We tried to reserve a slip at Marina Jack's which is in downtown Sarasota making it easy to walk around. However, they were booked up solid with a boating organization. We called over to the Sarasota Yacht club who had space for us. We thought we had reciprocity with this Yacht Club because of our membership at Isla Del Sol. Two different yachting associations so we ended up paying full price. We have more research to do on the reciprocity opportunities.
We called a cab to take us to the Ringling Museum. It was after three when we arrived but luckily for us, Thursday nights the museum is open until 8:00. The Ringling Museum is at the home of John Ringling. John Ringling is one of seven Ringling brothers who started Ringling Brothers Circus and eventually merged with Barnum & Bailey Circus. John began visiting Sarasota in 1909. He and his wife Mable built a mansion which was completed in 1926. They named the mansion which is build in Venetian Gothic style, Ca'da' Zan which means House of John. John and Mable were very interested in art and eventually acquired a large collection which they housed in a museum they built adjacent to the mansion.
The Ringling is now the State Art Museum of Florida--John willed his collection at the time of his death. The museum is administered by Florida State University. We visited the historic mansion, the circus museum and the gardens. I took a quick look into the art museum before we had to leave. The Ringling also includes an historic theater, conservation library and research library.
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