The Ringling Brothers Circus started summer shows from Baraboo, WI in 1884. In 1907 they acquired the Barnum & Bailey Circus, merging them into one in 1919: The Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus, The Greatest Show on Earth. For a good part of their history their headquarters were in Sarasota which is now home to their circus museum. Alas, the circus now exists only in memories and museums.
There are two buildings of circus exhibits at the Circus Museum.
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- John Ringling’s Home on the Rails
Too young to remember the circus? Here’s what the circus grounds looked like after the trains were unloaded, 1,000 workers set up a small city, and they’re ready for customers:
And under the Big Top:
We did not have time to visit the art museum; that will have to wait for our next visit.
Dinner on the beach that evening:
