We booked the Uncovering Ca' d'Zan Guided Tour ($40 per person) before flying to Florida. The tour…read morelasts about 60-70 minutes and includes the main rooms on the first floor, a peek into the Tap Room with stories about indulgence and Prohibition during the 1920s, as well as select spaces on the second, third, and fourth floors of the Ringlings' magnificent waterfront mansion. I'm so glad I booked this tour! it was the highlight of our Florida trip. Our tour guide, Susan, was professional, knowledgeable, and full of humor. She made the entire experience both informative and relaxing. Ca' d'Zan is simply breathtaking. This stunning Mediterranean Revival mansion sits on the shores of Sarasota Bay and was built in the mid-1920s as the winter retreat of American circus magnate, entrepreneur, and art collector John Ringling and his wife, Mable Burton Ringling. Although the mansion is over 100 years old, it still radiates the glamour, elegance, and artistic vision of the Ringlings. Every room is filled with exquisite craftsmanship and thoughtful details that reflect their passion for art and architecture. One of my favorite features was the magnificent ceiling paintings by the Hungarian artist Willy Pogany. Each one tells a story from another era, preserving its beauty for generations to admire. Standing on the terrace overlooking Sarasota Bay, I couldn't help but be reminded of the atmosphere from the movie Great Expectations. There was something incredibly romantic, mysterious, and timeless about the view. To me, Ca' d'Zan feels alive. If you slow down and listen carefully, the mansion tells its own story. There is glamour. There is longing. There is sadness. There is hope. And somehow, there is a place for you within it. I absolutely fell in love with this place. Without a doubt, this was the best attraction we visited during our trip to Sarasota. I would highly recommend the Uncovering Ca' d'Zan Guided Tour to anyone visiting the area, and I will definitely return to explore the Museum of Art next time.

This was an amazing and incredibly surprising visit. I am a native of Ohio but have lived in…read moreFlorida over 30 years and this was our 1st visit to The Ringling. It is a little pricy but worth if you love art, the circus and beautiful places. We went to the house first and this is an amazing home. Beautiful use of color, marble and impressive architecture. Loved the window shapes, the floors and the attention to detail throughout the home. The view from the patio was amazing. The circus museum was informative. It was quite incredible the number of people it took to bring the circus to life. So spectacular . ..the shows, the animals and the presentation. The grill restaurant had delicious food with very pleasant staff. The gift shop was also amazing with unique toys and a nice selections of books about the Ringlung family. Lastly the art museum was breath taking with such beautiful Italian art. The courtyard also amazing. Loved this visit! We spent the entire day there with more to see. We plan to return to enjoy the new items under construction. We recommend a visit.

A very cute a fun museum!…read more My group and I came here mostly to see the manatees but enjoyed the rest of the museum as well. We went through the exhibits on the two floors relatively quickly but they were interesting to look at. I liked the emphasis on Florida specific history. The planetarium was interesting and the seats were very comfortable. The manatees were obviously the highlight. We were able to see two babies, Sorbet and Juneau, right at feeding time. The top view of the water had a superior view. Overall, while I'm not from here so I'm not sure when I'd be back if I went, I really enjoyed my time here.

Sad to admit this was our first visit here, and literally on the last day of the Clyde Butcher…read morephotography exhibit. Jade who worked up front was friendly and helpful. Manageable sized museum where we spent about 90 minutes and had to leave before viewing everything. The Butcher exhibit was very good, I wish there was more. Truly incredible work. There is a manatee rehab area, although no manatees currently as the ones they had were thankfully released back into the wild. Emma who works in this area answered several of my husband's questions and was quite knowledgeable and informative. Some great historical artifacts, especially for local history. Excellent museum gift shop as well, with a large variety of items and another friendly and engaging employee, Anne. Looking forward to the upcoming baseball exhibit, and will allow more time.

I spent 2 1/2 hours with a Veteran guide, Jeff Sherwin, the Gallery Section Captain. Jeff had many…read moredetails, anecdotes and personal experiences to share, it made for a fascinating afternoon. There are many exhibits, well laid out, including artifacts, videos, newspaper clippings, interactive opportunities, and much, much more. It makes discovering facts about our American history a little less overwhelming. Many things I discovered I either never learned in high school or didn't remember. Everyone I encountered who works and volunteers here is friendly and welcoming, with a terrific sense of humor. So many stories, I could go back and spend another few hours and learn even more. I highly recommend a trip to this museum. If you are fortunate enough to have Jeff as your guide, you will learn the 3 things required for victory, common to every war (Hint: W.A.O.). Find out where Kleenex got its start before manufacturing hygiene products and why Lucky Strike changed is packaging from green to white. I am very proud to be an American. The history on display conveys where we came together, where we messed up, how we learned and how we continue to grow as a nation. I learned so much in a short period of time, mostly that history is important for each of us to understand our heritage. "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it" --George Santayana. Thank you, Jeff, for your service and for spending your time with us.

We visited often. The volunteer staff are knowledgeable and fun to chat with. School trips are a…read morepriority for these folks. Education is key to remember our history

You get what you pay for, and this place is free, although they do accept donations. So don't be a…read morecheapskate and give some dollars if you go. It's mainly outdoors and walking ‍ is required. They have a map and scavenger map for fun. There is no guided tour but that makes it better because you can roam as you like. Seeing all the historical items is always cool and really makes you thank God we weren't born back then lol (no ac). My spawn and I really enjoyed all the old time items and it was cool having to explain what things were. Please go and enjoy yourself.

Such a fun place to visit if you are in the area. I highly recommend taking a self-guided walking…read moretour of the main building and outbuildings.

