Attractions

Salvador Dali, a leader of the Surrealist Movement, was most famous for the soft or melting watches featured in his paintings, jewelry designs, and even in glass artworks. Although he was lesser known for his preoccupation with science and religion, by 1940 these subjects had become the focus of his work. During this classic period, he created a series of 19 large canvases, many concerning scientific, historical or religious themes. Among the best known of these works are The Hallucinogenic Toreador, The Discovery of America by Christopher Columbus, and The Sacrament of the Last Supper, the first two of which are part of the collection at The Salvador Dali Museum in St.Petersburg, Florida.

The Dali Museum, on St. Petersburg's Bayboro Harbor

“The Dali” is home to the world’s most comprehensive collection of the renowned Spanish artist’s work. Compiled by the A. Reynolds Morse and Eleanor Morse over a 45-year period, it is celebrated for its 96 oil paintings, Impressionist and Cubist works from his early period, abstract work from his transition to Surrealism, the famous surrealist canvases for which he is best known, and examples from his classic period.

Salvadore Dali

Until 1971, the Morses displayed their entire Dali collection in their Cleveland home. When they agreed to loan over 200 pieces to a New York retrospective in 1965, they realized the collection deserved a home of its own. The first Dalí Museum was built adjacent to their Injection Molding Supply Company office building in Beachwood, Ohio. It opened amid great fanfare in 1971, with Dalí himself presiding over the opening, but the collection quickly outgrew its new home.

As they began a nationwide search for a permanent home, the Morses offered to donate the entire multi-million dollar collection to any museum willing to keep all of the artwork and archival material intact to preserve the collection’s historical integrity. Although several institutions were interested in receiving the works, no museum came forward to accept the gift on those terms.

The Wall Street Journal reported the unusual situation on January 18, 1980 in an article titled; “U.S. Art World Dillydallies Over Dalis.” A St. Petersburg, Florida attorney read the article and convinced community leaders to contact the Morses with the bold idea that the collection belonged in St. Petersburg. As a result, the Morses visited St. Petersburg and eventually agreed to donate the collection for benefit of the people of the State of Florida. The location on Bayboro Harbor was selected by Mr. Morse in part for its resemblance to Cadaqués, Dali’s childhood home on the Mediterranean Sea.

In "The Explosion," Dali applies the theory of nuclear physics to his concept of the relativity of time

The Dali Museum, located at 1000 Third Street South in St. Petersburg, is open Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and on Monday from noon to 5:30 p.m. Each Thursday, the museum stays open until 8 p.m. for “Dali After Dark” and charges only $5 admission after 5 p.m. Regular admission is $17 ($14.50 for seniors 65+, $12 for students, $4 for children ages 5 to 9, and free for children under 5).

Photo credits: Exterior by Barbara Weibel; Dali portrait and painting courtesy of The Dali Museum

Article by Barbara Weibel at Hole In The Donut Travels