Around Town · Sarasota

Pioneer Landmarks & Historic Places

Pioneer settlements, historic homes and museums.

Places to visit

Circus Museum at The Ringling

Circus artifacts, interactive galleries, the Howard Bros. miniature circus and the Ringlings' private railroad car, Wisconsin.

5401 Bay Shore Road, Sarasota, FL 34243

Hours: Daily, 10 a.m.–5 p.m.; closed Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day

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Museum admission $30 adults, $5 ages 6–17, under 6 free. Scheduled exception: the Historic Circus Galleries close November 3–9, 2026; the Tibbals Learning Center remains open with adjusted admission.

941-359-5700 Visit website

Circus Ring of Fame

Bronze wagon-wheel plaques around St. Armands Circle Park honoring the great figures of circus arts and Sarasota's circus heritage.

St. Armands Circle, Sarasota, FL 34236

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Walk the outer sidewalk of the central park to view the plaques and scan QR codes for biographies, photographs and videos. Free and outdoors.

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Sarasota Army Air Field Historic Site

The civilian airport that became a World War II Army airfield in 1942, hosting B-17 bomber and fighter training.

Sarasota Bradenton International Airport, 6000 Airport Circle, Sarasota, FL 34243

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Today's Sarasota Bradenton International Airport occupies the site on the Sarasota–Manatee county line. A state historical marker documents the airfield; operational areas are restricted.

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St. Martha Catholic Church

Sarasota's mother parish, rooted in an 1889 Jesuit mission, with a present church dedicated in 1942 and ties to the city's circus heritage.

200 N. Orange Ave., Sarasota, FL 34236

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Circus benefit performances helped support the parish's growth. Visitors are welcome at scheduled Masses; contact the office about visits outside services.

941-366-4210 Visit website

The Ringling — Ca' d'Zan and Estate

John and Mable Ringling's 1926 Venetian Gothic winter mansion, centerpiece of The Ringling estate's museums and bayfront gardens.

5401 Bay Shore Road, Sarasota, FL 34243

Hours: Daily, 10 a.m.–5 p.m.; closed Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day.

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Mansion entry requires the Ca' d'Zan ticket ($45 adults including museum admission); upper-floor tours are booked separately. The Museum of Art and Bayfront Gardens stay open to 8 p.m. on Thursdays.

941-359-5700 Visit website