A Surreal Day at The Dali Museum St. Pete FL

The Dali Museum St. Pete Florida

The Dali Museum is one of the most visited museum in Tampa Bay & St. Pete area. It is also known to have the biggest collection of Salvador Dali’s paintings. The Dali Museum contains about 2,100 works including 96 oil paintings.

Prepare to step into a realm where reality and imagination collide in a mesmerizing dance of art and eccentricity. Join me on a virtual journey to the heart of St. Pete’s Dali Museum, where Salvador Dalí’s surreal masterpieces await, each canvas a gateway to a world of boundless creativity. Whether you’re an art enthusiast or a curious explorer, this is an experience you won’t want to miss. Let’s embark on an adventure through the captivating and enigmatic world of one of the most iconic artists of the 20th century.

Salvador Dali

Born on May 11, 1904 in Figueres, Catalonia, Spain to parents Salvador Dali Cusi, a notary and atheist and Felipa Domenech Ferres, a devout catholic. He has two younger sisters and a brother he he shared the same name Salvador who died as a toddler just nine months prior to his birth. You will see his brother’s lifesize painting in The Dali Museum.

In 1929, he met his future wife Gala who was currently married to Surrealist poet Paul Eluard at that time. In 1934, he married the love of his life Elena Ivanovna Diakonova aka Gala in a civil ceremony. In January 23, 1989 Dali died from heart failure in his hometown Figueres, Spain.

Salvador Dalí was one of the most celebrated artists of all time—a visionary Surrealist known for his dreamlike imagery, eccentric personality, and technical mastery.

The Founders

Albert Reynolds and Eleanor Morse

In 1942, the Morses discovered Salvador Dalí’s work at a traveling exhibit and were instantly captivated. The following year, they purchased their first Dalí painting, Daddy Longlegs of the Evening, Hope! (1940), marking the start of a lifelong passion. Their friendship with Dalí and his wife Gala flourished, leading to a remarkable collection of his works.

By the 1970s, the Morses decided to donate their entire collection. After a Wall Street Journal article sparked interest, the St. Petersburg community rallied to bring the collection to Florida. In 1982, The Dalí Museum opened, and in 2011, a new state-of-the-art building was unveiled to protect and showcase Dalí’s masterpieces.

Their collection, featuring works from every stage of Dalí’s prolific career, is now regarded as one of the most important and influential art collections of the 20th century. The new Salvador Dali Museum opened in 2011 in St. Pete welcoming visitors everyday from all over the world. ^{_{Source: The Dali Museum Guide & New York Times.}}

Introduction:

The sun-kissed city of St. Petersburg, Florida is not only known for its pristine beaches and vibrant art scene but also houses a treasure trove of artistic brilliance – The Dali Museum. Nestled on the picturesque waterfront, this architectural marvel stands as a testament to the surreal and imaginative world of legendary Spanish artist Salvador Dali. 

Unveiling The Masterpiece

Upon setting foot in The Dali Museum, visitors are greeted with awe-inspiring architecture, a unique fusion of modern design. The museum’s geodesic structure and bubble-like glass dome called “The Enigma” immediately captivate onlookers, setting the stage for and extraordinary encounter with Salvador Dali’s masterpieces. Architect: Yann Weymouth.

Architecture

The design of the building is fantastic!! The large free-form geodesic glass bubble is a simple rectangle 18 inch thick hurricane proof walls which is made up of more than 900 triangular pieces of glass, stands 75 feet at its tallest point. _{^{Source: The Dali Museum Guide.}}

Another unique feature of the building is the infamous helical staircase as Dali is obsessed with spiral and the double helical shape of the DNA molecule. _{^{Source: The Dali Museum Guide}}.

Giving you some ideal photo spots!! Make sure you don’t miss this!!😉✨

The Avant Garden of Dali Museum

The Dali Museum Avant-Garden is located on the waterfront of the Tampa Bay. It’s pretty exciting to check the Dali Museum around this time because they have the ” Dali Alive 360 ” officially open now and it is located here in this garden. The garden is beautiful, there is also a hang out area where you can sit and sip a cup of coffee. Make sure you go around the building so you don’t miss the architecture side of this building.

