Last updated on .
The Salvador Dalí Museum in St. Petersburg, Florida, is home to the largest collection of the artist’s works outside of Europe. It’s a wonderful place to spend a couple hours if you’re in town.
History of the Museum
The museum traces its roots back to Cleveland, Ohio, where Reynolds and Eleanor Morse met Salvador Dalí in 1942 and struck up a lifelong friendship. The couple purchased their first painting from the Catalan artist and over the next 25 years collected more than 200 pieces.
The Morses opened a museum in March 1971 in Beachwood, Ohio. In 1982, they chose downtown St. Petersburg as the new location for the museum, which was housed in a refurbished marine warehouse.
Salvador Dalí Museum
The current building, designed by Yann Weymouth, opened on January 11, 2011. It features a 75 foot tall glass entryway around a spiral staircase and is hurricane-proof. Cafe Gala, named for Dalí’s wife, serves Spanish food, and there’s a large gift shop as well.
Adult admission to the Salvador Dalí Museum is US$24 and includes a free audio guide. It’s open daily from 10am to 5:30pm with extended hours to 8pm on Thursdays. Parking is US$10.
Permanent Collection
The galleries displaying the permanent collection are organized in mostly chronological order from Dalí’s early works to many from later in his life. There are 96 oil paintings as well as over 100 watercolors and drawings. Other types of works total over 1,300. Seven of his 18 masterworks are on display, the most of any museum in the world.
We opted not to use the audio guide and went through the galleries just to admire the work. We also were able to enjoy a 3D virtual reality experience called Dreams of Dalí, which explores his painting Archaeological Reminiscence of Millet’s “Angelus”.
Temporary Exhibit
A temporary exhibit, Dalí & Schiaparelli, displayed works by fashion designer Elsa Schiaparelli that were inspired by Dalí. Other than some interesting dresses, there were a few famous sculptures by Salvador Dalí on exhibit.
Garden
Finally, a garden outside the back of the museum features a sculpture of the artist’s signature mustache, a bench with a melting clock, and other interesting elements.
