Art Center Sarasota’s mission is to provide Sarasota with opportunities for creative expression and art appreciation through art education, exhibitions and cultural programs.

The word Asolo originated in Asolo, Italy with a lovely 18th century theatre acquired by the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art for its collection more than 50 years ago. A fledgling acting company founded by faculty of Florida State University (FSU) began performing a summer series of plays under the name of the Asolo Theatre Festival and later as the Asolo Theatre Company. The acting company eventually outgrew the Ringling's Historic Asolo Theater and the company moved into its current home within the FSU Center for the Performing Arts where it has enjoyed notable success.

This 53-acre site maintains a national reputation as a premier baseball facility in the State of Florida and continues to be the mecca of baseball and other events in the area. The spring training home of the Baltimore Orioles, the beautifully renovated stadium offers seating fro 7,428 spectators with standing room space taking the parks total capacity to 8500. Two concourses include food & beverage stands, a cafe, and a gift shop.

The mission of the Florida Maritime Museum is to collect, preserve and share traditional knowledge, cultural artifacts and personal stories specific to Florida’s fishing and maritime heritage. Exhibits include historic photographs, boat models, tools, instruments, and other historically significant material relevant to Florida’s maritime culture and history. The museum offers free lectures, rotating temporary exhibits, as well as traditional skills classes through their Folk School.

Studio Theatre campus is a village of theatres – the historic Keating and Gompertz Theatres, the Parisian-style Goldstein and John C. Court Cabarets, and Bowne's Lab Theatre. Near the Sarasota bayfront, FST brings an energy and vitality to the downtown area. Each theatre is small in size and large in impact – providing an intimate and engaging setting for high-quality, professional performances. Hip and historical, entertaining and challenging, we are the theatre where the street meets the elite, where everyone is welcome to come and engage in the art of theatre.

This antebellum mansion was home to Major Robert Gamble and headquarters of an extensive sugar plantation. It is the only surviving plantation house in South Florida. In 1925, the house and 16 acres were saved by the United Daughters of the Confederacy and donated to the state. Today, the mansion is furnished in the style of a successful mid-19th century plantation. Guided tours of the Gamble Mansion are given six times a day, Thursday through Monday and there are picnic tables on the grounds. The visitor center is open from 9am - 11:45 am and 12:45 pm - 5pm, Thursday through Monday.

Located just south of downtown Bradenton, newly named LECOM Park has been the spring training home of Major League Baseball's Pittsburgh Pirates since 1969 and has fielded baseball games since 1923. Recently renovated to hold 8500 fans, LECOM Park's nostalgic charms in its city neighborhood appeal to many baseball traditionalists and ballpark enthusiasts, and some consider the facility to be Florida's version of Fenway Park. It is built in a Florida Spanish Mission style, with white stucco on the main grandstand and cover bleachers over the reserved seating section. The Pirates and the City of Bradenton celebrated their 40th anniversary together during the 2008 spring training season, which included an agreement between the city and the Pirates to continue their partnership through 2037.

Manatee County Fairgrounds is home to the Manatee County Fair and also hosts numerous events throughout the year.

Manatee Village Historical Park in an open-air museum complex featuring many historic buildings, including a courthouse from 1860, a church from 1887, a settler’s house from 1912, a general store from 1903 and a one-room schoolhouse from 1908.

The Marietta Museum of Art & Whimsy is a unique Art Museum dedicated to the creative human spirit and raising the importance of Whimsical Art. Come and experience the unusual collection of light-hearted paintings, sculptures, stained glass, and mosaics. The Lee Family Gardens are nestled within a canopy of majestic old oak trees and feature many large sculptures, including; several grand pink flamingos, two bronze rabbits, a ballerina, a mom unicorn with babies, a stainless steel rocket ship and a bathosphere prototype. Plant lovers will enjoy a variety of orchids, tropical plants, and trees. NEW! Magic Motion Light Show! An interactive whimsical experience that’s Fun for ALL Ages.Being here will inspire your creativity, lift your spirits and touch your heart!!! Reopening November 28, 2026. WhimsyMuseum.org

For almost 80 years, the Players Theatre has been a vital and integral part of the Sarasota community. The company's dynamic revue ranges from solo to group performances, featuring innovative choreography in ballet, jazz and tap. They are known as Sarasota's first and oldest performing arts organization.

Art from antiquity to the present. The joy of performance in a historic theater. A miniature circus and big top thrills. John and Mable Ringling’s bayfront mansion. Breathtaking grounds and gardens. Ringling.org

The Ringling College of Art and Design is a private, not-for-profit, fully accredited college offering the Bachelor's degree in 12 disciplines. Located on Florida’s Gulf Coast, the picturesque 49-acre campus now includes 110 buildings, and attracts close to 1,400 students from 45 states and 60 foreign countries. It is recognized as being among the best and most innovative visual arts colleges in the United States.

Sarasota Art Museum is Ringling College of Art and Design’s dynamic laboratory for the exploration and advancement of contemporary art.

The Museum offers visitors of all ages a place to see thought-provoking exhibitions and participate in educational programs that start conversations and amplify the city’s creative spirit. In addition to 15,000 square feet of dedicated exhibition space and the Great Lawn featuring temporary sculpture, the Museum campus houses Bistro and SHOP. The Bistro emphasizes local produce, healthy proteins, and artisanal specialty items to create a farm-to-table dining experience. SHOP features an eclectic collection of exhibition-related merchandise, art and architecture books, contemporary jewelry and gifts.

Visit Sarasota Art Museum for a new and different experience for the entire family!

Home of the Sarasota County Fair, this sprawling facility also hosts numerous event throughout the year. For the full schedule, call or visit their website.

Sarasota Municipal Auditorium is an event venue with the scenic waterfront beauty of Sarasota Bay. Built in 1938, the Art Deco and Moderne design distinguishes the Municipal Auditorium as a community landmark. The Auditorium is one of less than a handful of Art Deco gems left in Sarasota. It was built by the people, for the people with funding from President Roosevelt’s Work Progress Administration program. Sarasota Municipal Auditorium is a wonderful historic facility for the interested sightseer.

Sarasota Opera owns and performs in the historic Sarasota Opera House. The building has recently undergone a $20 million rehabilitation to restore the beauty of the 1920's theater, while creating an up-to-date opera house for the 21st century.

For over 65 years, the Sarasota Orchestra has been entertaining music lovers from around the region, and visitors from around the world. The 80-member Orchestra performs more than 125 classical, pops, chamber, education and community engagement concerts per season and thrives as the oldest continuing orchestra in the state of Florida.

Set along Sarasota's beautiful bay front, the landmark Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall has been entertaining audiences with a variety of music, dance, theater and comedy for more than 35 years. This 2,736 seat bayfront institutional is uniquely designed to present concerts spanning from classical to jazz to Broadway musicals.

The Venice Community Center is a beautiful 45,000 sq. ft. facility. It is home to a 10,000 sq. ft ballroom that seats up to 1,000 guests. The facility is home to many expos, weddings, seminars, concerts, proms, and a wide-variety of educational, recreational, and social activities.