Dali Alive 360

Dali Alive 360 is now open and worth a check!! I have to go back the 2nd time after it opened so I can check it out. It is a 3D 360 inside this dome. People just sits on the floor, for elderly they have some extra chairs you can sit. It opened this August 2023 located in Dali Museum garden. This is an add-on and it plays 10 showtimes daily. Needs a timed ticket. Pls see information at the end. I will have a separate blog about this. I’m pretty excited to share it with you all.

Dali Museum Souvenir Shop

As you step inside the museum, you will be greeted with several beautiful displays of his largest collections of Dali-inspired merchandise in the world. The Museum Gallery is on the 3rd floor. The elevator is on the right side past the shop or you can take the infamous helical staircase up to the 3rd floor.

I wanted to know more about Dali so I bought this The Dali Museum Guide Book and a Dali mug. Next time, I’m gonna purchase his Voltaire painting.

Cafe Gala

Located right next to the Souvenir Shop is Cafe Gala, named in honor of Dali’s wife Gala. They offer Spanish food like soups, salads, sandwiches, Tapas and small plates of appetizers are their specialty. You can also opt to eat outside at the Avant-Garden patio.

Behind this geodesic glass bubble wall is the Cafe Gala. There’s is an entrance/exit on this side of the building as long as you have your admission ticket wristband.

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The Galleries

Let me take you on a glimpse through some of the highlights of this incredible gallery—just a taste of Dalí’s surreal world. But trust me, nothing compares to seeing the full collection in person! Prepare to be amazed by his breathtaking masterpieces that truly come to life at The Dalí Museum.🎨✨

Self Portrait ( Figueres), 1921

As you enter the galleries, the very first painting is the Daddy Long Legs of the Evening – Hope!! This painting was very memorable to Ms. Eleanor Morse as this was the very first painting they bought for $1,250 in 1943 per New York Times article.

Daddy Long Legs of the Evening – Hope!! ( 1940 )

This portrait talks about the war as he and Gala sought refuge in the US during WW2. When I was at the guided tour for my 2nd visit on this portrait, the tour guide made a very good explanation about this portrait. The cannon shoots an eyeless putrefying horse is like a country without a leader. There’s also a sculpture of Nike, the greek winged goddess of Victory, a winged child shields his eyes pointing to the horror unfolding, a soft cello that is no longer capable of making music; inkwells sprout from the body suggesting the eventual treaties that will resolve the crisis and a daddy longlegs seen in the evening brings good luck and hope. ^{Source: Excerpt from The Dali Museum Guide.}

Dali’s Most Famous Painting

The Persistence of Memory, 1931 is Salvador Dali’s most famous painting with the infamous clock melting calling it the ” Camembert of Time ” and was actually inspired from the running camembert cheese, making this painting as one of the most recognizable images in the history of art. It is located in Museum Of Modern Art in New York City since 1932. In 1954, two decades after, he re-created the The Disintegration of The Persistence of Memory which now in The Dali in St. Pete.

The Disintegration of the Persistence of Memory, 1951

Dali has fascinations with clocks, he always includes clocks/watches in his paintings. In this painting, the oozing camembert cheeses resembled a melting watch. The illustrations has a meaningful message, it is about fluidity, how time can be fluid that if clocks melt, time becomes meaningless leading to chaos in our daily activities. _{^{Source: The Dali Museum Guide}}

Fun Fact: Do you know that I have to go back twice upon learning I have missed snapping a photo of this painting when I got home as this is Dali’s most famous painting. It can go unnoticed in the museum as it is only a cabinet size display. It is located at the end of the gallery at the center wall of the larger than life paintings. I have to ask the staff to guide me.😍

Dalí’s work reflects a world transformed by the nuclear age. The rectangular blocks symbolize atomic energy, while the distorted head of the Great Masturbator flows with surreal fluidity. Fascinated by the rhino horn as a symbol of absolute perfection, Dalí referred to this phase of his career in the early 1950s as his “rhinocerotic” period.^{_{Source: The Dali Archive.}}

Larger Than Life Paintings

Inside the Dali Museum Galleries in the 3rd floor, these are the large paintings you will see. Let’s start with Abraham Lincoln. With Abraham Lincoln’s, make sure you take a far and closer photos as it changes dependending on how far you are as the title suggests.

