Fodor's Expert Review John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art
Administered by Florida State University, this 20-acre waterfront compound encompasses the entire estate of circus magnate John Ringling and his wife, Mable. This includes not only the museum built to house their enormous personal art collection, but also their Ca' d'Zan mansion and its expansive gardens; the Circus Museum; the Historic Asolo Theater, home to the Asolo Repertory Company; restaurants; an education center; and a research library.
The Museum of Art, completed in 1931, was a dream long in the making, with setbacks that included a land bust and Mable's death. Works here range from Indian doorways elaborately carved with Jain deities to paintings by Rubens and other Old Masters—all of it displayed in a seemingly endless number of gorgeously appointed rooms. Contemporary art has dedicated space here, too, as do selections from the museum's photography collection. A newer wing, with its facade of jade-tinged terracotta, houses ancient and contemporary... READ MORE
Administered by Florida State University, this 20-acre waterfront compound encompasses the entire estate of circus magnate John Ringling and his wife, Mable. This includes not only the museum built to house their enormous personal art collection, but also their Ca' d'Zan mansion and its expansive gardens; the Circus Museum; the Historic Asolo Theater, home to the Asolo Repertory Company; restaurants; an education center; and a research library.
The Museum of Art, completed in 1931, was a dream long in the making, with setbacks that included a land bust and Mable's death. Works here range from Indian doorways elaborately carved with Jain deities to paintings by Rubens and other Old Masters—all of it displayed in a seemingly endless number of gorgeously appointed rooms. Contemporary art has dedicated space here, too, as do selections from the museum's photography collection. A newer wing, with its facade of jade-tinged terracotta, houses ancient and contemporary Asian art.
Patterned after the Doge's Palace in Venice, Ringling's grand home, Ca' d'Zan, has 32 rooms, 15 bathrooms, and the 61-foot Belvedere Tower. Completed in 1925, the mansion sits along the bay, and its 8,000-square-foot terrace overlooks the dock where Mable moored her gondola. Thirty-minute mansion tours occur on the hour; if you prefer to explore on your own, show up on the half hour for a self-guided tour. Allow time to wander around in Mable's Rose Garden, a lush labyrinth surrounded by towering banyans and filled with rare blooms and haunting statues.
Although the Circus Museum offers a colorful glimpse at the history of the American circus, it's main attraction is arguably the world's largest miniature circus, a 40-year endeavor by master model builder Howard Tibbals. His impressive to-scale replica of the circa 1920s and '30s Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus is astonishingly detailed and accurate—from the number of pancakes the cooks are flipping to the likenesses and costumes of the performers to the names of the animals marked on the mess buckets. If you're looking for clown noses, ringmaster hats, and circus-themed T-shirts, check out the Ringling Museum of Art Store.
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