of those interesting people who worked the big top like the man and woman who were shot out of a cannon, the bearded woman and many more, there's circus parade cars and the rail car performers traveled in, props the different performers used and you can even try your skills at walking the wire, there's way more than can be discussed here and then there's the Ringling Mansion used to entertain presidents and politicians as well as movie stars on the grounds which sits on the Gulf Coast for only $10 extra and well worth the cost.....this is a must visit to the area.

This was more than I expected! I learned so much! It was a big deal in so many people’s lives! I also appreciated all the art the Ringling’s acquired! Go, you won’t be disappointed!

For starters some of the staff are rude. I accidentally went into on the ‘Must pay’ area and you would have thought I was trespassing. You can not see anything related to the circus!

Definitely the place to visit in Sarasota. See art, circus, house and much more for one low price. Go and see for yourself.

I wasn’t sure what to expect but this place is amazing. Doesn’t matter if you have ever seen the circus or not, you will be amazed at all of the displays and memorabilia. The mansion is spectacular too.

Wonderful place! $25 per person for 3 museums. Knowledgeable and friendly staff. Beautiful grounds. The miniature circus display was a fav!

We spent 5 and a half hours here and still never got to the Art Museum. The house Ca'd'Zan is wonderful, not as large as I thought it would be but then the general tour is only the ground floor and my husband kind of rushed us through. The Circus Museums are GREAT and recommend starting in the Historical Museum first (after your visit through Ca'd'Zan) and then have a bite to eat at either the Grillroom or upstairs in the visitor center at Mable's Cafe (Starbucks) and it is handicap accessible by elevator if needed. Great gift shop. After your snack/lunch, a short walk to the Tibbals Learning Center which is to me the crown jewel of the exhibit. The entrance says welcome to the Big Show and you will be amazed. Be sure to watch the introductory video. I highly recommend this entire place, it sustained some damage from the recent hurricanes and the gardens are not as nice as they could be but still a very pleasant way to spend a day.

I would recommend this tour
The history of Ringling was great and the mansion is a great tour
Well worth the time

Not to be missed - an incredible collection of art work. circus memorabilia and history, unique architecture - all in a delightful setting. Ample parking, lots of helpful and friendly staff, ample water fountains/restrooms. To really appreciate all The Ringling has to offer, would suggest a full day or perhaps two. Lots to see and savor. A real gem. Looking forward to a return visit.

Toured Ca d zan and found it more impressive than the Taj Mahal but less impressive than Biltmore house. There is obvious hurricane damage to the property but fortunately the art museum was spared. The art alone was worth the visit. There is also a huge circus display but not being a circus fan it seemed like overkill.

I spent a whole morning here and still could have stayed longer. There is so much to do from the circus museums to the art museum to the mansion. Definitely worth the extra for the self-guided tour (I wish I were available for the guided tour). Check website for details!

This museum was stupendous! The circus railroad model, with over 70,000 hand-made figures, will blow your mind! There is also another model on the second floor, and all the old circus railcars, wagons, paraphernalia are absolutely incredible. We learned a lot while we were there, and the art wing, with 5 paintings by Rubens, was exceptional but really "the icing on the cake". The grounds are beautiful, of course, but the content inside makes this one of the best museums in America by far! Keep it up.

This place is amazing and is a great place to see everything from how the circus evolved, great artwork with multiple galleries, a wonderful unique home, gardens that belong in Rome with sculptures galore and just plain fun! A hidden jewel in Sarasota, Florida and a must see!

Since this is the number 1 rated place to visit in Sarasota we had to go. It was well worth the trip. If you remember the old big top circuses 🎪 you will love this. The model of the circus, all done by 1 person over 50 years is amazing. The history of the big top is well put together. The exhibits are top rate. The Ringling mansion rivals those in Newport Rhode Island. A must see if in Sarasota or nearby area.

My wife and I decided to stay at a timeshare in the area specifically so we could visit The Ringling, since we don't live in the area. There is ample, free off-street parking and they offer discounts for tickets like senior citizen or military veteran. They also offer admission specials on certain days of the week. (Check their website in advance of your planned visit.) All of the staff and volunteers were very friendly and informative during our visit. The grounds cover several acres so it can be quite a distance to walk between all of the various buildings however, they have golf carts operated by volunteers available to get you from place-to-place if you need them. They offer some tours however, there area also QR codes available at the different buildings that allow you to download specific information and audio narration about the exhibits you are viewing. In my opinion, it should take you many hours to fully enjoy the exhibits at The Ringling since there are two circus museum buildings, the art museum, and the Ca'D'Zan (John Ringling's home). Unfortunately, the grounds and buildings incurred significant damage from the hurricanes in the Fall of 2024, especially the Ca'D'Zan, however, they are doing their best to conduct repairs and they had much of the estate open to the public during our visit. (The second floor of the Ca'D'Zan was closed due to hurricane damage and a couple of specialty areas of the museum of art were also closed for repairs and renovations during our visit.) Overall, we enjoyed our visit and I would recommend The Ringling for an interesting experience for young and old.

Such and interesting place. The grounds and gardens were incredible. We could have walked around them for hours.

We wish we had done the 70 minute tour to see the upstairs of the house with the tower. The first floor self tour was pretty impressive.

The circus museum buildings were not what we expected, and were really interesting. I loved the model display. So much detail. n

The art museum wasn't really my thing, but they had a few interesting things to see.

Art gallery, botanical garden and a circus museum in one place. The miniature model of the circus in the Circus Museum was incredible!

If you're anywhere near, take the time to visit here. Tremendous way to waste an hour or two. Educational, satsfying, inspriring.

For someone who has been going to the circus for over 30 years and working behind the scenes for Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey for 4 years, this place is absolutely breathtaking! Between all the galleries of art to the beginning of the circus- this place has it all! My favorite was Tibbals Learning Center! If you are any age, you could spend a few hours in here looking at all the detail! It's a must see if on vacation, or even just a quick trip for a local. You will not be disappointed!

What an amazing place! Well worth the price (not cheap). Plan on a full day if you want to cover the grounds, the mansion, the 2 museums and the huge art museum. Lunch option on site are available.

The museum, with many circus artifacts, films and photos brought back many fond memories of attending the circus many years ago.

very fun place to visit !!! numerous and various great artworks. very peaceful to walk outdoor : i recommend !!!!!!....

Had never heard of this estate or the beauty that the Ringling Museum held. The grounds are lush and well kept. The circus museum was amazing . Did not get the opportunity to tour the entire estate but definitely will if I return to Sarasota

Overlooked by many, there is a tour of the grounds where experts describe the many acres of the property. Included in the tour is a stop where John and Mable Ringling are buried.

There are four main parts to the Ringling and you don't have to do all of them: The Circus Museum, Art Museum, Gardens and Mansion (Ca' d'Zan, reviewed separately). The Circus Museum contains excellent display on the history and operation of the circus, as well as historical artifacts. The collection of old circus wagons was the highlight for me. The art museum houses an excellent collection in a beautiful building with a lovely courtyard. The 5 enormous Rubens paintings alone make it worth going out of your way to visit. Plan on spending most of the day here if you want to see everything.

Great self guided tour, definitely need more than two or three hours to enjoy, would do it again. Bring comfortable shoes, lots of walking

I often visit art museums when I travel and this one rates high on my list. We went on free Monday, which is good if you only want to visit the art museum. I was disappointed to learn that I would have to buy complete admission package, if I wanted to see Cad'd'Zan. I wish I could just buy a ticket for that, since the art museum was free and I was not going to the circus museum. If you want to visit those museums do not go on free mondays, as you have to pay the full price anyway, You might as well go on a day with less crowds. I also wish I had brought my Bluetooth ear buds so I could have scanned the QR code for the audio guide. Even with my disappointments, I did find this museum to be quite spectacular. The classical, renaissance and other art rivals any European or US museums . I've been to many around the world. I espcially enjoyed Rubens gallery, The museum also had 2 of the original rooms from the Astor family mansion in Gilded Age New York. A pleasant surprise. We did not walk the Bayfront Gardens as it was a hot August day, but I would recommend it, in cooler weather. The same is true of the estate building garden that houses the art museum.

We really enjoyed this visit. The history of the circus is fascinating , as is the model replica. We did not go into the Italian house, but there was still plenty to do. Staff friendly and knowledgeable. Lots of free parking, plenty of rest rooms and the coffee shop above the gift shops makes a great latte.

Fantastic collection of circus memorabilia and classic art. The replica of the old time circus is amazing - hand crafted down to the finest detail. If you love the circus, and even if you don't, absolutely worth it to go and experience all that the The Ringling has to offer.

Sarasota is the capital of circus arts and there's a lot to see here. John Ringling and his wife Mable were very wealthy and generous to the Sarasota Community. Their name is everywhere here. You can walk down the street-usually at St. Armand's Circle - shopping. Not to mention the frequent celebrities that live in or around Sarasota.

The Ringling was the home of John Ringling and it was built in the model of Italian architecture down to the smallest detail. Pay for the entire tour and see the entire tour of the grounds. This isn't the best place for young children to be quite honest. It just isn't but the display of the circus memorbilia and especially the Circus model built to the smallest detail- is. Do not miss that.

It's not cheap but it's worth it. It is the gemstone of the Sarasota area.

This is a wonderful place to spend a good part of a day. The Ringling House is fantastic, special... worth signing up for a guided tour. The Museum is excellent, a lot of amazing artist. While a fantastic art collection and beautiful building, the unique part of this venue is more the circus stuff.... the Big Top area is full of amazing old circus memorabilia that is so great, esp. if you went to their circus in the old days, like I did at Madison Square Garden a few times. Loved the videos of the famous old acts. Also, one of the most amazing things is the miniature models of the circus that was built over 50 years... the painstaking work of Howard Tibbals. The detail is insane. At the time, Ringling Bros wouldn't allow him to use their name so he used the Howard Bros. Circus. The display is huge and covers every aspect of the surface... I think this alone is worth a trip here.

Don't miss their restaurant (see my review). The perfect place to take a break for lunch during your visit here. The food is fantastic and atmosphere is modern, open and airy.

VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

Not really a circus person but this museum was amazing. The Ringling Mansion was something to behold! The art museum was really beautiful and the circus museum was the icing on the cake. The Howard Miniature Circus is worth the price of admission by itself. This is a must see attraction if you’re looking for something special.

A wonderful visit, with the luxurious tropical gardens, the magnificent palace, the museums, by the gulf emerald sea.

We visited here in February and had a great time. We are unique in that we read everything, so we were here for 6 hours. We started in the mansion, which is totally worth the extra $10. It has an audio tour, with your phone so bring headphones. It was magnificent. We then went to the memorabilia museum, and the miniature circus was unbelievable. Every detail was accounted for in the reproduction. Be sure to watch the short video about the creator/artist. The third building was all kinds of memorabilia. We ate lunch at the grille, and it was delicious. You may need a reservation if you want to eat at a busy time. You can eat at the grille without paying for the museum. On to the art museum. It had beautiful art, but basically the same as you’d see in any comparable museum.

