Arts & Culture
The cultural coast
Sarasota has drawn artists, performers and collectors since John and Mable Ringling made it their winter home. Here is where to spend your afternoons and evenings.
Museum
The Ringling
The 66-acre bayfront estate of circus impresario John Ringling and his wife Mable is the cultural heart of Sarasota. The Museum of Art holds one of the country’s great collections of Baroque painting, including monumental works by Peter Paul Rubens.
Across the lawns sits Ca’ d’Zan, the couple’s 1926 Venetian Gothic mansion on Sarasota Bay, along with the Circus Museum, the historic Asolo Theater and Mable’s rose garden.
- 5401 Bay Shore Road, north of downtown.
- The Museum of Art offers free admission on Mondays.
- Allow at least half a day; a full day is better.
Gardens
Marie Selby Botanical Gardens
On the downtown bayfront, Selby Gardens is internationally known for its orchids and bromeliads, displayed in a conservatory and shaded gardens of banyans, bamboo and palms.
Selby also runs Historic Spanish Point in Osprey, a waterfront site with prehistoric shell middens and pioneer-era buildings, about twenty minutes south.
- Visit in the morning, before the heat and the crowds.
- The garden café makes an easy lunch stop.
An evening at the theater
Few cities this size support a season this full. From late fall through spring, there is something worth dressing for nearly every night.
Performance
Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall
The purple seashell on the bayfront, designed by the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation and opened in 1970, hosts touring Broadway productions, orchestras and headliners.
Opera
Sarasota Opera
The company performs a winter season in the restored Sarasota Opera House on Pineapple Avenue, built in 1926 as the Edwards Theatre.
Coming up at the Van Wezel
Sun. Oct 11, 2026Boz Scaggs Rhythm Review 2026
Sat. Oct 17, 2026Rumours of Fleetwood Mac
Sun. Oct 18, 2026The Concert: A Tribute to ABBA
Sun. Oct 25, 2026The Vampire Circus
Thu. Oct 29, 2026Ghostbusters in Concert
Sat. Oct 31, 2026Golden Girls: The Laughs Continue
Thu. Nov 5, 2026The Phil Collins Story
Thu. Nov 12, 2026Neil Berg's The 70s: Long Live Rock 'N' Roll
Fri. Nov 13, 2026Blank Space – The Unofficial Taylor Swift Tribute
Sat. Nov 14, 2026David Foster & Katharine McPhee
Wed. Nov 18, 2026Floyd Nation – Inner Light Tour
Sat. Nov 21, 2026Cirque Dreams Holidaze
Theater
Asolo Repertory Theatre
One of the country’s leading regional theaters, performing at the FSU Center for the Performing Arts on the Ringling grounds.
Dance
The Sarasota Ballet
An internationally respected company with a repertory rich in Frederick Ashton’s work.
Music
Sarasota Orchestra
Florida’s oldest continuously operating orchestra, performing a full season of classical and pops concerts.
Galleries and architecture
Contemporary art
Sarasota Art Museum
Ringling College’s contemporary art museum, set in the restored 1926 Sarasota High School at 1001 S Tamiami Trail.
Galleries
Towles Court and Burns Court
Two small downtown districts of artist studios, galleries and cafés, best explored on foot.
Architecture
Sarasota Modern
The mid-century Sarasota School of Architecture, led by Paul Rudolph and Ralph Twitchell, left modernist landmarks across the city and on Lido Shores.
Culture questions, answered
When is the arts season in Sarasota?
Most companies perform from October or November through April or May, with the busiest calendar from January through March.
Is there a free day at the Ringling?
Yes. The Museum of Art is free on Mondays. Ca’ d’Zan and the Circus Museum require regular admission.
What should I see with only one day?
Spend the morning at the Ringling, lunch on St. Armands Circle, and end with a performance downtown. See our dining guide for dinner before the show.