INSPIRING ALL AGES

Engaging our diverse audiences

Education is at the heart of every museum’s mission. But, the educational experiences museums offer may look quite different from the education that we associate with classrooms or computer screens. In a museum, learning revolves around the real and the authentic — the objects and stories entrusted to the museum’s care. Education programs at The Ringling offer access to these remarkable treasures for a variety of audiences.

Classroom lessons come alive for students and teachers in our galleries, where human cannonballs can teach physics and the halls of Ca’ d’Zan can shed light on American history. With an emphasis on critical thinking, school tours are designed to address the Common Core State Standards recently adopted by Florida. Home school families are similarly engaged in education at The Ringling, using our online resources to plan field trips and projects. The Ringling Art Library’s program ROAR! Ringling Order of Art Readers, is a fun way to promote early learning and literacy through children’s stories that connect to Ringling collections. These experiences represent valuable learning tools that often create a life-long interest in museums. Professional development for teachers is offered through Saturdays for Educators which is designed to provide curriculum and other reources, but also be a source of intellectual and creative refreshment.

The Ringling also offers a menu of programs for adult learners wishing to feed a life-long passion or open a door to new ideas. Adults who attend one of our lectures or gallery talks quickly realize that it’s never too late to be awestruck by the skill and talent inherent in a great painting or an amazing acrobatic feat. The pleasure of working with life-long learners is their appreciation for such achievements, now that they have some life experience behind them!

We invite you to join Education as we create opportunities to engage more deeply, experience more fully, and be positively amazed at the wonders to be discovered at your museum.

LIFE-LONG LEARNING MENU

ViewPoint, The Ringling’s lecture series, brings in world class experts to inspire and inform.

Gallery Walk and Talks, Art and a Movie, and Conversations with a Curator are less formal programs designed to promote conversation and discussion.

Collecting Recollections brings together a wide array of fascinating individuals with stories to tell; stories of their lives; stories of the Museum, stories of the Circus, storiesof Sarasota — and more.

Bayfront Gardens tours and programs appeal to those who like a little flora and fauna with their museum experience.

Saturdays for Educators brings teachers to The Ringling and provides practical tools for professional development as well as inspiration for creative implementation.

DID YOU KNOW?

School Tour visits to The Ringling are free for students and teachers.

The Ringling provides bus scholarships to help defray the costs of school field trips. The Ringling offers regular professional development programs for teachers.

All materials created for school programs can be downloaded for free from The Ringling’s website.

School tour docents are trained in current teaching techniques and curriculum connections.

Members

Upcoming Member Events

Coffee and Conversation with Director Steven High

Tue, May 13, 9:30 am - 10:30 am

Treviso Restaurant

Supporting Members and higher

Exhibition Preview

Intent to Deceive: Fakes and Forgeries in the Art World

Thur, May 22, 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm

Museum of Art Loggia

Join fellow Members and be the first to see the special exhibition. Lite bites and cash bar. Open to all Members. Special VIP Lounge access for Supporting members and higher. RSVP: 941.360.7332 or member RSVP@ringling.org.

Preview Events

Upcoming Circle Events

Love, Legacy, and Ca’ d’Zan

Tue, Feb 11, 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm

Sunset Reception and behind the scenes with Ron McCarty, Keeper of Ca’ d’Zan

State of the Ringling Breakfast

Mon, Mar 4, 9:30 am

Presentation by Executive Director

Steven High

Curator to Director level members

Reception and Dinner

The Philip and Nancy Kotler Glass Collection

Wed, Mar 19, 5:30 pm - 9:00 pm

Intent to Deceive: Fakes and Forgeries in the Art World Exhibition Preview and Dinner

Wed, May 21, 5:30 pm - 9:00 pm

For more information, call the Development Office 941.359.5700 ext 5821

On October 2nd, The Ringling celebrated Icons of Style: Fashion Makers, Models, and Images from the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, at the Circle Preview Dinner.

Dr. Virginia Brilliant, The Ringling’s Ulla R. Searing Curator of Collections stated, “It is always a pleasure to greet our Circle members and give them the first look at a brand new exhibition. I hope our guests enjoyed celebrating with us as much as I enjoyed being able to share everything I learned working with this fabulous collection of fashion.”

We look forward to Circle members exploring the museum with more behind-thescenes experiences with our expert staff during upcoming exhibitions including the Circle Preview Dinner for the Philip and Nancy Kotler Glass Collection and Intent to Deceive: Fakes and Forgeries in the Art World. A special thank you to Northern Trust for supporting this season’s Circle Preview Dinners.

The following evening, we welcomed over 900 members and their guests to view the stunning exhibition. At the center of the evening was the opportunity for members to explore the exhibition and its journey of fashion; from the designer’s original concept to what we see on runways and red carpets around the world, before the public opening.

A new addition to the event was the launch of our VIP Lounge for Supporting level members and above. The VIP Lounge, at the west end of the Loggia, made for a comfortable location with generous seating and tables plus a dedicated bar and servers. Capping off the fashionable evening were models from Saks Fifth Avenue. Members reveled in the company of fellow patrons celebrating design and The Ringling.

Thank you to our corporate sponsors Saks Fifth Avenue and the Sarasota Herald Tribune for supporting this Members Preview event.