We went 2 days, free Monday then back for the villa, gorgeous, grounds. Museum is amazing, works of art better the Lourve!!! A must see

Avoid any lines by buying tickets online. You can see the circus museum, art museum and gardens for $25/adult or add on the mansion Ca’d’Zan for $10 more. We purchased both and were glad we did. Be prepared to walk a lot as there is so much to see. The highlight of the Circus museum is the hand made model of the Circus. Take your time and look at all the details. The Ringling Pullman car is also amazing. The mansion on the bay is magnificent even though you can only tour the first floor. The gardens are lovely. By the time we got to the art museum we were pretty tired so didn’t linger much, though the pieces are impressive. There is a restaurant and food truck, also a great playground for kids. The gift shop had some nice things and books. We spent about 3 hours here and thoroughly enjoyed it.

The grounds, museum and the shop are FREE on Mondays. Everything is accessible and there is a fully accessible playground that is amazing. The circus and the Ringling home is not free but the grounds are so beautiful it is fine.

There is so much to see that I recommend you spend most of the day here and eat in the Grillroom. We began with the self guided walkthrough tour of the Mansion. The mansion has original furnishings and is quite nicely maintained. Docents throughout the mansion are available and eager to answer any questions. From here we went to "Welcome to the Big Top". It is a fantastic display of all aspects of the circus, the performers, the animal keepers, musicians and many more that make the circus operational. There are photos, memorabilia and histories of the Ringling Brother as well as P.T. Barnum. Our last stop was the Museum of Art. The art was not to our taste but the grounds are beautiful. Overall, this was a great experience.

The Mansion, gardens and museums were great. Staff was very helpful and friendly. Nice way to spend the afternoon. You won’t be disappointed

Wonderful! We love the Ringling Brother estate. It was very beautiful and peaceful. I love the garden and learning about the circus..

There was so much to see and do at The Ringling!!! Plan to stay a few hours to get the most out of this amazing experience!!!

My fiancé and I paid $300 to take our photos at the Ringling Museum. I am a Ringling alum and was excited to show off this beautiful place to my fiance and the photographers that we hired. We were running a bit late, so the photographers spoke to the manager and were able to get our appointment moved from 12-2 pm to 1-3 pm. We were the only ones who showed up that day, so they were okay making that accommodation for us. When we arrived and began taking our photos, we were stopped by employees almost every 20 minutes, asking, "What are you doing here? Where are your passes?" When you book a photo shoot at the museum, only your photographer is required to have a pass. We were also followed, but being questioned constantly took away from our appointment time. As we were taking our last photo, going down the steps as we were leaving, one of the same employees came looking for us and told us that we needed to leave immediately. She told us that we were taking advantage of them and using them, and she called security. When security came, we explained the situation, and he told us that this is not the first time they've had this issue of the employees being this way. Security was kind enough to let us finish our shoot and escorted us to the lobby so that we wouldn't have trouble with any of the other employees. The crazy thing was that there were many other people there doing photoshoots with professional cameras, but we were the only ones who paid and were getting mistreated.

Loved seeing how organized the circus really was before cell phones and computers.
All the people involved moving from town to town was amazing.

We’ve been here maybe 8 times in 10 years and though I get a bit tired of the drive, the cost, and sometimes the exertion, I know this is a unique piece of Americana I’m showing our touristing friends. The diorama of the circus camp/life alone (followed up by seeing the workshop where so much of it was carved/painted) STILL impresses me….and I don’t like most museums or circuses as an entertainment! The art collection is super impressive in sheer volume and the size of many of the paintings - what a GIFT to Sarasota and to Florida! Even if/when husband and I tire of taking others I’d still encourage them to see this place.

Couldn't believe all that went in to putting on a circus. Miniature circus created by Howard Tibbals was unbelievably extensive and detailed. Hard to imagine how it evolved over 50 years. Grounds were lovely.

Lovely museum.... inside and outside. The kids loved it... Lots of different artworks to see. Good family activity...

We thought a couple hours would be enough for our visit, but wow! We ended up spending 5 hours and didn’t see it all. Mondays are free for entrance to the art museum but the circus museum (a true gem) still requires a ticket. Seniors get a small discount.

Parking is free and plentiful. Take time to watch the short movies, read the brief history placards and wander the world’s largest miniature circus model made lovingly by its creator over 70 years. The museum store is also worth a stop with a nicely curated selection of quality items.

The Ca d’Zan former residence was heavily damaged by the most recent hurricane so only the first floor is open. Frankly, it was enough to just wander the exterior and the extensive canyon tree covered grounds. I saw people enjoying picnic lunches on the grass so I assume that’s ok to do. In all, this is a must see!

This really consists of three separate experiences.

First, there is the art museum. The museum is beautifully laid out with some very scenic grounds. Some of the displays of the art are almost works of art themselves. The art ranges from Renaissance to modern to Asian. Not a lot of particularly well-known artists, but certainly some beautiful pieces.

Next is the circus museum, which is housed in a couple separate buildings. Both buildings were full of fun and interesting pieces from the Ringling collection. We really enjoyed both buildings.

Lastly is the John Ringling mansion called Ca' d'Zan. The mansion is like stepping into the Roaring 20’s… just incredible, ornate and even garish with beautiful views of the gulf.

The circus museum and the mansion were an extra fee, but they’re absolutely worth it.

Everywhere we went at The Ringling, we experienced friendly, informative staff that went out of their way to be helpful. Just a wonderful experience overall and two big PowerTripper thumbs up!

- The PowerTrippers

What a surprise! We had no expectations and had an amazing time. Plenty of art for everyone. Very fun to explore. Beautiful area outdoor.

Don't miss the circus museum and look right to see the loop of amazing models donated by Mr. and Mrs. Tibbals. It's a winding loop with big top model tents and tents and lots of trains. Many models were carved by him. Upstairs there is his model workbench and some benches for fun photo ops and a lot of circus history. The mansion was huge and amazing too. The rose garden was pretty but sunny if it is hot.

Great experience for anyone. A lot of walking for little kids if you did the house and the art museum. But we loved it

This is a well kept and interesting place to visit. The art museum is large and it is nice to see them expanding on it. The house is beautiful and the gardens equally as stunning. So glad we visited this unique area.

Unbelievable! This attraction consists of two circus museums, three art museums, and a mansion. John and Mable Ringling of the Ringling Brothers fame built a gorgeous mansion on the Gulf of Mexico in the 1920's. They collected lots of European art, which is the foundation of the art museums. Don't miss their restored Pullman card, which was the custom jet of their time.

There's also a gorgeous rose garden, enormous banyan trees, and a promenade along the Gulf of Mexico. Allow lots of time-- we had lunch here, too, and spent 5 hours here.

Fantastic stop when visiting Sarasota. It definitely is a must see! From the Howard Bros miniature circus model to the interactive exhibits to the fine art to the gardens, it was an amazing look into an American treasure. Truth be told, I was ambivalent toward the circus, only have attended one in my life. This place brought the value and traditions to life and gave me a new view point on the rich history of this institution. Well worth the time and entry fee.

I have visited the Ringling about four times, once over Christmas with the home decorated for Christmas and a local choral group singing

I am absolutely loved this complex of museums. You got to visit botanical garden,its absolutely gorgeous. Will be going again soon.

What a great place to spend the day. The grounds are lovely to walk around. The exhibits varied and interesting. The house was well maintained and the staff great to talk to. The art museum included many paintings not seen anywhere else. Be sure to spend some time just sitting and relaxing. Well worth a visit.

DO NOT buy your tickets online! We'd visited many years ago and I was looking forward to seeing it again. It really is worth the time and money if you can get in. I bought an online ticket but when I arrived the parking lot was packed and there were no available places to park my car so I had to leave. Good thing I didn't bring the whole family and paid for all of us! I did send a message/email on their website but got no response. It's definitely worth seeing but buy your tickets if you can find parking and arrive at the entrance.

The Tibbals Learning Center and Circus Museum at The Ringling is one of several must-see exhibits available to visitors to the John and Mable Ringling estate in Sarasota, Florida. Located at 5401 Bay Shore Road, off US Route 41, it is dedicated to the memory of the renowned entrepreneur, art collector and circus mogul who made the Ringling Brothers, Barnum & Bailey circus the "Greatest Show on Earth" as it traveled the country from 1919 to 1938. Purchase a ticket and stroll the magnificent grounds of the estate on Sarasota Bay and see the circus museum, the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art, Bayfront Gardens, Asolo Theatre, Mable Ringling's Rose Garden, the Glass Pavilion and the magnificent Ca' d'Zan, the Ringlings' 36,000-square-foot mansion. Open from 10 to 5 daily, the circus museum is situated on land that John Ringling purchased in 1927 to house his circus during the winter months. The museum, which was created in 1948, displays a wealth of Barnum & Bailey memorabilia, including newspaper clippings dating to 1816. Also the Howard Brothers' Circus Model, the world's largest miniature circus, a 3,800-square-foot model of the circus as it traveled the country for 20 years, the Greatest Show on Earth mural, Mable Ringling's magnificent turn-of-the-century private railroad car, historic circus poster exhibits and costumes, props, wagons, photographs and other documents that tell the story of the circus and a family-friendly interactive gallery that lets you try to walk a high wire, ride bareback or squeeze into a clown car. If you aren't old enough to remember when a circus, with elephants and all, came to your town, a visit to the Ringling Circus Museum will provide a wonderful history lesson to experience what you missed.

We toured the art museum, ca d zan, and circus museum. Loved it! The mansion was certainly a grand home. The circus exhibits brought back many memories. It was all so informative and interesting. I really enjoyed the gardens.

beautiful walk, incredible views, a very pleasant place where you can spend several hours between the gardens and the museum

Very interesting and informative. We paid to see 2 stories of the mansion. The tour guide was very nice and answered our questions. Then we went to see all of the exhibits. Simply amazed at what they did day to day.

We did the Ringling Legacy Tour. Glenda was our guide and her knowledge of the history of John Ringling and his role in Ringling Brothers and Barnum Bailey Circus was outstanding! We were so glad we did this tour before embarking on exploring the rest of the museums on our own. We thoroughly enjoyed our time. We hope to return the house has been restored after the devastating hurricanes of 2024.

Well worth the time. Excellent displays with a hand carved depiction of the circus, all carved by one man over 50 years. Takes up a large display room. Also liked seeing the Ringling home.

Someone else in these reviews undoubtedly did a better job explaining the historical background of this museum and grounds than I can, so just read below. I can say that we went on a Sunday at 9:30 a.m. (when the grounds open) and went into the museum at 10:00 a.m. Given the devastation of the recent hurricanes and tropical storms, the grounds took a beating. So, I was the most engaged and enthralled with the collection housed within. In addition to the permanent collections (they have the space to show about 20% of it, so the rooms do rotate), there were a couple contemporary shows as well: a photographer focusing on trans men, and a group show of Japanese women working with ceramics and the like. They also have a respectful Asian art collection that spans Asia in the course of a couple rooms. I tended to gravitate towards the masters ... and I was shocked I had never heard of this museum before?!? Sarasota is a well kept secret, and this museum is a gem in the this city. If you like museums, plan to spend a couple hours here. Part of the grounds were closed due to a private event?!? The guards were off-putting in waving us off. I can't comment about the expense of the tickets -- since I went with a friend who lives a ten minute walk away and is a member.

