The Ringling Museums, the Circus and Miniature Circus Buildings

 The entire grounds are huge and houses the main welcome center, a building just for the miniature circus that one couple built over several decades, a building just for circus memorabilia and two art museums and the Ringling's mansion.  We didn't make it to the art museums but we will next time! If you want to learn more, visit   https://www.ringling.org

Howard Tibbals was fascinated with circuses and miniatures from a very young age.  His parent gave him the tools to indulge his avocation of recreating the circus in miniature.  He graciously donated his entire collection to the Ringling Museum and an entire building is dedicated to housing the display as well as Mr. Tibbals' tools.  He and his wife still make visits to the collection occasionally adding pieces.

One of the sections of the miniature setup.

and another.

Look at the detail! Each piece actually works.  The chairs fold,

the people and animals move.

The collection of circus memorabilia is in its own

large building.  This is the entrance to one of the

display rooms. 

Costumes were a huge part of the circus spectacle

and a large department was just designing and making hundreds

of unique outfits.  Another department was tasked with cleaning and 

repairing them all. Even the animals had elaborate outfits, especially

the elephants used for the grand entrance parades.

This mural was once the entrance to the headquarters

building.  If you zoom in to look at the doorway, it was where

the actually door was and had to be painted in once the wall

was moved to the museum.

They aren't kidding,  It was a big show.

A mural of the performers practicing.  They 

had special mouthpieces made to protect their 

teeth.

We spent way too long playing with the interactive

displays.  

But we sure had fun.

John Ringling's personal railcar.  The circus rarely

stayed in one spot for more than a day.  The logistics 

of moving thousands of people, animals, costumes, etc.

is mind boggling.  Even more mind boggling is doing it over

100 times a year.

One of the ornate wagons used in the grand entrance parade.

The hand carved wood decorations and hand painted wheels

were spectacularly beautiful