Spring Break Practicum

Behind the Scenes of a Great Museum

As part of the cultural arm of Florida State University, the 66-acre Ringling Museum estate is the largest museum/university complex in the country and with its location on the edge of Sarasota Bay just a few miles from world-class beaches; it serves as an ideal location for an educational spring break experience.

Through a variety of interactive formats, attendees will get hands-on knowledge of Museum operations from Ringling staff and use the Museum’s collection as a basis for learning. Participants will attend VIP tours of the permanent collection and special exhibitions, the Cà d’Zan Mansion, and the two circus museums. Topics include the history of museums, curatorial and collections management, planning exhibitions, and the business of museums.

Comments from last year's participants:

This has been an amazing program. I cannot express enough how grateful I am and how much I feel I have learned.
It was excellent.
It was an amazing experience for me.
The staff was so gracious… Fantastic program!
Make it 5 days instead of 4!
Very helpful—I loved every minute.
One of the most engaging spring breaks I’ve ever had.
I was impressed at the level of enthusiasm and the passion for the Ringling expressed by the staff presenters. They embodied a spirit most employers would like to see in their staff.

The practicum is geared toward upper-division undergraduate students, but all are welcome to attend.

For more information contact
Karen Patriarca, Student Services Coordinator
karen.patriarca@ringling.org