Circus Art Museum

Sarasota, Florida, is popular amongst tourists and locals alike due to its proximity to miles of warm, sandy beaches with crystal clear, shallow water, dozens of attractions, trendy bars, gourmet restaurants, museums, endless outdoor excursions, award-winning golf courses, and world-class boutique-style shopping. There is something exciting to be found for all visitors. During your stay, be sure to visit the Circus Art Museum.

Visit the Circus Art Museum

Ladies and Gentlemen! Step on up! Adventure inside the Circus Museum and discover how the famous Ringling Brothers worked together to create their world-class “Greatest Show on Earth” circus! Two fascinating museums with an abundance of creativity are open daily for an extremely affordable price for docent-led tours.

The Circus Museum of Art, modeled after the Italian Florentine Uffizi Gallery and opened by John Ringling in 1931, offers a forty minute tour showcasing insight of the dream-come-to-life visions of Ringling, how he came about his fascinating collection and built his own center for the arts. Read text, observe videos, and wander among displays that make you feel as if you’re in the center of the magic. Many of the art pieces shown here were collected by John Ringling as he traveled Europe in search of performers and became some of the original items within the Ringling Art Library. Wander through an enormous courtyard and gaze upon dozens of replicas of Greek and Roman sculptures.

The Circus Museum is a thirty-minute tour offered on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Saturdays and provides 30,000 square feet of insight on the daily life of circus performers, how the shows were pieced together and, for a small additional fee, includes a forty minute tour of the interior of the famous Ca’ d’Zan Ringling Mansion! Step into the West Wing Theatre for a unique in-motion perspective of a day in the life of the circus. Explore dozens of rotating exhibits, allow children to explore the David F. Bolger Playspace, and take a break amongst the fun for creative meals provided in one of the many dining venues.

Enjoy contemporary dining at Muse, for creative meals produced from the freshest, local ingredients. Step into Banyan Cafe for light fare child-friendly fares and hand-crafted espresso beverages. The Museum Cafe, located above the Visitors Pavilion, offers daily fresh-baked goods, loose leaf teas, and brewed coffees. Guests may also relax in the Dwarf Garden, near the Playspace, at any of the picnic tables.

Bring some of the memories home, or discover the perfect gift for friends and family, after stopping by the Museum Store and the Circus Store. Each are open daily until 5 PM.

Stay at The Regency Inn & Suites in Sarasota

Located a short distance from many of the area’s top attractions, boutique shops, live theatre, and art performance venues and jaw-dropping scenic beaches, the Regency Inn & Suites is the ideal location for business and leisure visitors. The quaint, family-run Regency Inn & Suites offers guests friendly staff, complimentary parking and WiFi, an on-site laundry facility, heated outdoor pool, and suites including flat screen TV’s, large family rooms, and newly remodeled, fully-stocked kitchens with modern granite countertops and dual-burner flat-top stoves. Regency Inn & Suites guarantees a comfortable atmosphere leaving all guests feeling as if they were home, and providing a memorable vacation. For the lowest rates book direct at:www.regencyinnsarasota.com.