Decided to visit based on my friend's recommendation. There is so much to see! The miniture display was so detailed and really fascinating! Leave yourself plenty of time. We also toured the first floor of the mansion. Beautiful!

The Ringling is a destination that deserves a day! The venue is comprised of the Art Museum, the two circus museums, the residence, plus some other spots we didn’t even get to see. There is a good restaurant on site. There is a one hour ticketed circus performance as well, featuring acrobats and clowns, which we did not attend. Buy tickets on line, in advance of your visit, then present QR code at ticket office in Visitors Pavilion and receive a wristband for admission. All buildings are air-conditioned; restrooms are available in all buildings. Our experience was that all we saw was easily accessible and on the first floor. There were some steps at the exteriors of the Art museum and home. Also, this is a good summer activity because the a/c is so good and the outside walking is minimal. Lots of parking on a summer day; we were outside by the entrance to the Asolo Theatre. A good map is offered on line and in the visitors pavilion.
If you are old enough to remember the excitement of the circus, you will be fascinated by the memorabilia, exhibits and videos. If not, all the family will find items of interest in the circus museums. I liked the big silver truck that propelled the acrobat like a cannonball….and a chance to squeeze into a clown car and walk a tightrope ( at floor level of course). Animal tamers, acrobats, costumes…. All here to look at in videos or in exhibits. The actual John Ringling train car is mounted on a viewing platform for easy viewing. The very personable docents are well informed and happy to answer all questions.
We continued to the Art Museum for some European culture. A lot of the masterpieces were purchased at auction,some from the Astor estate. The rooms just open, one after another, and we strolled and looked till we were sated with art! The grounds of the Art museum also are worthy of a slow walk through to see the sculptures-reproductions, as I recall.
Our intro to the Ringling complex certainly deserves follow up visits to fully appreciate the museums and grounds.
A great resource for all ages to enjoy.

Plan on many hours to see and revel in the delights of the 2 buildings dedicated to the Circus, especially the incredible miniature that took 50 years to create. Then go to the Mansion and grounds. FYI there is an extra charge to see the 2nd floor in addition to the charge at the front of the museum. Then you can spend forever in the massive art building ! Unbelievable how many pieces of art the Ringlings collected. We had a great day. Oh, and the Cafe food was amazing. Make reservations or bring a picnic lunch for the day

it was excellent!!!! we loved it. lot of various kind of artworks, it was easy to park and the outdoor is absolutely beautiful. Great place to visit!

I liked it! the house is wonderful the art collection is truly remarkable the circus museum very interesting the character of John Ringling won me over

I was very impressed by the museum. It has plenty antique art pieces. It has 3 museums (Art and 2 circus-related) all 3 included in admission and the mansion (additional ticket). If you like art, be ready to stay a while. It also has the gardens, and an outside statue collection. Worth to see. We will come back with art and history-lover friends. close to the attractions and has its own cafeteria and gift shop.

I am not sure what else I can add to what others have posted regarding The Ringling, however, I am delighted and amazed every time I go. This was my second visit. My first visit was in 2021, and things were still fairly limited due to COVID. Part of the Circus Museum was still closed, as well as tours of Ca d'Zan. This time we toured every square inch, and it took us more than two hours. For me, The Ringling is an amazing treasure. It is well worth a day trip. The Circus Museum tells the story of how the circus was the entertainment of the day. The Circus Model is astounding--there is nothing else to say. It is an experience all by itself. Ca d'Zan and the gardens are amazingly beautiful, situated on Sarasota Bay. The mansion is gorgeous. Lastly, as I walked through the art museum I am absolutely overwhelmed with the variety of artwork the Ringlings acquired. The museums is beautifully layed out as visitors move through it and absorb all of the rich works of art it contains. If you are in or near the Sarasota area, I highly recommend a visit to The Ringling.

Outstanding a must see when in Sarasota Florida. We enjoyed every moment. Get ready to take plenty of photos. This place has a great story.

The Ringling is an absolute must do when you are in the region. We spent a day there. The circus museum is really worth seeing. The Villa does not necessarily have to be seen from the inside because there are only a few rooms to visit.

First leg of our road trip and worth the visit. Definitely spend the extra to tour the first floor of the estate - over the top opulent but tasteful in that "Old World" charm. The circus museum was interesting and have some "hands on" exhibits for the little ones (saw some adults enjoying them as well, lol) The art gallery was okay - the current installment (photography/media) was not very interesting to us, but I'm sure there is an audience for it. The rest of the art gallery was room after room of mostly religious art and I can only look at so many paintings of angels and baby jesuses so.........I could have skipped the gallery and still enjoyed the rest of the offerings, which I did.

THE Circus Museum was quite entertaining and fun. Remembered the giant Circus diorama from my childhood (PRE WDW) and the bandwagon and some other props .
The House Museum is quite lovely , but is Not staged with furniture propped against the walls , and they will not let you upstairs to the bedroom level.( although , they do charge $10.00 extra for the house.) they could send one or two docents upstairs to handle it. The museum has some lovely , but not stellar paintings from Ringlings Collection . The grill room in the Visitors Center was Wonderful , especially JILL , the Bartender . All in all , a very nice way to spend a day. Would definitely return.

Step back in the beauty of a by gone era. to time while enveloping yourself in The quality of the mansion, grounds and museum is magnificent.

Very interesting to the the origins of the circus and what circus life was like, how thrilling is was in the 50s when the circus came to town.

The Ringing sits on approximately 67 acres of beautifully landscaped property now operated and maintained by the State of Florida with several conditions handed down from John Ringing. Give yourself enough time to explore and enjoy this masterpiece that is divided into several sections. The Ca’d zan ( house of John ) the Ringling’s residence is one of the finest examples of craftsmanship and taste I have ever seen. Next is the Museum of Art which houses the Ringling’s treasure trove of fine Art from all over the world. And of course next we enjoyed the Circus Museum, a view into the past telling us about how it all started and a look at Howard’s miniature Circus made up of 40-50 thousand hand carved circus figures on display as it would have been years ago. Last but not least a modern day circus made up of several different multi talented acts from Europe and United States. The facility offers a complementary golf cart service.
My wife and I spent 7 hours and would do it again that’s how much we loved the whole experience.

Amazing place. I've walked by here hundreds of times, been to the Grillroom for faculty lunches, but never to the actual site! Man I was missing out, this place is incredible. I took a full tour of the main mansion, it was a highlight of my whole year-long journey in Florida as a professor. The Circus Museum sites were a massive highlight for me. Tons to see, and highly recommended.

Note that I visited as a visiting faculty member at the neighbouring New College of Florida.

Wonderful place to visit, worth every penny. We toured the garden, the mansion and the circus museum.

The circus museum and art museum and the grounds around all of it are spectacular! It takes a few visits to truly appreciate it all. The circus museum was so rich in color, display and history. Lots of places to take pictures and interact )especially towards the end.
The free art museum day in Monday’s is one not to miss. We would gladly have paid. Wall to wall colorful art from various countries and time periods was so interesting especially because many pieces were accompanied with a short explanation. We especially loved the outdoor sculptor garden and the paintings of people in the Bible including Jesus. A must for visiting “circus town Sarasota”.

We arrived about an hour after they'd opened and stayed until they were closing. There is a lot to do here and a lot of walking too. In all honesty, we had to rush through the art museum since we were running out of time.
Of the things we did while in the Sarasota area, this was in our top 2, alongside the beaches at Siesta Key. You really can't beat the price for how much there is to see and do here and the water view from the house is awe-inspiring.

As local visitors we been here more then a dozen times. Always great deal to bring visitors on FREE Mondays and enjoy beautiful grounds and galleries.
We love Ringling museum.

Neat place on the campus of Florida State University. For us it was quiet and peaceful on a Tuesday afternoon. Crowds were very manageable, mostly senior citizens. We feel you can spend anywhere from 2 hours to 6 hours looking around. Just depends on your interest level. Staff was very friendly and knowledgeable. Made it into three of the four buildings before we ran out of steam. Would like to return someday to see the house which from the outside is fascinating as well as to walk the extensive grounds and gardens. Minor criticism in that some of the displays really did not have an explanation of what they were. A little more detail would have been appreciated. We ate lunch and recommend reservations or getting their earlier than noon as the restaurant, which is not large, filled up completely. Restaurant staff worked very hard and successfully to keep things moving and people fed.

This Museum & Gardens and Mansion are something not to miss if you're in Sarasota Florida. The gardens are spectacular, the art displays are amazing. The circus museum is amazing it has room that has a model of the circus from the trains and train cars that haul all the supplies, animals and performers and workers to the full set up.of the 3 Ring Big Top! Kids would love this exhibit.

We were unsure how much time to allot, and we ended up spending over 5 hours seeing everything. We learned so much about the history of circuses, the Ringling brothers, and the acquisitions made by the Ringlings over time. The Ca' d'zan is worth seeing, as is the Circus Collection. The Art Museum is much larger than we imagined, and has some very impressive artwork. But the highlight is the Howard Brothers Circus Model. The scope of the display and the incredible attention to detail created by one man is amazing. It has to be seen to be believed.

Walked the grounds and saw the outside of the house. Amazing location and architecture. The gardens were just okay (but it was February). The circus museum buildings were absolutely wonderful. The model was beyond comprehension that one man could have built it all. We did not go to the art museums. Wear comfortable shoes, there is a lot of walking.

Exceptional diorama! Loved learning about the circus from train loading to train loading. What a great way to portray the life of circus folks. I also especially enjoyed seeing the Ringling private train car. It’s a lot of reading and detail so I expect tweens and younger children would be bored quickly. I’m not a fan of mansion tours but I will say that the volunteers offered very interesting and unique bits of information that I enjoyed. I do with they would open the oran pipes for viewing. The grounds are beautiful, especially the banyan trees. We spent about 2 hours. I would recommend for any adults visiting the Sarasota area.

Enormous campus with so much incredible art and history. I recommend breaking the trip into two days so as not to rush! The history of the circus and the scale model circus is something to behold.

My husband and I bought the tickets which included The Circus and Art Museums and a tour of Ca’D’Zan (the historic mansion of John and Mable Ringling). The tour started in the morning, a short time after our arrival. We leisurely strolled up to the mansion and stopped at Mable’s lovely rose garden on our way. The Mediterranean mansion was wonderfully designed and breathtaking from the outside as it sits overlooking Sarasota Bay. Susan, our tour guide was enthusiastic and made our inside tour memorable. We saw a glimpse of the Ringling’s glamorous lifestyle. We experienced the first floor entertainment rooms and their glorious furnishings. We also were able to go up the marble spiral staircase to see John and Mable’s lavish bedrooms and a guest room as well.
After our wonderful tour, we went to the Circus Museums and were impressed at all the amazing artifacts from the Big Top. The miniature circus set up was extraordinary! I loved all the circus cars and advertisements. It reminded me of long ago, when the circus came to town and how exciting it was for the people to experience it! We spent so much time of our day in these places, that we never got to the Art Museum. So, it gives us an excuse to come back to visit!

I think overall this is a nice place reflecting the opulence of pre-Depression America, but the curating lacked. Very scant artifacts, mostly dioramas and a handful of large items that were interesting. It was worth the effort but barely. The artworks were nice except for the modern section. I think they should allow visitors access to the house without "uncharging" them, but they are circus people so a little ballyhoo and a few extra coins is the name of the game.

