Marie Selby Botanical Gardens

Downtown Sarasota

Marie Selby Botanical Gardens provides 45 acres of bayfront sanctuaries connecting people with air plants of the world, native nature, and our regional history.  Established by forward thinking women of their time, Selby Gardens is composed of the 15-acre Downtown Sarasota campus and the 30-acre Historic Spanish Point campus in the Osprey area of Sarasota County, Florida.  The Downtown Campus on Sarasota Bay is the only botanical garden in the world dedicated to the display and study of epiphytic orchids, bromeliads, gesneriads and ferns, and other tropical plants. There is a significant focus on botany, horticulture, education, historical preservation, and the environment. The Historic Spanish Point (HSP) Campus is located less than 10 miles south along Little Sarasota Bay. The HSP Campus, one of the largest preserves showcasing native Florida plants that is interpreted for and open to the public, celebrates an archaeological record that encompasses approximately 5,000 years of Florida history.

Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium
City Island -North Lido

 

They are scientists, explorers and stewards of the ocean. Focused on research and education we work to create a better environment for ourselves and our children. The answers are in the ocean. Together, we will find them.

They are an independent, nonprofit marine research institution comprising world-class marine scientists committed to the belief that the conservation and sustainable use of our oceans begins with research and education.

From their humble beginnings in a tiny, one-room laboratory in a small Florida town, their efforts have grown to include more than 20 diverse marine research programs.

Their research program also focus on understanding the population dynamics of manatees, dolphins, sea turtles, sharks and coral reefs and on conservation and restoration efforts related to these species and ecosystems.

The ocean is our passion. Science is our catalyst to help the ocean heal, thrive and continue to be a haven of sustainable life, life-improving science and life-giving solutions.

 

The Ringling Circus Museum

North Sarasota

 

Walk the wire. Squeeze into a clown car. Snap photos with a ferocious (faux) tiger. Thrill to it all: the parade wagons, the posters, the glittering costumes, and the cannon that shot daring performers through the air. Wonder at the must-be-seen-to-be-believed 44,000-piece Howard Bros. Circus Model and the Greatest Show on Earth Mural celebrating the entertainment that has delighted packed houses in great cities and small towns across America for generations. Step right this way…

The Ringling Archives are located in the Circus Museum’s Tibbals Learning Center. The Archives includes the Ringling Collection, John Ringling’s Papers and the Circus Collection. The Circus Collection contains records, manuscripts and papers of the American circus.

 

The Ringling CA’ d’Zan 

 

The home of the circus king and his wife, a couple from humble mid-western origins, Ca’ d’Zan stands as a testament to the American Dream of the Roaring Twenties. Inspired by and designed in the Venetian Gothic style of the palazzos that ring the Venice canals, this dazzling palatial mansion perfectly captures the splendor and romance of the Italy the Ringlings so loved. To honor its owner, they named it Ca’ d’Zan, “House of John”, in the dialect of their beloved Venice.

The Ringlings had been traveling throughout Europe for nearly 25 years, acquiring circus acts and art. They both greatly admired the architectural style of Venice’s Ducal Palace, Ca’ d’Oro and the Grunwald Hotel. When they decided to build a home in Sarasota, Florida, where they had been winter residents for a number of years, The Ringlings took these palazzi as their inspiration – and Sarasota Bay as their Grand Canal.

 

Sarasota Jungle Gardens

North Sarasota

 

Sarasota Jungle Gardens is home to more than 200 native and exotic animals including birds of prey, many different species of parrots and macaws, primates, small mammals, dozens of snakes, lizards, iguanas, alligators, crocodiles and other reptiles – many of them rescued or donated – including Florida’s noted pink flamingos. All nestled within 10 acres of lush tropical landscaping connected by winding jungle trails.
The fascinating flamingos are a favorite among visitors who travel from all over the world to see the long-legged, pink-hued wading birds. The flamingos are not shy and often greet guests personally, sometimes face to face. You might catch them splashing, flapping and strutting around. One may hand-feed them or just view them strolling by. Other times one might see the joy and thrill in a child’s first wide-eyed encounter as they interact with the flamingos, egrets, ducks, swans, pelicans and other wildlife just passing through.

 

Art Center Sarasota

North Sarasota 

 

Free and Open to the public Mon-Sat 10am-5pm.

Art Center Sarasota’s mission is to provide Sarasota with opportunities for creative expression and art appreciation through art education, exhibitions and cultural programs. The Center is a member-based organization that engages the Sarasota community through its dedicated volunteers, open call to artists, pop up exhibitions and youth programs. 

The Center’s exhibitions program shows contemporary works in its three curated galleries, designed to inspire and challenge the viewer. The large atrium gallery is dedicated to showcasing the Sarasota and region’s talented artists in juried competitions. New exhibitions on view every six weeks.