Ringling Museum - Sarasota

I know I brought my daughter to the Ringling Museum but is was in a time before I carried a camera everywhere I go. I have other photos from our "Tour of Old Florida" trip way back 10 years ago on her high school break. I have actually been revisiting many places in recent years from that trip.



This particular stop is still vivid in my mind like the colored glass that makes up the entire back of this incredible house. It was for some reason a place my daughter enjoyed fully.



I'm not sure if it was the beautiful house and furnishings, the outdoor sculpture garden, or the gigantic ancient paintings in the galleries I was not allowed to photograph.  This was actually a last minute choice as I discovered pre-internet our original stop was closed mondays. All I remember was my daughter and I spending way more time than originally allotted.



It was the same on my latest trip. What was supposed to be a quick visit and on to other things turned instead to an all day event and barely catching the sunset at our final destination.



There was a new tour added since my visit many years ago. The Private Places Tour. I did not take that tour but I should have. It was only $10.00 more than the guided tour and I am seriously thinking of driving back to do it. But on a Monday as normal admission is free for Florida residents.



I am actually old enough to remember a Big Top circus show. Seeing the entire circus life laid out in this model really made me think how lucky I was to have caught the very last performances of this kind. Of course the circus still lives in smaller venues but it's the Big Top that has passed on to history.