Wonder is a state of being, a universal human emotion that combines curiosity, awe, and empathy towards a shared humanity. In the past year, wonder has become a formidable notion at The Ringling. The foundations of this movement are due to Dr. Katie Nickel, Head of Education, and Jennifer Lemmer Posey, the Tibbals Curator of Circus. The two have come together to ponder wonder through an academic, emotional, and scientific lens. This investigation of wonder grew into something incredible—the annual Wonder Symposium!

This year, the Wonder Symposium returns with a focus on Art + Healing, May 14-16. The first Wonder Symposium occurred in June 2024, a three-day event that investigated wonder through keynote speakers and multi-disciplinary academic and artistic presentations presenters and a public Ringling WonderGround event full of opportunities for awe and wonder.

The concept of wonder is a connective tissue between the arts and health, and this will be investigated through keynote speakers, multi-disciplinary presentations, art installations, and interactive public events such as a Carnival of Wonder where all can experience the healing power of the arts firsthand, and the return of Ringling WonderGround. Keynote speakers will focus on the role wonder and arts play in healthcare and healing.

Visitors can experience wonder daily at The Ringling. Audiences can experience wonder through fostering personal and meaningful connections to our collections. For example, many visitors walking into Galleries 1 and 2 are enamored with the vastness of Peter Paul Rubens’ Triumph of the Eucharist paintings. Seeing paintings so grand and so detailed, displayed in a place where the paintings are reflected through the very architecture of the galleries, immediately brings a feeling of awe. Other visitors may walk into the Tibbals Learning Center and be transported to a time when they were attendees at the circus by peering into the details of the Howard Bros. Model Circus. The installation of the circus model includes auditory and light manipulation to assist audiences in stepping back into history, activating nostalgia and feelings of wonder.

Wonder is infused in every facet of the museum, and we invite visitors to experience it for yourself!  Join us to experience more about the importance of wonder, by attending this year’s Wonder Symposium or visiting The Ringling.