Bring your class to The Ringling for a field trip! On-site visits to the museum are FREE for all students and 2 teachers/chaperones for every 10 students. All visits include access to the Museum of Art, Circus Museum, and the Bayfront Gardens. Depending on your group size, you may choose a guided tour led by one of our specially trained volunteers or to lead your students on your own.
Guided Visits
Guided tours, which can accommodate up to 50 participants, are an engaging way to visit The Ringling. Trained guides will lead your students on a 60 minute tour involving 2-6 artworks. School tour guides are trained in interacting with students, tying the tour to Florida state curriculum, and leading engaging discussions and activities around works of art.
Guided Visits are offered for all grade levels in the Museum of Art or the Bayfront Gardens.
Select your tour from the themes described below.
After your guided experience, your group will have access to explore the Circus Museum and Bayfront Gardens at your leisure. Each guided tour has an optional post-tour worksheet to accompany the lessons in the tours. Tour worksheets and planning information, are available for download on our Teacher Resource page.
Choose from these engaging tour themes for your students.
Museum of Art Tour | Grades K-12
Discover the rich history and artwork at The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art! This tour offers an overview of the museum’s collection, highlighting key works from different times and places, while exploring the fascinating history behind the museum itself. This tour has scaffolded learning and is appropriate for K-12 audiences.
Elements of Art | Grades 6-12
Elements of Art is the sister tour for Meet The Ringling. This tour explores The Ringling and then focuses on a deeper, formal analysis of artworks in the collection. Here, students will use the elements of art as a lens to analyze paintings, prints, photographs and sculptures from The Ringling collection. Students will discuss the building blocks of art including color, line, shape, form, and pattern. Secondary students will practice critiquing works of art and will analyze the composition and choices made by the artist. This tour practices visual arts standards and is ideal for students taking art or art history.
Mythology in Art at The Ringling | Grades 6-8
Step into the world of mythology through art at The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art! This tour explores how ancient myths and legendary figures are depicted in artwork. Students in grades 6-8 will discover how artists use symbolism, composition, and storytelling to bring myths to life. Perfect for young learners, this tour connects the power of myth to the visual arts in an engaging and interactive way. This tour is primarily based in the Museum of Art Courtyard and ends inside the Museum of Art.
Portraits at The Ringling | Grades K-5
Discover portraits at The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art! This tour introduces young learners in grades K-5 to the art of portraiture, exploring how artists capture people’s likenesses, personalities, and emotions. Through fun and interactive discussions, students will learn about the six elements of portraits, while discovering the stories behind the people in the artwork.
Art as Text: Reading and Writing With Art | Grades 9-12
Explore art as text at The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art! Designed for grades 9-12, this tour teaches students how to “read” a work of art by analyzing its visual elements, symbols, and composition. Students will learn how to interpret meaning, much like reading a book, and uncover the stories, emotions, and messages embedded in the artwork. From there, students will use these interpretations to write a work of their own. This tour encourages critical thinking, connecting visual analysis with written expression for a deeper understanding of art.
Bayfront Gardens School Tour | Grades K-12
Explore the Bayfront Gardens at The Ringling, where 66 acres of bucolic nature come to life! Students will learn about the history and ecology of the Bayfront Gardens. Fitted for all ages, this tour offers a fun and educational experience that connects art, history, and the natural world.
Teacher-led Visits
Teacher-led visits can accommodate up to 300 participants.
Bring your students to visit The Ringling and use the museum as your classroom for the day! Teacher-led visits offer teachers the opportunity to take a FREE field trip to the various venues on campus including the Museum of Art, Circus Museum and Bayfront Gardens. Museum educators do not facilitate teacher-led visits, allowing teachers the flexibility to engage with The Ringling’s collections however you’d like.
Visit Ca’ d’Zan
School group visits to Ca’ d’Zan are temporarily unavailable as we work to restore the home following hurricane damage. We’re eager to welcome you back to the home as soon as repairs are complete. Thank you for your patience and understanding!
Plan Your Visit
► Guided tours require 6 weeks’ advance notice and teacher-led visits require 2 weeks’ advance notice. You may request an on-site visit by submitting the online request form found below; please note that some dates may not be available. Visits are only confirmed when you receive an emailed confirmation from the education department.
► Complimentary Planning Visits: Educators may receive one complimentary ticket to The Ringling prior to bringing their class on a field trip. To reserve your complimentary ticket, email [email protected] with the preferred date of your planning visit.
► Teacher Resources: We have extensive resources and planning materials available to make your visit a success! Discover teacher and chaperone planning templates, teacher guides to the collection, student workbooks, post-visit worksheets, and additional resources. Learn more
Bus Scholarships
Teachers are encouraged to apply for scholarship funds to offset the cost of bus transportation to and from The Ringling. Funding is provided by The Frank Duckwall Foundation, Inc. Endowment.
Please note: We do not have any additional bus scholarship funds to award for this school year. If you have already submitted a bus scholarship and received an email confirmation from our Education Department, your bus scholarship has been processed. New bus scholarships cannot be submitted for this year. Our 2025-2026 school year bus scholarship window will open on August 1, 2025.