Would encourage first time visitors to spend some time on The Ringling's website to plan their visit and to understand the admission pricing options. Attempting to do all The Ringling has to offer in a single visit can be challenging both physically and intellectually leading to wasted time and money depending on one's interests, Currently Monday's are free admission to the sizable Art Museum and typically any special art exhibits or installations as well as the grounds. Parking is ample and free. I prefer to arrive close to opening to get the most convenient parking spots and to avoid the crowds that tend to build later in the day. For me no visit is complete without walking the grounds to the bay front walk to relax and take in the stunning views of Sarasota Bay.

The museum is still a great place to view some of the best art around, and they still have the traveling exhibits in the back gallery. The grounds are beautiful and great to visit on its own. I was blessed with having my college campus on the museum grounds and literally was able to enjoy everything daily for years.

Such a great deal- $5 to walk the beautiful grounds. I highly recommend it. The gift shop was amazing and staff was so friendly.

Sometimes it is better to be lucky than good! We just happened to time our trip to Sarasota right - Ringling Circus Summer Spectacular! 8-thumbs up! We enjoyed the circus acts and also the related museums. The miniature circus was incredible - the amount of human effort and dedication that went into that. The second museum about circus history was also exciting. Plan on at least 3-hours, probably 4.

We spent several hours on the grounds of the Ringling by the time we went to the house, the art museum, had a delicious lunch at the restaurant, and went through the circus museum. Our son and daughter in law were with us and they felt the same way. Be sure to include this on your itinerary when visiting the area.

When one has spent hundreds (thousands?) of hours at the Art Institute of Chicago as a volunteer--it really isn't fair to assess the Ringling. But my mind did. So let it be said, for where it is and the competition--the art is okay. Average.

But was gob-smacking in our face with two disabled people is trying to wrangle two wheelchairs about the non-ADA compliant museum. How do they get away with it. Even the doors didn't have push buttons to help. The guards/volunteers mostly tried to help--but...? REALLY?

When in the area this in an absolute must . Every thing about this place is truly amazing . The circus portion is absolutely incredible . You’ll see things and learn things that you’ve never known before .The miniature portion is absolutely amazing . On Monday the art museum is free so do that . The grounds are stunning and stop in the Rose Garden too .

Great place to walk from the stunning home to the gardens it is really a great way to spend a few hours.

Greatest museum in the South! Highly recommend! If you plan to walk in the park, dress appropriately, it is hot!

This place is so much more then I expected. I would soooooo much recommend a visit. Plan on spending a day and plan on a lot of walking so dress comfortable.
Lots of circus stuff.
An outstanding art gallery.
And a look at the lives of the rich and famous with a tour of the mansion.
Recommend you either picnic or eat before you visit or make a reservation for eating there and the lines were long.
So much enjoyed our visit.
Highly recommend a visit.

Not worth paying for and the mansion was partially closed. The playground that is so highly rated was dirty and moldy. The fruit from the trees was not cleaned and playground needs repair or replacing. The gardens had potential but they also are not taken care of. I don't see the interest in this place at all.

Beautiful place. Very nice artworks. We stayed more than 3 hours and the kids really enjoyed it. The park is very peaceful.

Beautiful area.
You have to plan half a day if you want to take the time to see everything.
The park is magnificent with games for the little ones.

Outstanding museum . The miniature circus model is a must !! The grounds are beautiful and had lunch at Grill Room ( very good ) . The main Museum was wonderful and the courtyard garden made it even better . One of the best Museums in the country , absolute must !!!

Fantastic, diverse museum, offering art comparable to what I see in Europe. The museum courtyard reminded me of the Alhambra in Granada, Spain. We did not tour the Ringling home, but the outside was beautiful and its location was beautiful as well. I also recommend eating in their restaurant, the service and food was excellent.

Mondays are free! Beautiful collection and nice scenic view of the bay in the back. Wasn’t crowded when we went. If you love art, and are not hassled by cranky kids, this could be an all day event.

I visited the Ringling Museum today and left thoroughly unimpressed — and not just because of the shockingly high ticket price. For what they charge, one might expect a hint of hospitality or at least basic courtesy. Instead, we were greeted by a ticketing staffer who acted like answering questions was a personal burden. The cold, unwelcoming vibe only worsened inside Ca’ d’Zan, where staff hovered so aggressively it felt more like we were trespassers than paying guests. When I dared to ask a question in one of the galleries, it was met with a glare and an exasperated tone, as if curiosity was an inconvenience. The art and history here are worth seeing — it’s just unfortunate they’re overshadowed by staff who treat visitors like a nuisance. This place may be rich in culture, but it’s severely lacking in class.

While visiting in the Tampa-St Petersburg area, we decided to drive down to Sarasota to visit the Ringling art museum. Nice that they are open on Mondays, which they call Legacy Days and so offer free admission. It is an impressive campus that includes the Ringlings' home and the Ringling Circus museum. For our visit, it was strictly the art museum. And we had no wait once we provided our ZIP code. Despite the drizzle and chill, we enjoyed the walk from the main Venetian entrance to the Classical buildings housing the art museum, walking through the banyan trees and enjoying some wildlife in the pond. It is filled primarily with European Renaissance and Baroque paintings. Throughout the galleries, we saw some of the most well-known Renaissance artists, including Peter Paul Rubens, Canaletto, Veronese, and Tinoretto. Some of them fill the walls! I was also thrilled to see several ceramic works by the Della Robbia family. We enjoyed our visit here, and would consider a return visit to see Ca' d'Zan, the family home, and walk the gardens, weather permitting.

Lovely museum but awful experience in the restaurant where we were abused by female staff for not leaving large enough tip

Even if you have little interest of the history of the circus what you encounter here is amazing. You need to be prepared to walk as it is quite some way from the car park to ticketing but it’s worth the walk. The story of the Circus through Ringling Barnum & Bailey is fascinating and the exhibits are a feat of engineering and modelling in their own right. Another long walk to the mansion is even more astounding when you consider the opulence they lived in and it is preserved for us to see. Not a cheap day out with five in our party but we’ll worth a visit non the less.

As a magician, I grew up loving this circus. The most authentic aspect of there museum was the disrespect and racism from an older white staff there. I made a verbal complaint after being followed and told to “go somewhere else”, and instead of a refund the manager apologized told me that I should stay and enjoy the rest of the tour. Afterwards, I ate lunch and the feeling still lingered and I wanted to leave. No refund. So basically I paid for a really bad experience. Would I go back? Absolutely not. To be harassed like I was, I definitely do not recommend going here as a person of color. I added a picture of proof that I was there. F*** this place

We hesitated for a long time whether to take the time to visit this museum or do anything else. And then we decided to go there and I must say that we did really well and even fortunately that we did. Inside the largest private collection of European paintings. It's truly incredible to find all these works. And then there is the circus museum where we learn about the formidable engineering and phenomenal size of this circus. We were won over by the visit which is super interesting without ever being boring.

The Circus Museums were fantastic! The original art museum which houses John Ringlings art collection is one of the best I've seen and visited. The modern and contemporary art is boring. Seems there're stuck in the 50s, 60s and 70s. Photography exhibits mediocre. The Ca' d' Zan, which costs extra, was the biggest disappointment! Only the first floor was opened. There's really nothing but furniture from the era to look at, absolutely nothing was staged from the period. Even the dining room table was bare and empty! If you truly want to view how people from this period lived suggest you visit the Ford Edison Museum in Ft. Myers just south of The Ringling Museum. It's great and truly reflects the time period. This was my first, and the last time, I'll visit The Ringling.

The Ringling includes large, walkable grounds with sculptures, roses, banyan trees and other plants. The Ca'D'Zan is the mansion of John Ringling located directly on the bay and open to the public on 1st floor. Renovations were being made during our visit, but it did not interrupt our tour of the house. The circus museum was good, with an immaculate miniature circus that is must-see. The highlight to my wife and I was the Art Museum, as it was very well presented and featured much larger and nicer collection of paintings than I expected. Several Peter Paul Rubin paintings and a Velasqez were highlights for us. And the Ringling Cafe was pretty good place for lunch. We spent all day at the Ringling and were very entertained and educated.

While flipping thought a coffee table book at a local Sarasota hotel.,I saw the one of the best Venetian Gothic design architecture mansions I’ve seen in America. So off we and our family drove to get into his Winter home, art museum and his circus museum.
We were there for hours and I could have stayed longer but the grandkids had gotten bored after our long stay.
It is a testament to what a rich couple can purchase in some way it reminds me of what William Hurst had when he built his castle in Sam Simeon California.
These men and Rockefeller building romanesque gothic museum in Manhattan. They all bought paintings, furniture and desires back form Europe, so that the common people alike can view what most of them would never see unless they had the privilege of touring Europe themself.
It was definitely one of the highlights out of two trips to Florida.

...we've been multiple times and will go back again. The fine art museum is outstanding and every time we go we see something new.

So much information and history and art! The Ringling Museum and grounds are wonderful and well worth the time and ticket price. Don’t miss the Ringling House well worth the extra money! So interesting, make a day of it!

Very interesting and exciting to visit this perfect revisit of the circus, with a bonus of a wonderful art gallery, House to tour, beautiful views of the water, and a super meal at their VERY excellent restaurant. Don't miss this.

So much to see - allow at least 5 hours! Ca d Zan is a great house. The art museum has something for everyone. The circus museum was a small disappointment though. Expected more actual items from circuses and it was mostly mannequins and cardboard cutouts.

Love going to the Ringling. Never too crowded and just an amazing estate with incredible art. Give yourself about 2-3 hours for the art and to walk down to the water and see the estate.

We have seen the Circus exhibit before and it is really cool. Worth the few extra $

IF you are in Sarasota ..
I would rare this a must do. It is really 2 separate very different experiences.
One on hand the circus museum that does a nice job of balancing the history with artifacts that peels back the curtain giving the young and young at heart a glimpse of a world that no longer exists..Children will love it.
The other is an extensive art museum with contemporary juxtaposed with European master works..This museum is so big that one day does not seem like enough time.
In Sum,
This is a seemingly odd pairing that works...though I think either of the 2 parts would be capable as stand alone museums

Beautiful!!!! So much to see and do. Great place for a shady walk and go spend a day—— my mother zipped around happily on her mobility scooter!!!!!

My wife and I are members of The Ringling and it is such a bargain for what you get.

For instance, today we visited with members of my wife’s family and this time explored the Circus museum. It was absolutely incredible, just like the circus itself.

We started with the Howard Circus exhibit which is a miniature circus/diorama exquisitely crafted down to minute detail. It portrays all aspects of circus life - the trains hauling everything for the big show, the sideshow, menagerie, commissary/food tent, stables for horses, even the ticket booths with cash registers full of micro sized money. In the Big Top display there are hundreds of individually placed seats with people filling most of them. The pop corn and cotton venders have their products individually packaged. It miniaturizes 28 acres of circus into a few hundred feet of exhibit space that is mind blowingly beautiful and mesmerizing. They even play sound effects in the backyard ground and the lighting moves the displays through the day into the night and back to the day changing the lighting and displays to match.

