5 /5 Lisa Mayer: We have been visiting the Ringling Museum since 1996. It underwent a massive renovation after the remake of the film Great Expectations. We moved here in the nineties and have learned much about the circus history in the area. The Ringlings mansion named Ca dZan sits on the Sarasota bay is magnificent, The collection of European art dates back to the 16th century. We love strolling the grounds, meandering through the Rose Garden, massive banyan trees, bamboo, annd all the shady trails. The Circus Museum was recently expanded. The historic Asolo Theatre was originally constructed in 1798 in Asolo, Italy.  It was dismantled and remained in boxes until the Ringling purchased them in 1949 and reassembled them at the museum. The Historic Asolo Theater had its debut Sarasota performance in 1952. There have been many additions to the campus include the McKay Visitors Pavilion, the Kotler-Coville Glass Pavilion exhibiting studio glass art, the Johnson-Blalock Education Building housing The Ringling Art Library and Cuneo Conservation Lab, the Tibbals Learning Center complete with a miniature circus, the Searing Wing, which houses special exhibitions attached to the art museum, the Chao Center for Asian Art, and the Monda Gallery for Contemporary Art. It is such a trmendous museum in a small city. If you love art, achitecture, nature or history this is a must see when visiting Sarasota.
