VENICE — The Venice Historic Train Depot and Ringling Circus car are now open for public tours on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Visitors can explore the exhibits at 303 East Venice Avenue, which highlight the 31 years the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus called Venice home.
The circus car arrived at the 1927 Historic Venice Train Depot on January, 2021. The 85-foot-long railcar, originally named Short Leaf Pine, was built by Pullman Standard and once owned by Ringling. Its last brake check took place in Venice in 1993. With help from donors across the country, the Venice Area Historical Society (VAHS) purchased, restored, and reconfigured the car after finding it at the Florida Railroad Museum. It now sits beside the depot’s historic caboose.
Inside, exhibits show how performers lived on the circus train and explore the innovations that shaped Ringling Bros. during its Venice years, from 1960 to 1992. The museum also celebrates the city’s lasting circus legacy, offering visitors an inside look at a unique chapter of American entertainment history.
The VAHS now leases all historic assets on the depot campus and relies on community support for ongoing maintenance of both the caboose and the circus car. Donations can be mailed to the Venice Area Historical Society, Circus Train Car Project, P.O. Box 995, Venice, FL 34284-0995.
