Sad to admit this was our first visit here, and literally on the last day of the Clyde Butcher…read morephotography exhibit. Jade who worked up front was friendly and helpful. Manageable sized museum where we spent about 90 minutes and had to leave before viewing everything. The Butcher exhibit was very good, I wish there was more. Truly incredible work. There is a manatee rehab area, although no manatees currently as the ones they had were thankfully released back into the wild. Emma who works in this area answered several of my husband's questions and was quite knowledgeable and informative. Some great historical artifacts, especially for local history. Excellent museum gift shop as well, with a large variety of items and another friendly and engaging employee, Anne. Looking forward to the upcoming baseball exhibit, and will allow more time.

Visited with a group tour and got to see 2 planetarium shows, one of which we could take pictures…read morein. That's is typically not allowed. I really enjoyed the self tour around the museum also. From early, native FL tools and weapons and art to prehistoric animals and the life-size mastadon jaw behind glass (HOLY OMG! MASSIVE!)... I learned some things and have been trying to get here the last 2 years for their laser light shows (brings me back to my high school days in SoFL!!). I will DEFINITELY be making sure I attend at least one show this season! The staff was friendly, the museum is very well kept, the only thing was that the manatee rehabilitation area was closed the day I visited. Thats a HUGE part of our FL's west coast wild life... This would be just another reason to return..when it's back open.

This month I had off on a Monday and deciding to take myself out on a date to The Ringling. It has…read morebeen months since the last time I was here and wanted to take advantage of the free art museum and grounds. It was a peaceful day exploring all the gorgeous art work.

Came to check it out on free Monday. The admission does not include the circus museum…read more Walking along, the grounds is very peaceful. The art collection inside the museum was very great. This place reminded me of walking through Italy. Love the replica of David in the courtyard. Also, the pianos mixed in as a part of the collection was a great touch. Only downside was there will be a line since the museum is free on Mondays so come early.

Let me tell you about the time my wife casually turned a normal "drop our daughter off at college"…read moretrip into what felt like a deleted scene from a survival movie... destination: Solomon's Castle in the absolute middle of nowhere. And when I say nowhere, I mean NOWHERE. I'm driving waiting for streetlights... nothing. Gas stations? Nope. People? Questionable. Cows? Plenty. Motorcycles flying by like we accidentally entered a post-apocalyptic biker convention? Oh yeah. At this point, I'm looking at my wife like, Babé are we visiting a castle or auditioning for The Walking Dead: Florida Edition?" Then suddenly... BOOM. Out of nowhere... like a mirage built by a very creative pirate appears this shiny, aluminum-covered CASTLE. Now I'm confused. Because one minute I'm dodging cows... and the next minute I'm like: Did we just teleport to medieval times sponsored by Home Depot? But here's the thing this place is AMAZING. Inside? Pure genius. Art everywhere. Sculptures made out of stuff you probably threw away last week. It's like if creativity, humor, and a junkyard had a baby and that baby became a castle. And then there's the restaurant. Yes. A restaurant. Inside a boat. Inside a castle. In the middle of nowhere. At this point, I've stopped asking questions and just accepted that I'm in someone else's dream. If you want the backstory, go ahead and Google it because it's wild. But honestly, just go. Don't overthink it. Would I have ever planned this stop? Absolutely not. Did my wife once again prove she's the CEO of random but incredible detours? 100%. Final verdict: Unexpected Slightly suspicious drive in Completely worth it If you're ever near Ona, Florida--or even if you're not take the detour. Just make sure your gas tank is full... and maybe say a quick prayer once the streetlights disappear

On our drive from St Augustine to Tampa, we made reservations to see Solomon's Castle in the middle…read moreof nowhere on beautiful land here in Florida. This castle was built by Howard Solomon, a high school dropout, with his bare hands and his own designs with whatever scraps of metal he could find or that were donated to him by others. He had friends and neighbors who helped him build. He built vertically because his land was more narrow than wide. So there are stairs to climb. Everything including his unusual artwork inside the Castle was donated or built by Solomon. He also had a 1930s collection of cars and trucks that are displayed at the Castle. His personal story is very interesting which will be told during the tour. Visitors are not allowed to photograph the auto collection nor anything inside the Castle. There is no cell service/wifi there on the property. They do not use computers so everything is paid by cash: the tickets (we paid about $40 in cash for the castle tour and the classic car tour), the food, and souvenirs. They are dog-on-leash friendly, which is nice. The staff is very welcoming and fun to interact with! The tour is very interesting with funny jokes thrown in. Food is served on the boat and reviewers have been favorable about the meals offered. Remember, it is cash only. Parking is free and at the entrance before you get to the Castle. Wear comfortable shoes. I was happy that we got to do the tour. I don't know that I would go back because it is so out of the way but it was worth the trip.

