Get into the Act

At the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art in Sarasota, kids don’t just get to learn about the circus. They can actually pretend they’re in the circus themselves, thanks to all of the interactive exhibits found in the site’s Circus Museum and Tibbals Learning Center.

Ever wondered what it would be like to take to the high wire? Kids (and adults) can make like Nik Wallenda and test their balance on the museum’s tightrope. Just a few inches above the floor, it starts off wider than usual but narrows as it goes along. It’s not that hard at first, but by the end both Lindsay and I were wiggling and wobbling (and gaining a whole new appreciation for Wallenda’s recent Niagara Falls feat).

We had a hard time getting Lindsay off of the bareback “horse,” where she practiced her arabesques and other tricks. She also squeezed into a clown car and admired all the sparkly costumes and ornate circus wagons on display.

The Tibbals Learning Center is home to one of the museum’s coolest exhibits: the Howard Bros. Circus Model. The largest miniature circus on the world, it includes eight tents, 152 wagons, 1,300 circus performers and workers, and more than 800 animals, capturing all of the spectacle that surrounded the arrival of the circus in town.

But it’s not just all clowns and acrobats at the Ringling Museum. The site also includes the over-the-top Cà d’Zan mansion, a 56-room Venetian Gothic estate right on Sarasota Bay. Wannabe princess Lindsay was ready to move right in.

The Museum of Art houses the collection of Old Masters artwork amassed by circus magnate John Ringling and his wife, Mable. It’s impressive but might feel a bit highbrow for most kiddos. (And be warned—all the naked statues and cherubs on view might lead to giggles, uncomfortable questions, or some combination of the two.)

Ticket prices for adults are a bit steep at $25, but kids six to 17 are just $5, and kids under six are free. Want to save some cash? Plan your visit for September 29, when the Ringling Museum will be participating in Smithsonian magazine’s Museum Day Live! program. Register in advance for free admission for two and you can enjoy the site’s cultural riches even if you’re on a budget.