Guest reviewer: The Wife This museum 100% lives up to its…read morename. Every piece of art at the museum--from the paintings, to the sculptures, to the rest rooms, to the walls themselves--is a study in creative whimsy. Before entering the building, visitors are treated to the sight of giant flamingo statues adorned in fancy headwear and bow ties. What I think delighted me the most about walking around this space was the understanding that the world of art is so much broader than what I learned about at university. The indoor spaces featured both paintings and smaller pieces of sculpture in many different styles, while the outdoor sculpture garden brought the awe of childish whimsy everywhere I looked. Don't forget to check out the men's bathroom near the entrance to the museum!

We stopped by this art museum on Memorial Day and found that it was closed! I was so disappointed…read morebecause I love many forms of art and was looking forward to seeing the collection of Whimsy Art here. I used to have a collectibles shop so I was very interested in seeing the collections inside. There were so many tourists in Sarasota and everything was open, except this very interesting museum. We were leaving for Miami the next morning, so I knew we wouldn't have time to stop by here again. There were a couple of cars that pulled up but saw that it was closed and drove away. So we did the best we could and looked at the front yard area at the different sculptures. I really enjoyed the flamingos, the dog and cat, and the ladies on the bench. The hearts were fun, and my daughter enjoyed taking selfies! We will come back on our next trip here, but we will call first to make sure they are open.

I started taking fine art classes at the art center when i was ten and i plan on participating in…read moreupcoming art shows in the future! Great place for the whole family for art education, collecting, and more!

Great Florida show while we were there. Lovely sculptures outside8de. Art class programs. Community…read moreinvolvement and art shows. The Sarasota Garden Club and its butterfly gardens are a block away. Lioneer Park and the Historic Society just up the road. What's not to like? Art in lots of media. Abstract and realistic. Colorful and filtered. I thought it was neat the studio space was at the center of the gallery space Everything from tapestries to sculptures and digital art. Entry is free to donate as you see fit. Support the arts.

Where's the parking and signs? We drove a long way to see this museum and it was a campus full of…read morestudents and we had no clue where to park or where the museum was. Very disappointing because we had gotten a hotel room nearby just to visit. Drove around for twenty minutes then left. Never going to even attempt this again

Super fun, great staff, overall great experience! Some really cool history. Great for all agesread more

Be prepared for a pleasant surprise at the museum. It is truly magnificent. And as they say a…read morepicture says 1000 words this certainly does. There's so much to see and do here and you don't have to be bothered with the tour guide you simply walk through and see what you want at your own pace. Several parts you can get into for free but we often pay the $25 to have full access to the museum. Was money well spent. The grounds of this museum as well as its interior is splendid. Plan to spend several hours here so you can absorb everything.

Surpringly expansion collection of art, both classic and modern. We took advantage of their free…read morecurated tour of the classic pieces and then did a self guided tour of their modern collection. The modern exhibit included work of Yayoi Kusama and Lichtenstein.

This year's festival ended last weekend. The 15th year of the festival and I think I've been to…read morethe last 12 or so and I'll be back next year as well. This is one those things that makes it a bit more interesting living in this part of Florida. Where else can you see moves that people fight over to see at Sundance, or Toronto but be able to get reasonable priced tickets and actually get into see? Well The Sarasota film fest that is where! Maybe the movies picked the last few years have a higher production value, and there are fewer quirky ones than in years past, but there is always something interesting to see. Had a great with the 10 I saw. Give it a try next year. WEll run and they've worked the bugs out of their system over these 1.5 decades so 5 stars for a great week of movies that make you think and talk about long after they are over.

We've been attending this Sarasota circus for years at UTC as we are blessed to have the Flying…read moreWallenda's Family here locally. They are amazing! The circus was even better this year because Nick Wallendas sister joined their act today, which is always fantastic, and they built a new Big Top with very comfy seats too! The acts were phenomenal! Very impressive. Must see!

Nik Wallenda's WONDERLAND CIRCUS, is family-friendly, fun, surprising, delightful and unique…read more.. each performer we saw was outstanding at what they did, from the tiny contortionist that "bent" and folded in ways you'd never think possible, to the "silks" flyer/gymnast who performed in ways that were breathtaking and unlike ANY we'd ever seen before...remarkable skills on display by every performer. Nik and his amazing family topped the show with their wire-walking abilities, and inspiring true story of overcoming adversity that lifted everyone's spirits. Our own "hometown superstars..."

Beautiful spot. Lots of peaceful places for contemplation…read moreincluding a butterfly garden and bayfront observation spots Can't wait to go back

Most of the area was closed due to the hurricanes last year, they could have told us that before we…read morepaid. $20 person for a few block walk to see only a couple houses, a small butterfly enclosure and one garden really wasn't what I expected. Maybe Ok for a small child.....

I wish I could tell you the art on display was terrific, but we happened to visit when they were…read morebetween exhibits. They did, however, have many items for sale by local artists which were beautiful. My wife found a necklace (make that 3) that she really liked. If their items for sale are any indication of the quality of art being displayed then this is a place to visit when in the area. Can't help but notice that I am writing the first review - I guess the snow birds don't do Yelp*.

We had a fabulous lunch at their Cafe and were surrounded by Bougainville climbed walls and a…read moregorgeous fountain as we laughed and told stories. It was so neat and reminded me of a quant Italian experience. Food was delicious and our waiter adjusted the table umbrella to keep us out of the noon sun.