Ringling Museum -- Sarasota, Florida

February 14, 2012

John and Mable Ringling built a winter mansion in Sarasota and the complex has been turned into several attractions.  One of the first is the circus museum.

 

Inside is a mammoth collection of miniature circus exhibits.

 

Many small video screens show film footage of the activities under the tent.  This is the farrier area where horseshoes are fitted and applied.   

As many as 10,000 workers traveled on the railroad cars along with wagons, tents, animals and food.  The Ringlings, however traveled on this special car with staterooms, kitchen, dining room, and a parlor.

The trains are shown traveling through a city in this diorama.

Some of the life-size exhibits included replicas and actual items from the circus.

Joan was particularly fascinated by the decorated wheels on the wagons.

 These banners flanked the midway.  (They were shot in groups and compiled into a panoramic photo using the Zoner program which can be downloaded from Tucows.com.)


John Ringling's Ca d'Zan Mansion was a short walk from the big top museum and the back faces Sarasota Bay.

This opulent Ventian-style building is huge and impressive.