Abbotts Family Charters

The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art was established in 1927 as the legacy of John Ringling and his wife, Mable. It offers 21 galleries of European paintings as well as Cypriot antiquities, Asian Art, American paintings and contemporary art. The estate features the House of John, a waterfront mansion that was restored in 2002. The Circus Museum displays costumes, wagons, performance equipment and other artifacts. The estate also features Mable s Rose Garden, completed in 1913. The Museum offers numerous cultural and educational programs, including courtyard concerts, lectures, workshops, children s programs, teacher training sessions and public tours. The Museum also houses an art conservation laboratory. Included on the estate are the Banyan Caf , two gift shops and the acres of parkland and gardens. In 2000, the Museum s governance was transferred from Florida s Department of State to Florida State University, making it the largest university museum complex in the nation.