The Wonder of The Ringling

The iconic attraction that Sarasota is most known for is The Ringling. It is mostly identified as a circus museum, but to my surprise, it was so much more than that. The Ringling is the full estate of John and Mable Ringling, the famous Barnum and Bailey owners and circus entertainers of the early 1900s. Situated on 66 acres, the property consists of the Circus Museum, the home and gardens of John and Mable, a Museum of Art, and the Historic Asolo Theater. I must admit, I have known about the “museum” for years and would have easily had the opportunity to visit it many times when I lived in the Tampa Bay area, but I never took the time because seeing a circus museum didn’t have much of a draw for me. I am of the age that I did get to experience a few Barnum and Bailey Circus performances as a young child. While my memories of this is very limited, I do recollect the feeling of excitement and anticipation of going to the “The Big Top.” When we decided on making our trip to Sarasota, I determined I could not feature the city well without recognizing their most popular and historical attraction and I am so glad I did. It not only brought back fond memories and smiles about all of the “larger than life” events of the circus, but it also spoke to my love of art, architecture, and nature.

Our day began at Ca’d’Zan, the mansion and architectural wonder of John and Mable Ringling. Completed in 1926, this 36,000 square foot home featuring 56 rooms of opulence and intricate design was quite the sight to see. While the Mediterranean Revival style home still stands in well preserved condition, the beautiful waterfront promenade area has taken a beating from previous storms. Inside the mansion you will find antique furniture pieces, murals, stained glass windows and rare luxuries of the 1920s. There are two options to explore the mansion. We opted for the self-guided walk through of the first floor only. However, they do offer a separate guided tour that includes other selected rooms on the 4 floor mansion, including the Belvedere Tower.

The entire grounds of The Ringling features a well manicured display of plants, trees, flowers, ponds, sculptures, and trails, known as The Bayfront Gardens. Aside from your traditional Florida oak and magnolia trees, it is canopied with other beautiful towering trees, such as banyan trees, a shaving brush, a rainbow eucalyptus, a tiger’s claw, a bunya pine, and a variety of bamboo. It hosts a secret garden of Florida-friendly greenery and flora. A dwarf garden of theatrical Italian stone statues and a variety of sub-tropical plants brings a whimsical touch and a grin to your leisurely garden stroll. While not in bloom during our visit, The Bayfront Gardens also stars Mable’s rose garden spotlighted on 27,000 square feet of the property grounds.

Next up was the famous Circus Museum showcased in two separate buildings, the Historic Circus Galleries and the Tibbals Learning Center. Both buildings feature an enormous collection of circus history, exhibits, galleries, presentations, and inter-active displays. There are relics, mementos, costumes, paintings, posters, original craftsmanship pieces like circus wagons and statues, even John and Mable’s Pullman rail-car. The “the main event,” in my opinion, was The Howard Bros. Circus Model. This is the world’s largest scale circus model, spanning 3,800 square feet and consisting of more than 42,000 pieces. It is the work of Howard Tibbals, a philanthropist and circus lover. He historically depicts the setting of an early twentieth century circus event. It was breathtaking when you consider the thought and time that went into designing this masterpiece. There are no words or pictures that can accurately describe the experience of seeing this circus model up close. It is something you just have to experience for yourself.

Finally, we explored the Museum of Art, and I say that loosely. The immensity of John and Mable’s art collection cannot be underscored. Surrounding a courtyard of statues and sculptures is a u-shaped building architecturally designed like a Renaissance palazzo. This double winged marvel is home to an extensive collection of various forms of art and artifacts from different cultures and time periods. There are permanent galleries and rotating exhibitions. There are so many pieces on display, one could not fully study them all in a day. From tiny treasures to floor-to-ceiling murals, the enormity of the collection in the Museum of Art is stunning and overwhelming. It is an art lover’s dream.

In addition to these venues, is the Historic Asolo Theater, which we did not visit. It’s history is quite amazing though. It was originally a theater constructed in a 1798 palace in Asolo, Italy that was dismantled in 1931 and purchased by The Ringling in 1949. Restored and modernly equipped, it now hosts high-quality theater and film productions in a historical ornate Renaissance setting.

As you can see, The Ringling is not just about the circus. It is about history, architecture, art, culture, nature and the performing arts. Everywhere you turn, every building you enter, there is something new and different to experience. Every structure on the property is a work of art, in and of itself. I can no way capture all that there is to see and do at The Ringling. There are loads of activities offered, from special tours, events, lectures, classes and workshops. As with most attractions, there is a gift shop and dining option on-site when you work up an appetite to eat or shop. Depending on how much you want to take in, The Ringling is easily an all-day event, maybe even two, if you can handle all the walking. No matter how much or little you want to experience, I would say this unique experience is surprisingly worth having.