The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art, which is affiliated with Florida State University, is the largest museum/university complex in the nation. The 66-acre estate is the legacy of John Ringling (1866-1936), one of the great business tycoons of his day. The Museum of Art, recognized as the state art museum of Florida, includes 21 galleries of internationally recognized European and American art with paintings by Rubens, Van Dyck, Poussin and other baroque masters. In addition, the estate encompasses Cą d'Zan, the recently restored 32-room Ringling mansion; the Circus Museum; the Original Asolo theater; the Rose Garden and beautifully landscaped grounds overlooking Sarasota Bay.

Statewide outreach educational programs provide access for scholarly research and arts education for audiences of all ages. The Museum's art library includes a major reference collection of more than 60,000 volumes encompassing all art periods.