And that’s just one exhibit, next you have the museum with circus equipment, memorabilia and interactive displays that all bring you the history and “what is was like” to life. They have John and Mable Ringling’s Pullman Train car on display showing you how the rich traveled at the turn of the 20th Century. There is simply not enough time and typesetting to tell the true breadth of this museum experience. So I hope the photos and video give you some idea.

The circus museum and the gift shop deserve their own listing here on trip advisor. Fully a five star (dot) experience.

We went on a Monday when the gardens and art museum was free and wow did it deliver. We started by walking the gardens and around the porch at Ca d’Zan taking in the beautiful views. Then we proceeded to the art museum and were blown away by not just the pieces but the architectural pieces they brought as well. The recordings on the website were really fun and helpful for those that prefer listening to reading, I just wish that there were a few more of them.

They have an excellent collection of Ruben's. Has a lot of unique art from John Ringling personal collection. One of kind items.
On Monday you can go for free,

Head to the Ringling Art Gallery. My husband and I really enjoyed checking out the art gallery and grounds! We went on a Monday (complimentary admission to most exhibits) right when they were opening at 10:00. We spend nearly 2 hours there and when we were leaving there was a long line to gain entry so I recommend going when they open as we did. The grounds at the gallery felt like we stepped into Europe. Afterwards we headed to L & L Hawaiian Barbecue for lunch. 👍👍

Beautiful grounds! Museums were unbelievable. You must go into the miniature circus room. The train car was also a highlight. So much fun. Restaurant was excellent too.

What a fantastic experience to learn the history circuses, especially The Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus. It is hard to believe how they would set up and move entire circus as often as every day.

The Howard Bros Circus Model  is amazing. The model is a historically accurate rendition of an early twentieth-century circus that demonstrates the ability of the circus to move this enormous entertainment venue on a daily basis.

The museum was amazing. The docent tour is a must to understand the art and why it was selected. The grounds are huge. The rose garden has no rose bushes. A little direction would have been helpful to figure out the layout.

$25/adult. All indoors and air-conditioned. Located on the same property with Ca' d'Zan, the Ringling Florida mansion.

There are two parts to the museum…
The first part is a huuuuge miniature display of circus grounds – I think it covers almost 4,000 sq ft. It includes everything that was part of the circus coming to town: the trains bringing in animals, people, equipment, etc. and unloading, the Midway, all of the behind-the-scenes areas like the dining tent for performers and workers, the different areas where animals were housed, etc. It is just an unbelievably extensive and interesting display all in miniature with lots of signage.

The second part is a regular museum with displays about the history of circuses, well-known performers, and all of the typical acts in a live circus (animal, clowns, aerialists, oddities, etc.)

I like museums and I like reading all of the signage, so I spent about 2-1/2 hours there.
Note: If you will be visiting with anyone in your party who does not clearly understand how circuses worked from 1900-1950, please, pleeeeease explain it to them ahead of time. Don’t wait until you are walking through the museum – (A) they won’t get as much out of their visit, and (B) it spoils the experience for others to constantly overhear, “What do you mean the animals came on the train?”, “Why do they have a tent?” etc.

See other reviews from this trip:
Sarasota, FL: The John and Mabel Ringling Mansion ("Ca'd'Zan”), The Marie Selby Botanical Garden.
Venice, FL: The Crow’s Nest, Sharky’s on the Pier.
Key West, FL: The Hogfish Grill (on next-door Stock Island), Ernest Hemingway House, Harry Truman’s Little White House, Trolley Tour, Key West First Legal Rum Distillery, The Lobster Shack, Hot Tin Roof, Santa Maria Suites.
Key Largo, FL: Holiday Inn, Skipper’s Dockside Restaurant, Key Largo Princess II Glass Bottom Boat Tour.
Ft. Myers, FL: Edison/Ford Winter Estates.
Punta Gorda: Laishley’s Crab House.

We enjoyed our visit to the Ringling museum in Sarasota. We especially enjoyed seeing the mansion where the family lived - so beautiful. There is a rose garden, but it was not fully in bloom in March when we visited. I enjoyed watching the video of the clown putting on his make-up.

Well worth the visit. A lot to take in in one trip. The Classical European Art and the Oriental Collections are worthy of considerable reflection. The grounds, indoors and out, are impeccably maintained. A friendly staff is ready to assist. Don't miss it if you are in or around Sarasota..

Monday's are free! Its a nice thing to do for the price. The grounds are beautiful. Highly recommend you make time to visit!!

A must see if you are visiting Sarasota!!!
Great park, great views, a lot of pictures spots.
I almost forgot to mention great art!!
This place is spectacular!

Visited with family of grandmother, mom and dad, 3 college students and 1 HS student. Museum grounds a very pretty. There are three things to see: the mansion built by John Ringling, the Ringling art museum with renaissance, Asian, and some modern art, and the Circus museum. The circus museum is probably the most interesting actually. Allow a few hours.

This is a MUST do in Sarasota. Allow a full day to tour model circus, circus museum, family home and gardens. Wonderful day seeing circus wagons, Ringling train car, miniature circus, amazing home and gorgeous gardens. Great place for lunch - choices are high end restaurant, Starbucks and a snack venue that was closed. My friends had raved about the home - exceeded expectations. If you don't pay to tour the grounds walk around the home. Parts of the Ringling are free on Mondays.

Staff throughout the Ringling were pleasant, but no one was very outgoing or helpful. We went on April 1, Sunday while on vacation.
The hand carved/ created miniature circus in the first museum was the star of the show. It was amazing in size and detail. It is described as being created from circus pictures taken over the decades and interviews with family members (maybe form circus performers, too). A helpful tip we did get was to watch the short video overview - that was really helpful.
We opted for the less expensive app tour version of the Ca'd'zan didn't work well for me. The grounds were ok, but I was hoping for more. The rose garden needed work - could be it was just April. The museum was in two building. The second museum had the circus wagons which were very colorful, definitely gave you a taste of how different it would have been and how they created a spectacle to attract the public to come to the circus. In this building was John Ringling's personal train car. Great piece of history with several luxuries of the time.
The miniature circus display could easily be looked at for a day if you like model trains or are a circus history buff.

I have to admit that I didn't expect to like this place as much as I did. Yeah the grounds and buildings and artifacts were pretty and interesting, but it was the huge model circus that was so impressive. So many details and model vignettes about life in a traveling circus. Great mix of videos, real artifacts and stuff of the time with which to engage. Hard to describe - if you're there, just go!

We went to the Ringling Museum on a Monday when the Art Museum has free entrance, which is a great offering! WOW! The grounds are stunning, the building is opulent and the art! There is so much art it's hard to take it all in! There is a huge variety of time periods from the medieval period to modern instillations and everything in between. Regardless of your taste in art there is something for everyone! Even if your not the biggest art lover, it is truly something to see!

We only had time to do the art museum, but if we're in the area again we'll do the grounds tour, Ca' d'Zan Mansion and the circus museum for sure!

A very nice set of buildings and exhibits. Cool circus artifacts, interesting art museum, beautiful rose garden and grounds. The restaurant must be good because it was full. This was way better than we expected. Highly recommend spending time here. It's a lot of outdoor walking between the buildings, so be prepared based on the weather.

My girlfriend and I visited this place while down in Floriday for Thanksgiving. We had a few extra days and spent a wonderful afternoon at The Ringling. There was so much to see, and so many details, we both agreed that we will have to return.

It feels like you are in Europe: stunning palace, gigantic museum full of art and history, regal gardens, etc. Be prepared for a full day (or at least half a day) to enjoy everything it has to offer.

So much to see. Plan on at least a couple of hours to really enjoy all of the art and other things to see around the property. I don't want to say to much because I don't want to ruin it for anyone, however what I will say is this really wasn't my thing.... At 1st, but after we got there and started walking around and seeing and learning things, I really enjoyed it. I would say definitely do NOT mark it off your list 😊

Basically impossible to do in one day. Mondays are free (most of it). Arrive early. Cafe line can be very long. I suggest you read up before hand and focus on the parts you like the best.

Interesting things to discover. Beautiful grounds. The 2 circus museums were filled with cool nd fun things to look at. The miniature circus alone was worth the trip. We also toured the house which was informative and fun to admire. The on site grill was fantastic for lunch. You don’t want to miss this gem.

The circus museum had interesting artifacts and the replica circus model was unique and well done. The art collection was fantastic!

We would have liked there to have been more for the children to do at the circus museum.

The house tour was totally worth it. I liked being able to scan a code & use my phone to listen to the history on my cell phone & explore at my own pace. The grounds were immaculate, the art museum had top artists, the circus museum has done a great job restoring it all to its glory days & saving Americana. My teenager’s favorite part was a miniatures circus display —all done by one man!
Only negative was that there were not enough video rooms. We wanted to teach the kids something about the early lives of the Ringling Brothers. And how the buyout took place from Barnum & Bailey. And The current state of circuses & similar events. And what the future holds. And Interviews today of elderly people reminiscing the good ole days. So many missed opportunities. And (perhaps for an extra fee) videos of circuses from start to end using old footage.

The Board is focusing on the wrong things. We don’t need to see more art being acquired. We need more video rooms showing our young people about how circuses played a role in shaping America.
Still, 5 Stars for sure

This was an amazing experience - it took us about 5 hrs to roam through the facility. Get the house ticket as well as the GA ticket.

This is such a neat place! I could go again. It has a historical home, circus museum and art gallery. Gorgeous plants and scenery throughout the property.

We loved the Ringling Museum. When we visited, it was raining with cats and dogs. Parking was easy.
The miniatures of the circus set up was fantastic!
It was so nice to see such a collection of items in one area in several buildings.
The staff was nice and helpful.

This is a magnificent property to wander around. The design of the rose garden is beautiful as well as the trees and other greenery on the property.

Wonderful museum bringing back childhood memories of the circus . Circ sole is fantastic but the real circus is Americana . The miniatures were amazing and beyond. The man hours of doing this is unreal

An afternoon didn’t seem long enough 💗 we all had a great time. We visited the gardens, the circus museum, the experience mansion tour and quickly walked through art museum before closing. We also had sandwiches from food truck waterfront.
We arrived at 12 but could have easily opened and closed by spending more time in the gardens and art museum. April weather was perfect the day we went.
So much nostalgia, history, art, nature and beauty (natural and man made.) great place for a picnic lunch too. We saw dolphins swim by.

totally delightful day of viewing and experiencing this museum and grounds and the first floor of the John Ringling house.

Outstanding attraction. We spent hours at the mansion, on the magnificent grounds and the museums. Plan on spending a minimum of three hours there but you could spend even longer. Fabulous experience

Fun way to spend a few hours. Went with some young adults, one of which even said that while they don’t normally enjoy museums, it was a hit!

This house is beautiful with so many architectural features. The home also has an incredible view of the ocean. A wonderful tour. A very ornate and beautiful home to tour.

Never in a million years would I expect to write an EXCELLENT review for a property & the possessions of a man/family/enterprise like this. It was completely unexpected. The grounds are beautiful (suggest walking them first in the early part of the morning if you want to see some birds & enjoy a bit of peace & quiet before the tour groups descend). Enjoyed lunch out on the Cafe terrace as well (even though they were obviously short-staffed when we visited); the food was quite good.