This place is a hidden somewhat run down but still super awesome old school gem that we loved…read more Florida's "Colonial Williamsburg" type living history museum with several buildings o exhibts as wrll as: Some livestock animals. A small garden inckuding sugar cane. Lots of vintage old stuff to explore. We woukd have loved a docent but self discovery was neat too. We really enjoyed our visit. Hoepfully some big money or loving volunteers step up to help support this super cool place. A trip back in time.. I love this place.

Wonderful place to take children. Old Florida at its best. Adjacent to Myakka State Park and easy…read moreto get to.

Let me tell you about the time my wife casually turned a normal "drop our daughter off at college"…read moretrip into what felt like a deleted scene from a survival movie... destination: Solomon's Castle in the absolute middle of nowhere. And when I say nowhere, I mean NOWHERE. I'm driving waiting for streetlights... nothing. Gas stations? Nope. People? Questionable. Cows? Plenty. Motorcycles flying by like we accidentally entered a post-apocalyptic biker convention? Oh yeah. At this point, I'm looking at my wife like, Babé are we visiting a castle or auditioning for The Walking Dead: Florida Edition?" Then suddenly... BOOM. Out of nowhere... like a mirage built by a very creative pirate appears this shiny, aluminum-covered CASTLE. Now I'm confused. Because one minute I'm dodging cows... and the next minute I'm like: Did we just teleport to medieval times sponsored by Home Depot? But here's the thing this place is AMAZING. Inside? Pure genius. Art everywhere. Sculptures made out of stuff you probably threw away last week. It's like if creativity, humor, and a junkyard had a baby and that baby became a castle. And then there's the restaurant. Yes. A restaurant. Inside a boat. Inside a castle. In the middle of nowhere. At this point, I've stopped asking questions and just accepted that I'm in someone else's dream. If you want the backstory, go ahead and Google it because it's wild. But honestly, just go. Don't overthink it. Would I have ever planned this stop? Absolutely not. Did my wife once again prove she's the CEO of random but incredible detours? 100%. Final verdict: Unexpected Slightly suspicious drive in Completely worth it If you're ever near Ona, Florida--or even if you're not take the detour. Just make sure your gas tank is full... and maybe say a quick prayer once the streetlights disappear

On our drive from St Augustine to Tampa, we made reservations to see Solomon's Castle in the middle…read moreof nowhere on beautiful land here in Florida. This castle was built by Howard Solomon, a high school dropout, with his bare hands and his own designs with whatever scraps of metal he could find or that were donated to him by others. He had friends and neighbors who helped him build. He built vertically because his land was more narrow than wide. So there are stairs to climb. Everything including his unusual artwork inside the Castle was donated or built by Solomon. He also had a 1930s collection of cars and trucks that are displayed at the Castle. His personal story is very interesting which will be told during the tour. Visitors are not allowed to photograph the auto collection nor anything inside the Castle. There is no cell service/wifi there on the property. They do not use computers so everything is paid by cash: the tickets (we paid about $40 in cash for the castle tour and the classic car tour), the food, and souvenirs. They are dog-on-leash friendly, which is nice. The staff is very welcoming and fun to interact with! The tour is very interesting with funny jokes thrown in. Food is served on the boat and reviewers have been favorable about the meals offered. Remember, it is cash only. Parking is free and at the entrance before you get to the Castle. Wear comfortable shoes. I was happy that we got to do the tour. I don't know that I would go back because it is so out of the way but it was worth the trip.

As someone who has loved Salvador Dalí's work since I was a teenager, visiting this museum was…read moretruly a special experience. I had already visited the Dalí museums in Spain and had seen some of his works in France, but I had no idea that Florida had such an incredible museum dedicated to him. Before we even stepped inside, I was amazed by the architecture. The building is a work of art on its own, both inside and out. Everything was spotless, and the staff was welcoming and helpful. When we bought our tickets, they gave my daughters a free activity book with colored pencils and told us about the children's art room, which was such a thoughtful touch for families. One of my favorite architectural details was the beautiful spiral staircase inspired by the DNA helix. On the first floor there's also a lovely gift shop, a café, and the children's art room located near the restrooms. The collection itself is outstanding. I've always loved how Dalí filled his paintings with countless tiny details, and seeing the originals up close gave me an even greater appreciation for his work. I was also surprised to learn that he designed jewelry and explored so many other forms of art beyond painting. The museum does an amazing job blending classic art with modern technology. One of the highlights was the immersive VR experience, where you put on a headset and step inside one of Dalí's surreal worlds. It genuinely felt like walking through one of his paintings while the characters and landscapes came to life around you. I wasn't the only one who loved it--my daughters had a wonderful time too. One of our favorite moments was the immersive theater in the separate round building outside. After exploring the galleries and the beautiful garden, we happily sank into the giant bean bags on the floor. Then the lights dimmed, and an incredible multimedia presentation began. The paintings we had just admired seemed to come alive while Dalí's life story unfolded around us. It was such a magical experience. I especially loved hearing my daughter whisper, "Mom, we saw this painting today... and this one too!" Seeing her connect what she had learned made the visit even more meaningful. Of course, we couldn't leave without stopping by the gift shop. I already knew exactly what I wanted--a T-shirt, a bucket hat, and a coffee mug. The kids picked out colored pencils and a few art supplies to take home. I can't recommend this museum enough. Whether you're already a fan of Salvador Dalí or simply appreciate beautiful art, architecture, and immersive experiences, this museum is absolutely worth the trip.

The museum is really beautiful and exploring the work of Dali was very interesting, he truly was a…read moregenius and an extremely gifted artist. Take your earbuds so you can take advantage of the QR code listening and viewing of paintings. I would not spend the additional 15.00 cost of the dome. My entire group felt the same. It is a large circular viewing screen with some of his works, turned into moving works or parts. It was staged with folding chairs and it was hard on your neck to follow the 30 min movie.