Discover The Dalí Museum

Now through April 18, 2027, "Dalí: Disruption + Devotion" explores how Dalí drew inspiration from European masters while reimagining their traditions. Co-organized with the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, the exhibition pairs his work with paintings, drawings and prints by artists including El Greco, Orazio Gentileschi and Diego Velázquez. An interactive digital experience lets visitors contribute responses that become part of an evolving gallery projection.

Also on view through April 18, 2027, "A Body at War: Soft Construction with Boiled Beans (Premonition of Civil War)" presents Dalí’s unsettling 1936 painting, on loan from the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Historical imagery and commentary explore its connections to the Spanish Civil War and the work of Francisco Goya and Pablo Picasso.

Art and technology come together in "Dalí Alive 360°", an immersive celebration of the artist’s life and work that surrounds visitors with light, sound and animated imagery inside The Dalí Dome. Also playing in the Dome, "Surreal Nature" transforms waterfalls, lush jungles and blossoming flowers into a dreamscape of light, sound and movement. Both experiences require an additional timed ticket.

Other ongoing experiences offer fresh ways to connect with Dalí. “Dalí’s Masterworks in Augmented Reality” brings eight paintings to life through AR, while “Dalí Lives” uses artificial intelligence to recreate the artist discussing his life and inspirations. “Dreams of Dalí in Virtual Reality,”invites visitors inside a virtual version of “Archaeological Reminiscence of Millet’s ‘Angelus’,” and “Ask Dalí” lets them pose questions to an AI recreation of the artist.

Through April 18, 2027, "The Architecture of The Dalí" traces the museum’s evolution from a converted Ohio factory to its distinctive St. Petersburg home, with a look at its planned expansion.

Dalí, the artist, celebrity and cultural icon, was a leading force in the Surrealist movement, though visitors may be surprised to see the enormous variety of his art here at the museum. His early works include landscapes portraits and still lifes, while later works capture fascinating double images and feature immense religious paintings. The artist also explored optical illusions, geometry and holography.

The museum houses some of the celebrated artist’s mammoth masterworks, along with books and seldom-seen sketches. In fact, of the 18 masterworks Dalí produced, eight are in the St. Pete museum, the most of any location. While you should take time to see everything, some of his most famous works include:

• The Disintegration of the Persistence of Memory (1954) – This piece followed The Persistence of Memory, Dalí’s most famous painting with the “melting clocks” that hangs in New York’s Museum of Modern Art (MoMA).
• Gala Contemplating the Mediterranean Sea Which at Twenty Meters Becomes the Portrait of Abraham Lincoln (1976) – The lengthy name saves a lot of explaining. Up close, this appears to be a nude female figure gazing at a pixelated and fiery sea. Step back and it’s a classic portrait of Abraham Lincoln.
• Hallucinogenic Toreador (1970) – This is one of the massive, 13-foot paintings that dominate the museum’s walls. It begins as a vision of a bull and the Venus de Milo, but step back and the impression progressively changes.
  
   

The museum was designed by architect Yann Weymouth, who also designed the glass pyramid at the Louvre and the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. His most striking feature at the Dalí is the Enigma, a geodesic dome made of 1,062 glass triangles which allow brilliant Florida sunshine into the atrium. It protrudes from 18-inch concrete walls, which protect the collection against the possibility of even a Category 5 hurricane.

Inside, a winding helix staircase takes visitors from the ground floor up to the galleries on floor three. It’s a tribute to Dalí’s fascination with the structure of DNA, beginning each visitor experience with a climb into the surreal. Guests can enjoy the elevated panorama of Tampa Bay as they ascend.

On your visit, be sure to set aside some time to wander through the Avant-Garden, an outdoor space that continues the surreal adventure. Melting clocks cling to benches, and Dalí’s moustache has its own statue. You’ll also find a meditative water feature in The Grotto and subtle nods to the golden ratio in the math garden – a tribute to Dalí’s obsession with numbers in nature.

The Dalí Museum store is filled with quizzical objects that are enjoyable even if you’re not buying. You’ll find melting clock mugs and clocks shaped like tearing eyes, alongside Dalí tarot cards. There’s even a book of touching, funny and bizarre wishes from the Avant-Garden’s Wish Tree.

The Spanish-inspired Café Gala offers light tapas, salads and paninis, desserts and coffee, as well as a selection of Spanish wines.
 

The App: Download The Dalí Museum’s app before you go: It offers an augmented reality feature to many of the masterworks. The animation and sounds transform these large-scale paintings into mini-movies, adding another level to the museum experience. The app also offers virtual tours and maps of the museum. Groups can arrange for a docent-led tour.

Admission to the Dalí Museum is via timed tickets, which may be purchased online in advance or in person up until the entry time, as available. Note that Dalí Alive 360 requires a separate, timed ticket.

Other helpful information: Reduced admission is offered on Thursdays after 5 p.m. Special sensory days are offered at the museum from time to time (call to inquire). Kids and parents alike enjoy "dillydally with Dalí," an interactive art activity offered periodically by the museum.