Wow! What a gift the Ringlings made to the state of Florida. This is a very special place. Set aside three plus hours to totally imerse yourself. The history, the beauty and the whimsy are worth the time. The mansion is worth thew price. The art is exceptional and the circus history is nostalgic. A must visit in Sarasota.

We went when it opened to walk through the gardens, amazing banyan trees, nice shady paths, and the stunning home on the water. We did not pay extra to go inside the 1st level of the house. We were surprised to enjoy the circus museums, especially the stunning miniature exhibit showing a day in the life of the circus. The museum is a beautiful pink structure surrounding a garden courtyard. Nice indoor activity, a changeup from beach. We spent about 2.5 hrs there and covered most of it. Bring walking shoes, it covers a large expanse of property. I never saw the trolley that was written about.

The Ringling Museum is one of the top attractions in Sarasota and definitely worth a visit if you are in the area. It is centered around John Ringling, one of the Ringling Brothers of circus fame. It consists of 3 attractions:

1) Circus museum: Broken down into two buildings, there are numerous exhibits and artifacts covering the bygone era of the traveling circus, and more modern circuses. We got to learn a lot about circuses when they were by far some of the biggest events.

2) Art museum: A collection of primarily European paintings and artwork. In the middle of the building is a large courtyard with a variety of sculptures including a replica of Michaelangelo’s statue of David.

3) Ca' d'Zan: The mansion of John Ringling situated by Sarasota Bay. Note that visiting the inside of the mansion requires an add-on to normal admission.

Would recommend spending at least half a day to cover the entire place and also view the gardens surrounding the buildings. Free parking is available across the street from the entrance. Tickets can be purchased at the visitor’s center where there is also a gift shop and a restaurant that I highly recommend.

What a great experience. So glad we took our friends advise and went. The Ca’D’Zan was absolutely beautiful. Felt like I was back in time. The Circus Museums brought back lots of memories from when I was a kid and went to the circus. Lots of good information. The Museum of Art was phenomenal. All I can say is wow!

We had a great time getting to see the miniature circus set up the home with John Ringling was limited but still delightful and of course all the paintings from the 1800s in the Southern Miss building were incredible

We visited here as a family. So much to see! The circus exhibits are amazing!! The miniature circus model was wonderful. The rail car from John Ringling was great also. The mansion tour was very interesting. Large art collection in 21 galleries. Mondays parts of the museum are free.

Plan for hours spent seeing interesting things. It was much better than we anticipated. the miniature circus alone would have been worth while but there was so much more. We enjoyed the house tour and the art museum also. The eating facilities were inadequate for the number of visitors and members of our group who are vegan could not find suitable options.

This is certainly a diverse stop. The circus museum is an interesting display of artifacts and the miniature lay out is fascinating. Then there is the much more sophisticated art museum with an impressive collection of religious art. The audio guidance is well done but I would guess a live docent would be better. There is also a very nice little restaurant available. Definitely worth a visit.

Lots to see! The miniature circus exhibit was so cool. Make sure to see the house on the property! We also saw the circus show. It was delightful.

We've written over 1,000 reviews on this site. We have visited sites all around the globe. And if you are in Sarasota, we say, "come visit this wonderful place." Why is that?

The Ringling is more of a campus than a single site. While there are other attractions, there are three main parts: (1) A museum about The Ringling Brothers Circus that has historical interest, but also some just plain interest; (2) The Caza d'an mansion, which is both fun and beautiful; and (3) the Art Museum. Let's take them in turn.

The first museum you come across on this large park/complex relates to The Ringling Brothers Circus. The centerpiece of this is an enormous diorama of sort relating to all of the technical and logistical support for a circus, coupled with what the spectators would actually have seen. The creator spent something like 5 decades of his life creating this vision, and it is spectacular. After seeing it, you can only imagine what it would have been like as a farmer in the late 1800s seeing a train roll in, a mini-city being created on the spot, and then a day of zoos, curiosities, and an hours-long spectacular show. This had to be the experience of a lifetime for many of our ancestors.

This is also coupled with actual memorabilia from the circus, the best of which consists of calliopes (you know, those organ-like things we associate with circuses) and clown gear, as well as exhibits on acrobats and the proverbial lion tamers. It's a window into another world.

Onto the next. For an additional fee, you can see John Ringling's mansion the Ca' d'an, which roughly translates into "John's castle." Get it? It's just a short walk within the park, but it is beautiful and has many fun elements. The first floor is large and impressive. There is a special tour if you want to see the second floor, but if you want that you will definitely want to book in advance as it was sold out the day we visited.

Last stop. Ringling was an art collector and the Art Museum now houses that collection. He apparently had a taste for older works so much of the art consists of oils from the old masters. They have an entire gallery devoted to Peter Paul Ruben's Triumph of the Eucharist series, but also have other works from Rubens (several paintings), Hals, Tintoretto, Poussin, Snyders, Veronese, the workshop of Rembrandt, and others.

In that vein, we tend towards Impressionist art. Towards the center of the galleries is an astonishing piece by Jean-Joseph Beverly-Constant (yes, his name has lots of hyphens) of the Byzantine emperor Justinian (he built the Hagia Sophia in what is now Istanbul). The painting has a tortured history, but it has been carefully restored and commands the room. The room also has works by Rosa Bonheur, who I believe to be the first woman to win the First Medal at the Paris Salon in the mid-1800s. The same room has a snippet (although it is still very large) of a painting that was something like 400 feet long showcasing hundreds of France's prominent citizens over roughly 75 years. The figures in this part included Bizet (composer of the opera Carmen), composer Jules Massenet, and actress Sarah Bernhardt.

We saw some tours being conducted, but also found that many of the docents in the galleries themselves were extremely knowledgeable and wanted to tell you more about the paintings, so I wouldn't hesitate to ask them.

All in all, you have three terrific attractions in one attractive site that is easy to walk around.

Very nice small museum, good works, mostly Italian, nice gardens with statues, (it was part of the Ringling family house, their private collection) very friendly people, nice fact for travelers... in the museum store there is some vases of works of art, made of flat plastic that open when you put water, good for making nice gifts that don't bulk up or weigh!!

This was a difficult review, I’d rate the Ringling Circus Museum which amounts to 2 different buildings 5*, but I’d rate the Ringling Art Museum 2.*. The Circus displays are excellent, but the Ringling Art Museum is average at best. The 2 Circus buildings containing: the miniature circus model, costumes, wagons, props, and history- all extremely well done. But, the Ringling Art Museum was very disappointing. It does have quantity, but very few items are by well known artists. I’d only visit the Circus Museum- it was fantastic!

Plan to spend a day at The Ringling in Sarasota, Florida. It is the legacy of Mable and John Ringling, the circus mogul, entrepreneur and art collector, and includes the art museum, the circus museum, the Ringling's mansion Ca' d'Zan, the Asolo Theater, McKay Visitor's Pavilion, the Kotler-Coville Glass Pavilion, the Johnson-Blalock Education Building, the Ringling Art Library, Cuneo Conservation Lab, the Tibbals Learning Center and miniature circus, the Searing Wing, the Chao Center for Asian Art and the Monda Gallery for Contemporary Art. The centerpieces are the 36,000-square-foot, 56-room Ca' d'Zan and the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art. Established in 1927 as a legacy of the Ringlings for the people of Florida, the Museum of Art has been operated by Florida State University since 2000. Located at 5401 Bay Shore Road, it offers 21 galleries of European paintings as well as Cypriot antiquities and Asian, American and contemporary art. The museum's art collection consists of more than 10,000 objects that include a variety of paintings, sculpture, drawings, prints, photographs and decorative arts from ancient through contemporary periods and from around the world. The most celebrated items are 16th through 20th century European paintings, including a world-renowned collection of Peter Paul Rubens. Other artists represented include Thomas Gainsborough, Benjamin West, Diego Velazquez, Eugene Boudin, Marcel Duchamp, Paolo Veronese, Rosa Bonheur, Giuliano Finelli and Benedetto Pagni. Ringling hired architect John H. Phillips to design the museum. The pink Italianate museum is reminiscent of a Renaissance palazzo with its U-shaped design and long loggias enveloping a courtyard. The two wings of the museum, which originally contained a total of 21 galleries, are connected by a marble bridge, upon which stands a bronze replica of Michelangelo's David.

I have seen many Gilded Age mansions and they all have a lot of similarities. The Ringling mansion is much more interesting because they incorporated a lot of unusual items from their circus. Columns with monkeys hanging out as opposed to Greek doric collums.

We spent a lovely day there
It was very pleasant to visit the different buildings and exhibition and spend some time outside to make rhe most of the gardens and enjoy the view of the Bay.

This is a fabulous Art Museum (free on Mondays). If you are going, go early when they first open because within an hour, the line is really long.

They have loads of humungous paintings. Also, some neat old furniture, a harpsichord, some beautiful marble entryways and fireplaces. In the garden between the wings of the museum were loads of beautiful sculptures. Well worth visiting this part of the museum.

The only thing I absolutely hated was the exhibit by some fabric artist, Shinique Smith, who had multiple displays of fabric on huge stands which were probably supposed to look like people and have some meaning. WHAT A WASTE OF MATERIAL!! Please, Ringling, MOVE this stuff elsewhere. It DOES NOT BELONG in a lovely museum of paintings!! It is simply stupid!!

According to the Ringling description, "several of her large-scale sculptures, along with smaller works, will be displayed in the permanent collection galleries of the Museum of Art." UGH!

YUK!!! Simply YUK!!!!! You are putting these GHASTLY pieces alongside beautiful old furniture and marble work. SERIOUSLY??? Who thought this was appropriate? I listened to other visitors passing by this stuff and wanting to know WHY this artist didn't spend her time making CLOTHING from these pieces of material!!!

I didn't expect this museum to have such a rich collection. It's worth a visit. I recommend buying a full ticket. Ringling's residence is very nice. By the way, they offer free admission to the Art Museum and The Big Show every Monday. If you have time, you can try it.

We stopped in at The Ringling as we were passing through Sarasota, FL. We only had about an hour and a half before we had to get back on the road. We would have loved spending twice that amount of time here! We spent our time in the circus museum and were so intrigued. I felt a smile grow across my face as I walked in and saw these memories and I think I smiled all the way through. Mr. Tibbal’s circus display is absolutely incredible. You could walk around it 10 times and find new things each time. The circus posters, the family train, the wagons, and the other memorabilia were so neat to see. I guess I never realized that this much went into making the circus happen. I hope to return to Sarasota to visit again and see the rest of the grounds and the art museum here. I would highly recommend a stop here!

Was looking for something educational to do with my 6 yr old and thought this would be fun to check out, even though to be honest I didn’t have high hopes, and wow I was pleasantly surprised!

This place has an impressive collection of art, we walked around for 2 hrs and we didn’t see everything, like you could definitely spend an entire day here.

If you are in the area this is a MUST SEE!

Must see place - great to see the large scale circus empire of John Ringling and their residential life style! It was great to spend time by their water side 20 acre property by the water and greenery

A wonderful time at this venue with multiple museums; all of which are terrific doors. They have amazing docents who assist visitors with their questions snd impart dine excellent information. A lovely restaurant is on the premesis as well as several other lighter fare spots to dine. The work on the circus exhibit are incredible . Really a great spot to vidit snd we enjoyed ourselves. Vine snd fiend the day.

We enjoyed our visit to The Ringling museum and Ca’d’Zan. The grounds are beautiful and the museums are very interesting. Plan to spend at least 2 hours, though we spent the majority of the day lingering.

This is a must see if in the area. We really enjoyed the miniature circus. It is hard to imagine what went into these productions and setups. Great time in America back then. The grounds are nice and spread out and just a nice place to relax. We would have eaten at the on-site restaurant but this day it was "reservation only".

Bad communication at the window. We paid $25 for entrance plus $10 to go to the mansion, only they show us the first floor we asked how about all the house? They said is different price. Really?

Great way to spend a day with the kids. Very interesting artworks to see in a beautiful calm place. Very peaceful, and beautiful. Can only recommend.

This exhibit was recommended by a fellow Rotarian where i live. Outstanding presentation. A part of America!!!! Well worth the admission which was not bad. Will take a little over an hour to see or perhaps a little longer. Would recommend to spend a little more and go to the Ringling Mansion. WOW!!!

The Ringling mansion was bizarre! Each and every room was a great experience. Not like most mansions I have toured.

I was most interested in seeing the circus museum. Only made it thru the first of two circus-focused buildings because I am slow museum person! Staff very friendly and museum was very nice and interesting. Gift shop is fun too.

Interesting history of the Ringling Family and the Circus. Old art works and memorbilia. Views of the water from the house and patio areas are lovely. Grounds have old Banyon trees and a rose garden. Lovely day trip. Free on Mondays!

We walked a lot to all the sections of the museum which is quite large. Beautiful buildings and displays. The art museum deserves more time than we allowed ourselves. Priceless art! The restaurant onsite was great, too.

The mansion is amazing! The entire property takes at least one day to drink it all in! Friday we got reservations for the Summer Circus and had an incredible time! The performers all excell at their crafts! Enjoy lunch at the Ringling Grill. The food is delicious! The art museum works are breathtaking! The Circus museum is pure delight!

Very very nice family activity for a rainy day. The kids had a great time and we did too. Some very fine and famous artworks. Outdoor is beautiful. The kids really enjoyed the circus part, especially the train thingy!

Been to the museum many times since I am a native of St Petersburg Fl - but a first for my husband… literally get goose bumps as I walk in and see the massive paintings in the first gallery. Love that all the volunteers are so knowledgeable about the history and works and love to share to help visitors experience. The museum itself and grounds are a work of art and a true gift!

We only visited the Circus Museum and the grounds. The circus museum was worth visiting, but it was less than I expected. The giant model of the circus was educational. It skips over much about the lives of the circus performers and workers - no sense of who these people were. Not a lot about the cities/towns they played. Thin on artifacts. Some good info on the Ringling Brothers.

It is two buildings and we almost missed out on the second building due to poor signage. You can walk past the entrance to the second circus building. and not notice it.

Beautiful grounds and rose garden.

My sense is that the art museum is the real attraction and the circus museum is secondary.

What treat! We started with the Circus museum and it’s wonderful (and huge!) diorama of what the Big Top was really like. Do take time to read all the signs along the way…what a fantastic display. We included the first floor tour of the main house and it was worth it. The art museum is huge and courtyard fantastic!
Plan on 3 hours minimum to take it all in.
This a a must stop. It gets busy so consider buying tickets on-line to save time a check-in.

This was amazing! Far more than I expected. We spent more than 90 minutes at the mini circus. The detail is incredible!

We missed the 2nd floor of the house because of hurricane damage. It was still great to see.

The grounds are impeccable!

This is a gem! You want to tour a historic mansion and learn about the rich in the roaring 20s? You want to see the magic and learn about the incredible logistics and planning of the circus? You want to tour 10 centuries of European art masterpieces? You want to just walk beautiful grounds with several amazing banyan trees? You can do it all at the Ringling Museum. Definitely do the $10 add for the historic home tour. Big shout out to the staff. The woman who checked us in was awesome. Gave us great suggestions to maximize our visit and when we were cutting it close on time in the art museum at the end of the day, one of the staff there helped us to make sure we got to enjoy as much as possible.

Even if you are not an enthusiastic circus-goer, a visit to this museum, including the huge garden and villa, is worthwhile.

He gives all the tours: the house, the garden, the art museum and the Circus museums. Everything was magnificent, we were a family with teenagers who really liked it: incredible house with little tour, view of the ocean, walk in the superb gardens. Atypical but very well presented Circus Museums. The Art Museum is also a must. A must do in Sarasota.

We have a condo on Lido Key in Sarasota, FL and try to get there every year anytime from Novemebr through April. Although January weather can be cool at times, the beaches at Lido and Siesta keys are wonderful, but an get crowded during season and especially on weekends. There is currently quite a bit of construction including the completion of a "roundabout" on Gulfstream leading to Lido, St. Armands, Bird Key and the southern end of Longboat Key, making aut travel tricky and slow.

I love the museum, the mansion, and the grounds. Spend a day here. It is so worth it. Particularly if you love the circus! Great history!

We enjoyed our day at the Ringling. The grounds and gardens were lovely. The art museum was wonderful and the mansion was exquisite!

We were totally surprised and thrilled. Really an absolutely great museum, we never expected that! And then we were also lucky enough to have been there on a Monday where admission was free!

I had a great time here with my family. The grounds are beautiful. The Mansion is under renovation. However visitors can go to the back by Sarasota Bay and see the beautiful ground and building. The Art Musem was educational and interesting to see Ringling's collection. The Circus Museum was amazing as they put a model together of a circus. The Museum store is unique and has great adult and children's items. The café on the 2nd floor had a lot of choices.

The museum is on the FSU campus. This definitely confused me when I arrived. In addition, it's TWO separate museums. The circus museum and museum of art. Only the Museum of Art is open late on Thursdays.

Circus museum was very cool. I feel like it could be taken up a notch considering it's about the CIRCUS, but they did a good job showing the general history of the circus and had a few small interactive exhibits.
The miniature display is fascinating and I'd recommend you give yourself plenty of time to look through all of the intricacies. There was a second floor I had to rush through because the museum was closing.

The Museum of Art is impressive. Traditional art museum, so if you like art, this is a must stop. I'm not cultured, so I can only appreciate the talents, but am not educated on the history.

I was raining so didn't get to explore the grounds, but seems romantic and a nice walk.

You will want to make this an entire day trip. There is so much to see and read about the history of the Ringling that you cannot see this in just 2 hours. We drove up early and even then the parking lot was fairly full. Once we entered the lobby we purchased our tickets and also reserved a time for lunch in their Grill. We did not purchase tickets for the Ca’ d’ Zan Mansion (first floor only open). We loved, loved, loved all the miniature displays, trains and the gardens. The views were astonishing and the Art all impressive. Don’t rush through this exhibit, it is worth the time to take it all in. Will revisit.

The grounds are lovely and the mansion beautiful. We toured the first floor of the mansion with the free audio tour. We also visited the Circus museums. Those were fun, with interactive exhibits.

We arrived right when it opened and headed right to the mansion first. Loved it. We then toured the gardens while there were very little people out and about. The art gallery was interesting but could of skipped that. The circus exhibits were good just wished their were more of them. Well worth the trip to Sarasota.

This is a fabulous place to visit especially if you like the circus. The historic photos and the restored train cars are amazing. The miniature recreation of the Big Top is like walking back in time. It is fun and educational. The gardens and art museum are a big bonus. Wear your walking shoes, you will need them! Plan on lunch on the Grill Room patio for a much needed break as well as some delicious food.

Plan an extended visit, and you will be able to enjoy the circus museums, house tour, and amazing art museum. Stand in the courtyard of the art museum with the bronze sculptures, and notice the imported columns and badges all around, plus the sculptures atop the roof, and you'll feel like you've been transported to Italy. It really paid to be one of the richest men in America a century ago, and he left quite a legacy.
The restaurant there also has good food.

We wish we had more time to explore everything, but we did what we could in an hour and a half and enjoyed the experience at the Ringling. We went to both circus museums and did not have time to tour the mansion. The check-in attendants were very helpful where we purchased the tickets as well as the attendants in the first circus museum. The self-guided tour gives you a great perspective on the history of the circus and all that it entailed 100 years ago and the people that made it all happen.

What a remarkable museum. We loved the artifacts from the circus over the years. The scaled replica of the circus was the highlight and we delighted in finding unique pieces that told their own story. What precision and patience. The Ringling home was also stunning and interesting. We got through the art museum in a little over an hour, as we are not big art critics.

This was my second visit and it did not disappoint. We loved the setting, the tour of the house, the waterfront walk, the abundant, well identified flora, the restaurant and most of all the circus museums. The latter is worth the price of admission and provides a wonderful sense of the massive industrialized industry the circus was. The diarama in the big top building is magnificent - probably the best I have ever seen. Do not miss it. Lots of free parking and easy access. Great availability of complementary wheel chairs. Well informed docents, volunteers and security staff.

Way more than a circus museum; The Mansion was more of a Great Gatsby experience along with a world class art museum.
Review of The Ringling
Pending review

As other reviewers have noted, there is just so much more here than just a circus museum. John Ringling and his wife Mable were serious, well-healed art collectors, gardeners, epicureans and fashion plates as a start. The mansion is really mid 1920's extravagance out of a Fitzgerald novel! The art museum has some major pieces of renaissance art and the galleries are overwhelming in their quality and piece count. The Ringling's life story is also a great read and visiting there made us look up even more details of their storied lives. And don't forget the gardens.
And the circus museum; well it's a circus museum. It really made us think of how it's a part of vanished Americana. Entire towns shut down for the circus; it was THE event. Too bad children don't have something so massive and magical to look forward to anymore...just different sizes of screens.

This was my second visit to the Ringling Museum. I enjoyed both visits tremendously! I have always liked walking through historic homes to see how people lived in the past, I also am fascinated by the huge miniature circus display. Kudos to the creator of such magnificence. The beautiful and extensive art collection is housed in an amazing building. And last but not least I need to mention the beautiful grounds all this is built upon. What a peaceful place to be walking around to admire roses, statues, fountains and Mangrove trees. Well worth a visit!

The models were informative. You get a sense of how a circus operated during the first half of the 20th century

I prefer original artifacts. The private 1904 Pullman car "Wisconsin" was an unexpected exhibit. Do not miss viewing the interior of this rolling piece of history.

The surrounding wagons gave a sense of the magnitude of the operation. Now I really know what it means to "get on the band wagon."

There is a lot to see, including the grounds and the mansion on the bay. Allow at least 2+ hours.

There are limited dining or food outlets. Unless you have made reservations at the on-site museum Grill Room, plan to eat before or after your visit

No more trams at the Ringling Museum of Art! Was planning on attending a "Ringling on the Bay" event, 5/6/24, 6:00-8:00 pm and called ahead to make sure my walking impaired wife would have access to a tram. The answer was that the trams have been discontinued. They offered a wheel chair or suggested we let security know our need and possibly they could arrange something. I just wanted anyone planning a visit to the Ringling complex to be aware of this change and plan accordingly.

