Show first circus museum has nostalgic items heralded as the first museum in the united states devoted ent rely to the circus the ringling art museum has been opened at sarasota fia fla eventually the museum will contain exhibits tracing develop ment of the circus from roman times the museum is located in an old warehouse with a central pole and girders suggest ng the interior of a circus tent the building is on the estate of the late john ring ling circus operator who willed his residence and art museum to the people of florida at his death in 1936 included among exhibits are five drawings old id circus wagons costumes masks drawings for the decor of cles handbills and photographs of tamed famed circus characters |