The Salvadore Dali museum is located on third street in St Petersburg. Quite soon, this location will close but more of that later.
Dali was born in 1904 in the Spanish town of Figueres. He was born into a well to do family who had a second home in Cadaques.
It was in Cadaques that he had his first studio and this area of Spain had a major influence on his works.
In 1929 het met Gala Eluard and she becme first his lover and muse and later his wife.
Dali was the leader of the surrealists but was expelled from the movement in 1934 for his apolitical views. The Dalis then spent 8 years in America up to 1948. Here, The New York museum of art gave him his own retrospective exhibition.
His work underwent many changes over the years embracing religious , historical and scientific themes.
Gala died in 1982 and Salvador pretty much into a decline and finally died of heart trouble in 1989.
This museum has one of the best collections of Dalis work; rivalled only by the Dali museum in his home country.
They have 96 oil paintings that span an era between 1917 and 1970. These works represent his cubist, abstract, impressionist, classics and of course surrealism.
There are also 100 water colours and drawings, sculptures, objet d' art, photos, graphics and a library.
There is one painting, The bread Basket, that was shown at his very first exhibition in Paris that made his name.
Among the works permanently on display are Portrait of Gala, Paranoia, Old age, adolescence and infancy and Portrait of my dead brother
It was Dali himself who was responsible for this museum. He encouraged 2 collectors of his work start a museum to hold their collection.
Dali would have liked this to be in New York but instead the art lovers chose Ohio. The museum became a victim of its' own success and it became clear that the collection needed a bigger home.
A St Petersburg lawyer gathered some influential people around him to lobby their cause and so it was that the collection came to his city.
Under construction as I write is a brand new home for this museum; this should be finished within the year.
Salvador Dali Museum
1000 third street,
St Petersburg,
Florida,
33701
This museum opens every day but the hours vary and the entrance is $17 per adult and $4 per child. Seniors get a special rate of $14. 50.
Those on a budget should note that on thursdays between 5. p. m. and 8. p. m. entrance only costs $5