A community dream that was 15 years in the making, Sarasota Art Museum of Ringling College opened in December 2019, creating the city’s only museum dedicated to the art of our time.

Don’t let the august exterior fool you: there’s nothing old-fashioned about the contemporary and modern art that awaits you on the other side of the beautifully repurposed historic Sarasota High School building. Sarasota Art Museum offers visitors a place to see thought-provoking, boundary-pushing exhibitions and to participate in dynamic educational programming, from artist and curator talks to live performances to unique interactions with artists and arts world luminaries.

With membership starting at only 65 tax-deductible dollars, why not take your dinner conversations up a notch? Here are five great reasons to become a full-fledged member:

1. Be the first to know: Discover the artists who will be the subjects of your kids’ art history classes.

Your membership gives you carte blanche to constantly rotating exhibitions of work by artists from around the globe, seven days a week. Members also get exclusive, invitation-only previews of new exhibitions and special days when you can bring a friend to experience being a member, free of charge.

2. Duo Membership: You should never have to commit to just one plus one.

Join at the $100 Duo level, and you choose your wingman (or wingwoman!) when you visit the museum. Bring a friend, your mom, a date, your boss, that guest from out-of-town—you get the drift. Create your own dynamic duo whether you’re stopping in to see the latest exhibitions, enjoying a program before dinner, or catching a performance on Klein Plaza.

3. Jazz Thursdays

Jazz Club of Sarasota is programming the region’s hottest jazz groups on the second Thursday evening of each month for outdoor shows. As a member, you get first priority registration, and it’s completely free. Members at the Duo level or higher also pay nothing for their plus one. Is there a bar and great food? Check. Can you dance the night away? You better!

4. The epicurean artistry of Bistro’s Chef Kaytlin Dangaran—did somebody say cornbread cookies?

What’s better than a seasonal farm-to-table menu, where each dish feels like it was made by your mom, if she had secretly perfected her craft in some of New York City’s and San Francisco’s finest kitchens? We know what—shelling out a little less dough at the register—members get a 10 percent discount. Enjoy your meal en plein air on Klein Plaza or in the artfully reimagined 1959 Paul Rudolph Building, where Bistro Manager John Dangaran (yes, he’s Chef Kaytlin’s equally talented husband who runs the place and makes the cocktails) spins a playlist that will keep you happy, yet guessing. You’ll never forget that meal you enjoyed as your feet tapped along to “These Boots Are Made for Walkin’,” en français. Êtes-vous prêtes, les bottes?

5. Member Days at the SHOP

It looks innocent enough at first glance. You’ve been around the block, traversed your fair share of museum gift shops, but SHOP Manager Peter Capriotti is more selective than most. You’ll find that perfect gift every time! His secret? He never buys boutique items in bulk. When you buy that must-have bag, those to-die-for earrings—they’re yours. As a member, you always get a 10 percent discount, and on special Member Days—even more.

Ready to join? Visit sarasotaartmuseum.org/membership, call us at 941.402.5428, or visit our admissions desk.