Experience a Surreal Artistic World at the Dali Museum in St. Petersburg, FL
St. Petersburg, Florida, is lucky enough to be the home of the Dali Museum, an entire museum dedicated to showcasing the artwork of prominent artist and facial hair trendsetter, Salvador Dali.
Best known for his iconic depictions of melting clocks and his outlandish mustache, this museum provides an intimate and immersive look into Salvador Dali’s life, work, and the Surrealist movement as a whole. But this isn’t just your average museum. With augmented reality and zany features, you’ll burn through all 2,400 of Dali’s works on display and still be wanting more!
Artwork Outside (of the Box)
Before you even set foot in the museum, you’ll be greeted by the spirit of Dali.
The museum is made of concrete and blue glass and is just as surreal and wonderfully bizarre as a Salvador Dali canvas. It’s worth snapping a selfie before you even go inside. The blue glass panels reflect the trees and surrounding scenery, creating a gorgeous spectacle that “combines the rational with the fantastical.” This 75-foot-tall free-form glass bubble is known as the “Enigma” and was created to pay homage to the dome that decorates the original Dali Museum in Spain.
Amble Through the Avant-Garden
Before you venture inside the museum, you’ll also want to take a stroll through the Avant-Garden. The gardens are set along the Tampa Bay waterfront, creating the perfect scenery to delve into the gardens’ goal: to explore the relationship between math and nature.
Every component of the garden pays homage to some part of Dali’s life, work, and interests. This creates a unique environment that combines tranquility and intellectual stimulation. In the southeast corner, a labyrinth invites exploration into the tranquility and majesty of nature. Take your time admiring features like a split stone staircase, flowering plants, a building full of flowers and pools of water, and even a fountain.
Make sure to stop by the Wish Tree, too – a ficus with a compound trunk and massive drooping branches – a visual tie-in to Dali’s iconic melting clocks. Every day, visitors to the museum write their hopes and dreams onto scraps of paper, then tie those scraps onto the branches of the tree, casting their wishes to blow in the wind – and, hopefully, come true someday.
Step Inside the Mind of Salvador
The first thing you’ll probably notice inside the museum is a unique helical staircase. This plays into Dali’s fascination with spirals and the double-helix shape of DNA strands.
But as you immerse yourself in the rest of the museum, you’ll be met with an unparalleled collection of works by renowned artist Salvador Dali. Although today Dali is mainly known for his paintings, his body of work is so much more diverse than that. The permanent collection includes prints, photographs, sketches, paintings, and even book illustrations. You’ll also find a collection of unique 3D objects like sculptures, a bronze-cast chess set, an etched-glass bowl, and a dinner jacket. And don’t miss the lobster phone, a bizarre old-fashioned telephone with a lobster as the handset!
Dali Lives
True to Salvador Dali’s legacy as a change-maker, the Dali Museum is full of opportunities to experience something new and bizarre. You can even see the artist in action thanks to artificial intelligence (AI). Visitors can interact with a lifelike Salvador Dali on screens throughout the museum in an impressive example of art and award-winning AI combining forces.
Let’s Get Surreal
The Dali Museum is an in-depth look at the world of Salvador Dali. But he wasn’t the only Surrealist, and his influence can be seen throughout the entire art world. That’s why you’ll also find collections of other Surrealists and influential artists while you’re at the Dali Museum. Stop by and learn about someone new!
Aimé Césaire: Poetry, Surrealism and Négritude
This exhibit explores the rich world of Surrealist poet and politician Aimé Césaire. Césaire was a politician from the French Caribbean island of Martinique. This exhibit focuses on a selection of his poems, the poet’s personal history, his ties to Surrealism, and his role in founding the anti-colonial Négritude movement. This provides an interesting tie-in to Dali’s work through the bond of Surrealism, but explores it through another medium (poetry) and within a different cultural context.
The Woman Who Broke Boundaries: Photographer Lee Miller
This intimate yet holistic exhibit gives visitors a tour of the work of photographer Lee Miller. Though Miller isn’t a household name, her work and story are a vital look into some of the 20th century’s most extraordinary moments. Miller was a groundbreaking female photographer and a personal confidante of many remarkable artists, making her a name well worth knowing.
Known for her intriguing personal life and her insightful portraiture and photojournalism work, this collection showcases more than 130 images taken by her.
At Home With Dali
This exhibit showcases the world of 5 photographers: Ricardo Sans, Horst. P. Horst, Melitó Casals, Robert Descharnes, and Lies Wiegman. It’s a small exhibit, just under 40 images, but it offers a uniquely intimate view of Dali in his homeland: Spain.
These rarely-displayed photos offer an unusually intimate look into Dali’s personal life. In this exhibit, Salvador Dali can be seen climbing along rocky Costa Brava with his wife Gala, relaxing at home, working on paintings in his studio, and more. This offers powerful insight into the man behind the iconic works we know and love. We recommend browsing the permanent collection before immersing yourself in At Home With Dali.
Interpreting Dali? There’s An App For That.
Be sure to download the museum app before your visit! This powerful resource lets you preview the art before your trip, embark on a self-guided tour, and more. The Augmented Reality (AR) features highlight pieces of Dali’s artwork, bringing them to life before your eyes and making them more approachable. You can view 8 of Dali’s masterworks in the permanent collection using AR to get a deeper understanding of the pieces’ complex imagery. These paintings are huge in scale and complexity, so AR can help you digest and understand them better.
The GPS-enabled maps of the museum also help you find your way and make sure you don’t miss a single inch of this awesome museum. Be sure to check the event calendar before your trip so you know which day to visit! Different events and exhibits are always coming up, so you’ll want to plan ahead if you can.
Stop and Shop
There’s no better way to remember your experience at the Dali Museum than to take a piece of it home with you! At the museum gift shop, you’ll find hundreds of Dali-inspired gifts and keepsakes, a wide book selection, trendy and elegant wearable art, canvas prints, wall art, home décor, and more.
You’ll also find souvenirs as unique as Dali himself. From art supplies and jewelry to Dali-inspired watches, fragrances, and even a Dali-inspired tarot deck, you’ll have just as much fun browsing the eclectic selection as you’ll have exploring the museum exhibits.
Grab a Bite at the Café Gala
This isn’t your typical museum café. At Café Gala (named after Dali’s wife), you can sample light Spanish fare like tapas and small appetizers, as well as traditional pastries, soups, salads, and sandwiches. This provides a unique opportunity to immerse yourself in the world of Dali, not just with your eyes, but also with your taste buds.
Dine inside or on the Avant-Garden patio overlooking the Tampa Bay shoreline. When you’ve finished your meal, grab a coffee and dessert while you enjoy the view. Choose from a crema Catalana (a flan-like Spanish dessert), tiramisu, or mantecados (Spanish cookies). They also offer beer and wine – we recommend trying the signature Spanish rose champagne while you’re there!
What’s your favorite piece of artwork in the Dali Museum? Let us know in the comments below!
Cover Image
Photo: CityofStPete via Flickr
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