ringling museum

In Sarasota, Florida there is a really unique museum that I had no idea existed before visiting. The Ringling Museum of Art was established in 1927 by the estate of John and Mable Ringling. For a relatively new museum, this place has a funny history. A. Everett (Chick) Austin Jr., a member of the International Brotherhood of Magicians, was the first director. The museum includes Ca' d'Zan, the waterfront residence that was built for the Ringlings. Also, you can't miss the official American Museum of Circus. But for the more traditional fare, the museum boasts an impressive collection of paintings and sculptures by the great Old Masters including Rubens, van Dyck, Velázquez, Titian, Tintoretto, Veronese, El Greco, and Gainsborough.