This is a must see! So much fun and so much history. This place is a true treasure for the state of Florida and the country. I still am amazed at the miniature exhibit that was basically done by one individual that shows the entire circus set up. Plus the home of the Ringlings is absolutely spectacular.

A MUST go! It is sad that the circus does not exist any longer. However, learning on how it started and the planning, and organization of the circus is well worth the visit.

We had no idea what to expect when we signed up for the Ringling Museum and the Art Museum tour. It was phenomenal! Such treasures and history! The miniature circus is unbelievably detailed. The art museum is over the top - just like John Ringling was! No need to visit Italy or France - you can view all the masters right here in Sarasota!

It could have been better, a lot better. We were return visitors and expected a bit more.
The circus museum is great by itself—but not when the inside building temperature appears to be in the mid 50s and the visitors are freezing (most wearing shorts and T shirts) and the employees that have to work are freezing, too. The staff we asked said it couldn’t get it fixed til sometime next week. What a waste of electricity plus it is hard on the a/c equipment.
The grounds got hammered by last falls storm and look awful. Replacement of the plants has not begun yet.
All in all not a great day at the Museum and grounds.

What a great experience. Never knew a lot about history of the circus and everything that went into putting on the show in the early years. The Howard Brothers Circus Model did a great job of explaining and showing what it was like in the early days when there was a big top where circuses performed. The historical artifacts on display were sensational. It was also interesting to find out about all of the Ringling brothers. We also toured John and Mabel Ringling's home. What a magnificent place and the view from the house is breath taking.

The time said leave 2 to 3 hours I say you need more. Depending on the package you can see 2 circus museums, the Ringling house right on the water and a ton of art in the museum. We easily did over 10k steps. The house is beautiful, the art was fine but if you aren’t art lover than maybe not and the Circus museums were impressive. They had one giant room with a miniature town with Circus tents set up. It must have taken years to finish

Definitely worth a day. Large, beautiful museum. Fascinating home. Fun circus museum. Magnificent gardens. Even a nice restaurant. Helpful audio guides.

Tons of fun but I needed a full day to see this place! The museum is huge and full of great RIngling history.

The Ringling in Sarasota, Florida, is easy to reach, with free parking about a block from the entrance. If you have a NARM (North American Reciprocal Museum) pass, admission is free, except for Ca’ d’Zan, the Ringlings’ opulent Venetian-style mansion, which is only a small portion of the entire property.

This expansive cultural complex celebrates the legacy of circus entrepreneur John Ringling and his wife Mable. It includes:
• John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art – Established in 1927 and opened to the public in 1930, it features European masterpieces, ancient and medieval works, Asian art, and pieces from the couple’s personal collection.
• Circus Museum – Opened in 1948, this vibrant, kid-friendly highlight is filled with colorful costumes, animal replicas, intricate miniatures, and engaging displays that bring the magic of the circus to life.
• Ca’ d’Zan – Completed in the 1920s, this grand mansion reflects the lavish style of the Roaring Twenties.
• Later additions – The Ting Tsung and Wei Fong Chao Center for Asian Art, added in 2016, expanded the museum’s global reach. We loved the block art here, much overlooked but the docent explained how labor intensive these are, WOW!
• State recognition – Designated as Florida’s official State Art Museum.

Visiting in August means you’ll be moving between humid outdoor spaces and very cool, air-conditioned interiors—bring a sweater if you’re not used to the temperature change.

What a wonderful time. The circus miniatures, which were beautiful and life like, was a fascinating time. It was amazing to see how much was involved to put up a circus and maintain it. I went to the circus as a young boy, but learned so much from this exhibit. Took about an hour. then we went into the other building where they had actual circus wagons etc and a lot more history.

This is a combination of several museums so it’s a nice way to spend a good part of your day. Some things appeal more than others but it was all interesting and we enjoyed our visit. Ca d’zan the house was limited to the first floor due to damage from the hurricane last year but it is interesting to see all the materials used in the rooms. I loved the kitchen with multiple stoves and dishes. Then there are two circus museers to walk through. Like so many others, we were amazed by the miniature circus set up. I was fascinated by the amount of people and tents needed for the behind the scenes work. Plus i looking at the various costumes and how they varied by task. Lastly there is a vast museum of art with copies of statuary on the courtyard in the middle. My husband was enamored with the renaissance art, one of his interests. He enjoyed it so much he bought the collection book. We were there for 4-6 hours to see everything. So much to see.

Great view of the bay from the John Ringling Mansion. Superb gardens and one of the best art museums in the world. The museum is free on Mondays.

Absolutely love it. Our favorite spot in Sarasota. You can also go to New College area and hang out with the dogs there

The property was immaculate! Spacious and I appreciate the amount of details put into the property. Everywhere I walked provided some form of information about the history! Workers were awesome!

The Ringling surprised us!! The circus museum especially. The miniature museum of a big top was fantastic to understand the scale of the event when the circus rolled into town. Even my husband loved it. The art Museum was good and you can quickly get through it.

Unfortunately the ringling mansion was CLOSED due to hurricane water damage. The Rose Garden was wiped out totally!!

On Mondays, the garden and museum tour is free. The grounds are lovely and the museum has a variety of art. Lovely if you enjoy art. No impressionist art though.

$25 will get you a tour of the Ringling Museum and $35 will include the house. Highly recommend going ahead and spending the $35. Our favorite was the tour of the circus museum. Phenomenal. The house self-guided tour was enjoyable too. The rose garden was ok-I’ve been to much better museums but the grounds are lovely and kid friendly with all the banyan trees and shade. Glad we did this.

Need a minimum of two-three hours. We spent two hours and that was enough but if you like to read everything, you’ll need at least three hours or more.

We visited both the circus museum and the mansion the museum with the recorded video and picture is fascinating while the mansion on the water with its old furniture indicates greatness never forget to visit

The museum , grounds, Mansion, expositions, art, collections, audio guide are excellent!
A lot of good information about John Ringling and his family,life and his greatest achievement - the Circus.
Everything was so great except the last few moments when we attempted to have a meal in the Museum Restaurant.
The rudeness and unprofessional handling of customers spoiled my impression a lot. Service and attitude was auful. WE were waiting for a glass of water on a hot day for 20 min. When approached the service women - we received a very rude response and a bottle of water was "thown at our table" with great anger.
I would not post it , but just saw a similar feedback left recently:
Pauline M from UK - left May 2023

With only one day, I chose to go on Monday and enjoy the free art museum and gardens. What a treat!
Read up ahead on website for many excellent details.
The take away is
What an amazing country. Simple people gained such wealth, and gave it to the people of Sarasota to enjoy.
Only the US could do this!

The Ringling campus encompasses several attractions, all of which are wonderful experiences. From the art museum to the private residence, it is easy to spend a whole day.

On our rainy beach getaway to Longboat Key, we were looking for an indoor activity. Checking on The Ringling, we learned that the Art Museum is free to the Public on Mondays. Arriving later afternoon the rain had subsided so it made an even better visit. We did the Glass Exhibit first then walked to the Art Museum. A lot to see of artwork especially renaissance. We thoroughly enjoyed strolling each room and learning about the artwork, it’s history, the painter, subject, and how it was acquired by the Ringling Museum. So much was brought to this country by John Ringling. He also transported rooms from Mansions in New York. There is a lot to see at the museum. We’d recommend an audio tour to visitors. Plus the gardens in the Museum area with many statues are fascinating too.

Today we went to the museum and gardens. It is free in Mondays. We definitely want to go back and see more another time. The artwork is beautiful! The gardens were so lovely. We enjoyed seeing it.

So much better than expected. The circus model in the museum is a must-see, the stroll around grounds is beautiful, the Ca’ d’Zan home is lovely. In Mondays, the art museum is free & worth seeing. There is also a really nice cafe. We spent the whole afternoon there & had a great time.

Spent about 5hrs at the Ringling. Art museum has some magnificent pieces and a decent audio guide. The cafe has a nice menu. Circus museum has a really wonderful model of the circus when it used to travel by train. Historic galleries were a little weak. Ca ‘d’zan still being repaired

Went here on a March 2024 trip to Anna Maria Island. We arrived in late afternoon, so we only had a couple of hours until the museum closed. We opted to walk through the Tibbel circus museum. That part was fantastic. The mini version of the circus is truly something to see. Photos don't do it justice. However, that was the only portion of the museum that was nice. The rest of the circus part was dated and kind of junky. None of the interactive exhibits were working. Costumes were old looking and dusty. We did not pay the extra money to view the first floor of the house. Also, due to the time constraints, we did not go through the art museum portion. The grounds are lovely. If you're a "plant person," I highly recommend walking through Mrs. Ringling's rose garden, especially if it's in bloom. The grounds would be a great place to bring a picnic lunch. Thought the admission price was steep for what we saw.

I went to the Howard Tibbel miniature circus museum.

It’s absolutely fascinating that one man made this display. From beginning to end it’s adorable. There are over 5,000 pieces.

A great place to take well behaved kids.

I’ve been to it at least 5 times and always find something new to look at.

The house and gardens are lovely. Should be seen at least once. The art museum is a great collection of art. For the circus buff the museum would be of interest.

Love the museum. Wonderful exhibits. Especially loved the miniatures of the circus set up. This is worth your visit. Allow extra time if you want to go to the art gallery.

Really did not know what to expect but had a wonderful experience. The art museum is amazing and the tour of the mansion is very cool. The grounds are beautiful.

A MUST DO when in Sarasota! Amazing, beautiful gardens and spend the $$ to tour the Ca'd'Zan! I'm not a circus person but this was phenomenal!

Greatly exceeded expectations. The gardens, circus museum, mini-circus replica and art museum were so interesting. Well worth the $35 admission. Leave yourself at least 2-3 hours.

Rubens' the Eucharist series was alone an exceptional experience. We found it difficult to value the copy of Venice architecture. And the circus museum together with that architecture and art.

Love the John & Mabel Ringling Estate and art museum…Great for an afternoon visit!
Art collection is astonishing. Gardens of Museum are good sized . The historical home is worth the visit. Circus museum is our favorite!

Worth Seeing. You could spend an entire day there walking the grounds and the art museum. We went on our last day and glad we took the time.

We enjoyed meandering around the grounds on the free Mondays. Which only include the grounds and art museum. Go early, the lines get long. Grounds are beautiful, wish we had time to go through the house and circus museum (additional fees) Make reservations at the restaurant if you want to eat there. A cafe and food truck are available on the grounds if you want low key. Museum has amazing sculptures and mostly religious art work in the classical section. We didn't go through the Asian, contemporary or modern art wings. Not a place I would take my teenagers

Awesome experience! Every staff member we encountered was extremely knowledgeable. The grounds, buildings and cafe we all immaculate. We didn’t know what to expect when planning our trip. We were pleasantly surprised. We must have been there over 3 hours and could have stayed longer.

We took the tour that included the entire house. What a magnificent home! Our docent was very informative and really knew a lot about the house and the people. The grounds are also beautiful. I didn't realize when I booked our tickets that they didn't include the circus bldg. Wish I would have known. It was confusing trying to find where to meet for the tour. Nobody gave us that information. We also had lunch in the Grill Room. Our server was friendly. We ordered a hamburger and a Cesar salad that we split. I was unimpressed with the food. I had expected the quality to be better.