St. Pete Area Museums & Art Galleries

From Salvador Dali to an expansive collection of art galleries, the St. Petersburg/Clearwater area has an artistic taste for everyone's palate.

Long famous for its beaches, weather and wealth of water-related activities, St. Petersburg/Clearwater is also quickly becoming the cultural center of Florida. No other beach destination in Florida offers award-winning beaches and such a variety of museums and art galleries throughout 26 unique communities.

Begin with the world-famous Salvador Dali Museum. This facility offers the most comprehensive collection in the world devoted exclusively to this Spanish master. Located on the scenic St. Petersburg waterfront, the museum houses 96 oils, numerous watercolors, sketches, sculptures and other objects of art – more than 2,400 items in all.

Most Dali novices are surprised to learn that the artist was so much more than a noted surrealist. In his early years, his works are full of wonderful landscapes, portraits and still lifes. His later works astound with fascinating double images and immense religious paintings. Of the eight so-called Masterworks produced by Dali, six are located in the St. Petersburg museum.

St. Pete is home to another major museum with a growing international reputation. A Smithsonian Affiliate that opened in 1995, the Florida International Museum hosts national and international traveling exhibitions. Now under the umbrella of St. Petersburg College, the museum is home to the Gulf Coast Museum Collection (that museum closed in 2008). "Rooted in Tradition," which features art quilts from the Rocky Mountain Quilt Museum, and "Sew – It's Art," the Best of Pinellas County Quilts Exhibition, will be on display through January 10, 2010.

The Museum of Fine Arts, also in St. Pete, is highly respected throughout the southeastern United States and is best known for its collection of French Impressionist paintings, along with European, American, pre-Columbian and Asian art. Special exhibits feature works on loan from other metropolitan museums.

The interactive Great Explorations Children's Museum is a great place to spend an hour or two if the kids need a break from the beach.

The St. Petersburg Museum of History presents area history through a diverse collection of exhibits reflecting our unique location and cultural heritage. Also focused on area history, the Dr. Carter G. Woodson Museum is dedicated to preserving, presenting and interpreting African-American history.

The Florida Holocaust Museum in downtown St. Petersburg is the only Holocaust museum to feature continual Holocaust art exhibits. It is dedicated to the memory of millions. One of the largest Holocaust museums in the United States, the facility's centerpiece permanent exhibit is a boxcar used to transport people to Nazi concentration camps.

At last count, nearly 20 art galleries are located in the downtown St. Petersburg area, including the state headquarters for the Florida Craftsmen Association and the signature gallery for noted artist P. Buckley Moss.

The Morean Arts Center, located on downtown St. Pete's Central Avenue, inspires, educates and engages a diverse population in the creation and exhibition of contemporary visual art. It serves adults and children by providing classes, workshops, exhibitions, school tours, summer camps and special events. With the addition of the Chihuly Collection, a glass-blowing hot shop and the Bank of America Children's Learning Center, the museum will become the hub for a community of glass artists.

The Downtown Arts Association features a Monthly Gallery Walk in St. Petersburg. Visitors can start at any of the many galleries that are located from 30th Street to the waterfront. Walks are from 5 to 9 p.m. on the second Saturday of every month, and many of the galleries have special events on these evenings.

Just west of St. Pete is the city of Gulfport. Gulfport's Art Village features some 15 galleries, studios, boutiques and restaurants, all within walking distance in this pedestrian-friendly historic district. Gallery Walks with free trolley service, street entertainment and snacks run from 6 to 10 p.m. the first Friday and third Saturday of the month.

Numerous other galleries are located throughout the area, especially in downtown Dunedin and Tarpon Springs.

The Dunedin Fine Arts Center & Children's Art Museum features a variety of exhibitions, workshops and demonstrations to foster the growth and development of visual arts. It is also home to the David L. Mason Children's Art Museum. This museum presents interactive exhibits that help children, in partnership with adults, to be creative and gain a new understanding of the arts.

The Leepa-Rattner Museum of Art opened in 2002 on the Tarpon Springs campus of St. Petersburg College. The museum's 6,000-piece collection includes works by important 20th-century artists. The museum is made up of art from Abraham Rattner's estate, donated by Allen and Isabelle Leepa, and includes lithographs, tapestries, sculptures, paintings and stained glass.