Lisa Browder

The Ringling Museum is a whopping 66-acre complex with a rose garden; a couple of art galleries; a secluded, fenced-in garden for John and Mable’s graves; an intricately tiled reflecting pool; a circus museum; a building showcasing a miniature circus; and John and Mable’s house, Ca’ d’Zan.

The first building along the path was the miniature circus. I couldn’t imagine this having any interest for me at all. I was spectacularly wrong. It detailed every aspect of the circus from construction of the railway cars, to the loading and unloading of animals and equipment at each stop, what it required to prepare and serve meals to the performers, veterinary care for the animals and how the Big Top was set up. Portions of the exhibit had photos in front so you could compare the miniature exhibit to the real thing.

If not for the miniature exhibit, I would have missed out on some great trivia about circus life. Who would have thought that meals were served with china, silverware, a water pitcher for each performer, condiments, and bread and butter? A flag was raised over the dining tent to signal mealtime to the workers, staff and performers. Waiters would serve 3,900 meals a day. (Sounds exactly like what I’m capable of eating).

And the famous Big Top? It required 6 center poles, 74 quarter poles, 122 sidewall poles, 550 stakes and 26,000 yards of canvas. The entire thing was erected in less than 4 hours.

Next along the museum’s path was a building housing memorabilia from the circus – parade cars, costumes, props, and even a video with a clown demonstrating how he applied his makeup.

Just imagine those parade cars being loaded and unloaded umpteen times on each circus tour. Between 1919 and 1938, the Ringling circus unloaded more than 150 wagons at each stop.

The show typically traveled on 100 railcars composed of 46 flatcars, 27 stock cars, 22 coaches, 3 advertising cars, a dining car and John Ringling’s private car. The typical railway car for the performers was well-furnished and sported things like spaces for card games and a nice seating area on the caboose.

Once you’ve checked out the miniature museum and the circus museum, head down the sidewalk. You’ll pass all the gardens, manicured lawns, the tucked-away, private burial site and the reflecting pool. The story goes that the reflecting pool started as a swimming pool but the Ringlings discovered it was being used by groups of mischievous kids late at night, so they reconfigured it into a reflecting pool. (Wouldn’t have stopped me!).

You’ll arrive at Ca’ d’Zan. It’s suck-in-your-breath beautiful. John and Mable had a lifelong love of anything Italian and thus chose the name Ca’ d’Zan, which means “house of John” in the Venetian dialect. The mansion itself is Venetian Gothic, mimicking the palazzos that line the canals of Venice.

The cavernous interior is filled with ornate, ostentatious furnishings, an organ, and multiple sets of fine china and silverware. I can’t imagine it feeling warm and cozy but then again, who knows what sort of residence I’d commission if I had their wealth? I might end up with a castle with a moat. And why? Because I can.

Nor did the ceilings disappoint. Everything was done on a grand scale.

The back veranda is the piece de resistance, with a breathtaking view of Sarasota Bay. Can’t you just imagine yourself sunbathing on a chaise lounge with a frosty drink by your side, watching boats go by and listening to the water lapping at the steps? Ah yes. Now I’m getting into the spirit of things.

Last but not least and in keeping with circus whimsy, the Ringlings included an illusion in the banyan grove. If not for a lady resting on a bench nearby who pointed it out, I would never have seen it. It’s a bit like the “Where’s Waldo” of decades ago. See if you can spot the statue in the middle of the gnarled roots.

The Ringling Museum is a great day trip. It is wheelchair accessible, but if you’re a senior like me, it’s a really long walk from the entrance back to Ca’ d’Zan. Tickets for the house are purchased separately from the museum so be sure you’re buying both if you want to get a glimpse of that ornate Venetian Gothic architecture and the ornate furnishings. This museum experience also has a good gift shop and a nice restaurant. Plan to spend the day. Parking is directly across the street and quite near the entrance.

• 5401 Bay Shore Rd., Sarasota, Florida
• 941-359-5700
• Open daily 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
• Museum admission without Ca’ d’Zan is $23 – if you include Ca’ d’Zan, it’s $33
• http://www.ringling.org