The Ringling Experience...Part 1 (Inside)

After wanting to visit this venue for several years and cancelling plans to go in January because it was so cold...the weather today was perfect for visiting!  It took us a little more than an hour on the road to get here but we traveled without incident and arrived around 12:30.  

Our first stop was the Tibbals Learning Center, which houses a handcrafted, nearly 1 million piece, "3800 square foot, 1/16th scale model three-ring circus".  It's basically a complete miniature circus village.  My photos do not do it justice; it's very impressive!

The Center Ring

The mess tent

Elephants preparing to enter the big tent

The Side Show entrance with posters

This is looking down from the second floor...

Remember, each one of the pieces in this display was hand crafted, including the folding chairs, pots, pans, dishes, animals...everything!

This building also includes a lot of historical pieces and memorabilia, including this Bandwagon.

This is an elephant blanket...very ornate and LARGE!

There is a tightrope to be walked, a partial horse to be ridden and even a small clown car.  I'm not very big and I was squished.

Upstairs, along with the areas to overlook the circus town, there is a huge, hand carved circus parade.  I'm guessing it may be over 100' in length; I can't express how small these pieces are and there must be thousands of them!

We ate lunch at the Banyan Cafe, then checked out the Original Circus Museum.  This building houses historical papers, props, costumes and the railroad car used by John and Mabel Ringling.

There is a walkway on the other side which allows visitors to look inside.

There is also a group of volunteer woodworkers that meet weekly to maintain and repair all of the wood pieces in the museum.

This totally amazes me!

Considering that the circus called it quits within the last year, we are so glad that so much of this history has been saved and is shared.  

Self portrait

I always loved these mirrors...they made you tall and skinny or short and fat but we always laughed and we would stand in front of them over and over and over.

This is one of the cages that transported the large cats.

Check out the woodworking and the awesome tires.   Actually, wheels is probably a better term.

I never saw a side show and it could never be done in this day and age, but I can remember posters from the Acton Fair, of all places.

The Bearded Lady

The Fat Lady

The Siamese Twins

That wraps up the part of our day spent inside.  Stay tuned for the outside adventure!

Thanks for stopping by...
;o)