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!

My mouth hung open in awe from the moment I entered the property. I love this museum. I have…read morebrought many of my friends here. Every piece of painted art is amazing. I am a whimsey painter and I always leave here so inspired I can't wait to start another project. This is a MUST see for Florida visitors. Even if you aren't artistic You will be inspired by this whimsical magical amazing museum of art. Mary, the owner shares her collection of whimsical art on this property and in these buildings. Again, this is a must see in Florida.

This is an out of the way botanical (and sculpture) garden that doesn't look like much at the…read morebeginning but gets better as you go along. Admission is paid at a booth as you drive in. They normally accept AHS reciprocal memberships for admission, but because there was a special exhibit (origami) during our visit, we paid a reduced rate vs getting in free. Wrist bands are issued when you pay. Once you've parked there's a booth where you can get a map of the premises. The garden is divided by Riverside Drive. The side where you park is just ok, but much of the real beauty (at least in mid- March during our visit) was on the other side of Riverside. There are lots of sculptural elements, pools, and garden color in that area. There's a koi pond, and we saw a little blue heron there during our visit. We spent about 90 minutes enjoying the scenery. There are apparently plans to enhance these gardens, so stay tuned!

Nice gardens in an area I didn't anticipate seeing something. We were lucky enough to be there…read morefor a metal origami exhibit which was interesting. Nice mixture of trees, plants and statues. The koi pond was nice and you could feed them If you chose. The gift shop was very nice with reasonably priced items. I wish there were more signs on the plants and trees so I knew what I was looking at.

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

There is no diversity of plants, it is no better than just walking through the woods or a…read moreneighborhood park. Then we went to the north campus thinking it might be better, but they did not accept our receipt for the south campus even though it was on the same day. $40 down the drain...so disappointing

You get what you pay for, and this place is free, although they do accept donations. So don't be a…read morecheapskate and give some dollars if you go. It's mainly outdoors and walking ‍ is required. They have a map and scavenger map for fun. There is no guided tour but that makes it better because you can roam as you like. Seeing all the historical items is always cool and really makes you thank God we weren't born back then lol (no ac). My spawn and I really enjoyed all the old time items and it was cool having to explain what things were. Please go and enjoy yourself.

Such a fun place to visit if you are in the area. I highly recommend taking a self-guided walking…read moretour of the main building and outbuildings.

This place is a hidden somewhat run down but still super awesome old school gem that we loved…read more Florida's "Colonial Williamsburg" type living history museum with several buildings o exhibts as wrll as: Some livestock animals. A small garden inckuding sugar cane. Lots of vintage old stuff to explore. We woukd have loved a docent but self discovery was neat too. We really enjoyed our visit. Hoepfully some big money or loving volunteers step up to help support this super cool place. A trip back in time.. I love this place.

Wonderful place to take children. Old Florida at its best. Adjacent to Myakka State Park and easy…read moreto get to.

Mote Marine is probably the premier marine research lab in the South. Each year they hold a fund…read moreraiser out by I75 where you can interact with the biologists who do the research. Today was that event at their research park off Fruitville. Fortunately, it was under a huge tent which protected us from a cloudburst. Kudos to Paul Mattison for feeding around 400 patrons.

Just a skip, hop, and a jump from Longboat Key, the Mote Aquarium is the perfect spot to keep…read morechildren entertained when you've just had enough of the beach. Here's what you need to know: - A mix of indoor and outdoor exhibits (aka: be prepared to sweat if it's a hot day) - Reciprocity with the Smithsonian National Zoo as well as many other organizations - Favorite animals spotted: penguins, river otters (we literally could have spent our whole day watching them play), tiger sharks, manatees, and all of the beautiful jellyfish - This medium sized aquarium was easy to explore, event with several toddlers to explore. - Gift shop is top notch Highly recommend if you are in the area!

We spent maybe 90 minutes at the gardens, which are currently featuring sculptures and drawings by…read moreartist Alexander Calder. Calder is most famous for his use of primary colors, and for his mobiles. This exhibit, "Alexander Calder: The Nature of Movement" ends May 31, 2026. Calder's connection with Sarasota is mainly through sketches he made of Ringling Brothers Barnum & Bailey Circus, which was based in Sarasota. Portions of the gardens are under construction, but most areas along the water are open. There wasn't much in bloom during our visit. Admission is not cheap ($28 per adult, $12 for children 5-17) but we were able to get in for free using the reciprocal arrangement from our membership at another botanical garden. Garage parking is free, and there's an elevator.

Such a lovely time ! This is a must-see place to go if you're visiting Florida. Nice place to take…read morepictures and walk around. I do wish there was more structure as to what section of the garden to go to first. However, they do provide you with a map to make sure you hit everything.