One of the great things about the sunny city of St. Petersburg is its artsy vibe. Walking around downtown you are bound to notice a speckling of colorful murals.
I felt like I spotted a new one each time I was there. Along with the free displays of art, there are a number of fantastic art museums in the small city. One of the reasons I wanted to visit to begin with was the Salvador Dali Museum [1 Dali Blvd, St Petersburg, FL 33701]. This is the largest collection of Dali works outside of Europe. The building itself is a work of art from outside and within.
Dali’s obscure surrealist work has always been intriguing to me.
I am continually fascinated with his ability to create pictures within pictures.
A free audio tour is offered with admission, it was something interesting to take advantage of – it pointed out features I would have never picked up on and tells the story of each painting. Possibly the most iconic of Dali works are his slithering clocks
and dripping images from the 1940s dubbed as the “nuclear mysticism” phase.
There were so many paintings I was excited to finally see in person – and one of the best things about visiting a focused artist museum is learning about new works. New favorites include skeletons riding bikes around a piano fountain
and sardines on a platter with a telephone.
But looking deeper as you always must with Dali, there is so much more. One extra bonus – during the time I visited there was an extensive exhibit dedicated to Frida Kahlo – the famed Mexican painter known best for her folksy self portraits.
Quick tip! On Thursday evening the museum offers discounted ticket prices. Another exciting, yet totally different museum is the Chihuly Collection [720 Central Ave, St. Petersburg, FL 33701]. I first discovered Dale Chihuly during my trip to Seattle. I realized I had seen his works in many places and truly came to appreciate it. I was excited to see a great display of his exquisite glass sculptures in St. Pete. Some unique items in this gallery were incredible flowers,
a boat filled with balls,
squiggling rainbow chandeliers,
and a forest of eclectic shards.
The museum itself is not very big, but you can extend your time by watching the many videos and with admission you get a chance to watch a glass blowing demonstration.
Looking for more artsy activity?
+Check out the Museum of Fine Arts in St. Petersburg
+Try out another close by city such as the Tampa Museum of Art, Leepa-Rattner Museum of Art in Tarpon Springs, or head to Sarasota for the Ringling Museum and Marietta Museum of Art & Whimsy
St. Pete is my new favorite city in FL as of this year, lovely city you’ve got.
If you find yourself in NYC (my neck of the woods) anytime soon, there is a temporary Chihuly exhibit going on at the Botanical Gardens!
Thanks for stopping by.
Julie, I’ve always loved Chihuly, and luckily, I visited the museum recently. It’s absolutely fabulous and should be on everyone’s list. Once you get away from St. Pete’s touristy side, it really has a lot to offer. ~James