Visiting Sarasota – Don’t Miss The John Ringling Museum

John Ringling built the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art in Sarasota, Florida to hold his art collection. The museum is on the grounds of Ringling’s estate. It opened in 1931. Ringling died in 1936 and left his estate, including his art collection, to the State of Florida.

Gainsborough, El Greco, Titian and Rubens are among the artists whose works are displayed in the Museum of Art. The grandeur of the Museum is similar to that of the Uffizi Gallery in Florence, Italy.

Other things to see on the estate are the Ringlings’ mansion, the Circus Museum and the estate’s gardens. The Ringlings’ mansion, Ca d’Zan, is built in a Venetian Gothic style. The Circus Museum has exhibits on circus history. Visitors can see roses, violets and bougainvilleas in the gardens.

The estate is open from 10:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. every day except New Year’s Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas. General admission to the estate is $25.00 for adults and $10.00 for children ages six to seventeen. On Mondays the public can visit the Museum of Art at no charge.

 

After a day of visiting the museum, make sure you include a stop at Caragiulos Italian restaurant. We are  located less than four miles away. Lunch is served on weekdays. The restaurant is open for dinner until 10:00 p.m. Monday through Thursday and until 11:00 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.

Diners have a choice of pasta, pizza, panini and salads for lunch. Prices for lunch start at $8.00 for a panini. The dinner menu has appetizers, pizza, pasta, seafood, chicken and steak. Dinner prices range from $9.00 for a pizza to $24.00 for the ribeye steak. Soup or salad is served with the entrees. Wine and mixed drinks are available. The restaurant also offers a selection of desserts.

Visitors to the Ringling Museum can have lunch at Caragiulos before or after visiting the museum. People who visit the museum in the late afternoon will have plenty of time for a leisurely dinner at Caragiulos afterwards.