The Dali Museum in St. Petersburg, Florida

The Salvador Dali Museum in St. Petersburg, Florida has reopened recently, with an installation to the museum's permanent collection. The Salvador Dali Museum is world re-known and a big attraction for art lovers when in the area. Even the building housing his precious art works is aesthetically interesting; with giant glass bulging out of the building walls, and benches with melting clocks on the grounds for people not to sit on.

The Salvador Dali Museum is the second home to the renowned Spanish surrealist artist's masterworks; the other museum located in his native Spain. The collection of art was complied by A. Reynolds Morse and Eleanor Morse, and collected over a span of 45 years. The collection includes 96 oil paintings, an assortment of drawings, fine prints, videos, and photographs. The museum is known for housing one of the biggest collections of masterworks from the famous surrealist artisan, aside from Dali's museum in Spain.

The oil paintings in the St. Pete museum's permanent collection span from 1917 through 1970. The artworks include Impressionist and Cubist styles of his early period, Abstract work showing his transition to Surrealism, and examples of science used as symbols in his art during his Classic period.

Salvador Dali is considered an artistic genius, at the forefront of the surrealist movement in art. His images of melting clocks could literally make time "stand still" when observing the work; the lines further blurred beyond the realms of traditional and previous avant-garde art forms. One of his most famous paintings is entitled "The Persistence of Memory," dating from 1931.

The salon section of the museum has natural light showcasing his Surrealist works upon entering, and two main galleries with glass, where visitors to the museum can glimpse panoramic views of Tampa Bay, before continuing to the new Dali exhibit in the museum entitled "Viva Dali, Viva la Revelación."

The museum houses an 11,000 square foot, two story area, which is used for lectures, independent private functions, and workshops. The Dali Museum opened on March 10, 1982. Six out of ten million visitors to the museum come from other countries, for not only is the museum a national attraction for art lovers, but there is much to see and do in Tampa; from beaches, restaurants and nightlife.

Repeat trips to the museum allow visitors a new experience. There are periodic rotations of collections, with changing exhibitions. Check out the museum's website for directions from your location. A day trip to St. Pete is worth it for this museum alone. Admission to the museum is $21, $19 for seniors, $15 for ages 13-18, and $7 for ages 6-12.

Reference:

http://www.thedali.org