St Petersburg has the largest collection of Dali's works outside of Spain. The Salvador Dali Museum is currently located in a waterfront building that has an unexciting exterior. All that is about to change with the new building that's coming to Progress Energy Center for the Performing Arts. Groundbreaking is scheduled for December 12th, with completion in the fall of 2010.
Yann Weymouth has designed this Daliesque structure with the flowing glass dome that oozes around the concrete block. What a sight looking out through the glass to the Tampa Bay waterfront! There's also a unique spiral staircase that leads up to the 3rd floor galleries and continues into a sculpture as you look up.
This will be a great complement to the adjacent Mahaffey Theater and to the other wonderful museums along the waterfront in downtown St Petersburg.
Come spend a weekend at the historic Renaissance Vinoy Hotel and visit The Museum of Fine Arts, the Museum of History, the Holocaust Museum, the Dali Museum, and check out the numerous small galleries.
You might even want to come during the annual Mainsail Arts Festival held in our beautiful downtown waterfront parks. The 34th annual festival will be held on April 18 and 19, 2009.
11/28: You're invited to the Groundbreaking of the new Salvador Dali Museum.
Sharon, this is probably the main reason that I'd love to come to St. Petersburg. I'm a big Dali fan and enjoyed seeing an exhibit of his work years ago when it came to D.C.
Hi, Brian - I love going to the Dali museum. Perhaps you should plan your trip to St Pete around a Dali event, such as the annual Surrealist Ball. It's quite a site to see people dressed up as items in his paintings - the falling egg, the watch, the geopolitical birth ...
Should be fun for all the regulars and a reason to travel back to the museum.
www.salvadordaliexperts.com
Absolutely, Dan!
I'm glad to hear of the groundbreaking! The new Dali Museum will be a beautiful addition the waterfront!
Phil - yes, it will be - a real win-win-win. The groundbreaking is Friday, December 12 at 10:30 am at the new location, which is just south of the Mahaffey Theater. The public is welcome and here's more information on the New Dali Groundbreaking.
Aloha Sharon,
I love the Dali museum in St. Pete's and what a great building to house such a large and comprehensive collection. I love the Don Caesar Hotel too, the Wax museum... ok St. Pete is an awesome town all around.
Peace,
Hi, Kimo - St. Petersburg is a wonderful place to be!