Gala Contemplating the Mediterranean Sea which at Twenty Meters Becomes Portrait of Abraham Lincoln, 1976

This canvass challenges our visual perception, when you are standing close to the painting you will see Gala standing naked with sun looking toward the Mediterranean sun, it says on the Dali Museum Guide that the sun doubles as an image of Christ, seen from above, ascending( my visual perception cannot pick that up at this time, I need more time..lol )

But when you step back further, approximately 20 meters as the title suggests, Abraham Lincoln’s head fills the entire canvass.

This painting depicts to themes of life and death and to Dali’s Spanish and American identity. A homage to Mark Rothko, a painter Dali’s age who took his life in 1970. ^{_{Source: The Dali Museum Guide.}}

As for me, I have to go all the way to the back to activate my visual senses. Now, I see it lol.😂

The Discovery Of America by Christopher Columbus, 1958

This painting resonates to Columbus’ voyage to the new world, an epic dream about discovery and identity. This is also a reference to Dali’s discovery of America where he found fame. Source_{^{: The Dali Museum Guide.}}

Dali’s Paintings: A Surreal Symphony

As you venture into the galleries, you’ll be enchanted by a mesmerizing display of Salvador Dali’s artwork. Known for his distinctive surrealist style, Dali’s paintings are a symphony of paradoxes, a blending of reality and dreams. Each stroke of the brush seems to come to life in the canvas, creating a magical dance of colors and forms that challenge our perception of reality. It is amazing!!

Probably one of my favorites, Dali’s most effective double image painting.

Slave Market with the Disappearing Bust of Voltaire, 1940

This has gotten into me as it took me a while to finally figure out what this painting depicts. From afar at first glance, I thought it was my grandma smiling at me 🤩 then I learned it was Voltaire.

Here on the second photo below, Gala seated with elbow on the red velvet tablecloth, gazing at a sculpted bust of French philosopher Voltaire. Then before our very eyes, Voltaire’s face dissolves into a group of figures, a couple dressed in an old fashioned clothing with large white collars per The Dali Museum Guide Book. For me, I see 2 nuns in a black and white clothing. Perception, lol but seriously how cool is this!!

Old Age, Adolescence & Infancy ( The Three Ages ), 1940

The painting tells a story of 3 ages and an answer to the Riddle of the Sphinx from the greek tragedy Oedipus Rex. When looking at theses paintings, you need to have an open mind, wide imagination and activate your visual perception because if you truly study each of his paintings the meanings are deep.

There are so many incredible pieces I wanted to showcase, but trust me—nothing compares to seeing them in person. Dalí’s art is something you have to experience for yourself to truly appreciate its depth, surrealism, and genius!

You can also purchase your ticket through Viator.com.

Explore St. Pete

While you’re in St. Pete, don’t stop at just one museum! Explore other incredible cultural gems like Chihuly Collection, the Imagine Museum, and the James Museum of Western & Wildlife Art for a well-rounded artistic experience. #supportinglocals.

Explore the flavors of Asia with must-try spots like Jollibee and Mangosteen St. Pete! From iconic Filipino fast food to modern Asian fusion, your taste buds are in for a treat!” 🍜✨

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Conclusion:

From mind-blowing art to must-visit destinations, I hope this post inspired you to explore more! If you loved this, stay tuned for more adventures—follow along, subscribe, and let’s keep discovering together! See you in the next one!💖

This blog is dedicated to showcasing and supporting incredible local attractions, helping travelers discover the best experiences while promoting the cultural gems in our community. My goal is to inspire more people to explore and appreciate these amazing places!🖼️✨

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