From iconic artworks to pop culture, Dalí in America traces the artist’s love of America and his bold impact on U.S. art and society
ST. PETERSBURG, FLA. — In honor of the nation’s 250th year, The Dalí Museum will present a new special exhibition revealing how surrealist icon Salvador Dalí transformed the American Dream into a living canvas—and, in the process, reshaped the American imagination.
Opening May 9, 2026, and on view through Oct. 18, 2026, Dalí in America explores the artist’s dynamic relationship with the United States through more than 70 paintings, objects and archival materials. The exhibition traces Dalí’s journey from his early fascination with American media to his arrival in New York as an ambassador of Surrealism, his refuge in the U.S. during World War II and his bold engagements with the nation’s art and popular culture.
America became a second home to Dalí—one that now stewards a preeminent collection of more than 2,400 works spanning every period and medium of his creative life. This legacy was made possible by
A. Reynolds and Eleanor Morse, Dalí’s most important postwar patrons and the visionaries who founded The Dalí Museum. Like the Morses, countless others were captivated by Dalí as he became an icon of mass media, dazzling and mystifying American audiences as a painter, performer and provocateur.
“Dalí was himself an immigrant for a time, reflecting the shifting tides of power and the restless spirit of America into visions that still shape our imagination today,” said Hank Hine, Executive Director of The Dalí Museum. “To enter this new exhibition is to step into Dalí’s limitless world, where centuries of history, emotion and dreams converge in new realms of exploration.”
Through a curated selection of Dalí’s works from the Museum’s collection, Dalí in America highlights Dalí’s impact on and response to the American scene, revealing how he found in the United States both a stage vast enough for his imagination during one of the most dynamic periods in his career.
Highlights of Dalí in America include:
- American Encounters: From his 1928 debut at the Carnegie International to his provocative presence in New York’s postwar art world, Dalí positioned himself within—and sometimes against—movements that defined modern American art, including Abstract Expressionism, Pop Art and the experimental Happenings of the 1960s. The exhibition features key works, archival materials and ephemera that illustrate these encounters and Dalí’s enduring impact on the U.S. art scene.
- Pop Culture: Dalí blurred the boundaries between fine art and mass media. Photographs, objects and archival treasures highlight his presence in the American cultural landscape—from meeting presidents and gracing the covers of TIME and Vogue to designing jewelry, staging Fifth Avenue window displays, appearing on television and collaborating with Alfred Hitchcock on Spellbound (1945), which brought Surrealism to the silver screen in one of cinema’s most iconic dream sequences.
- Significant Works: “Geopoliticus Child Watching the Birth of the New Man” (1943) and “Gala Contemplating the Mediterranean Sea Which at Twenty Meters Becomes the Portrait of Abraham Lincoln—Homage to Rothko (Second Version)” (c. 1976) anchor the exhibition, presenting monumental visions of discovery, identity, rebirth and reinvention. Together, these works merge history and imagination into allegories of faith, heritage and self-mythology—reminding us that for Dalí, as for generations of immigrants, America offered the chance to weave personal hopes into a shared vision of the future.
On view in the Museum’s Hough Family Wing, this special exhibition will serve as a cornerstone cultural activation during America’s nationwide commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
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About The Dalí Museum
The Dalí Museum, located in downtown St. Petersburg, Fla., is home to a preeminent collection of the artist’s works, with over 2,400 works representing every period and medium of Salvador Dalí’s creative life. The Dalí is recognized internationally by the Michelin Guide with its highest three-star rating; has been named one of seven museums globally that showcase the future by CNN Travel; named one of the 10 most interesting museums in the world by Architectural Digest; and celebrated in 2025 by readers of USAToday as one of the top ten art museums in America. The Dalí Museum’s acclaimed digital experiences have received numerous national and international awards for creative innovation. The Museum is a not-for-profit organization whose mission is to preserve Dalí’s legacy for generations to come and serve as an active resource in the cultural life of the community and the world at large. Open daily at One Dalí Boulevard, St. Petersburg, Fla. 33701, The Dalí welcomes all as unique individuals and is committed to making its collection, exhibitions, building and programs accessible. For more information, visit TheDali.org or explore Bloomberg Connects for The Dalí Museum’s free mobile guide.
Media Contacts
For more information, please contact:
The Dalí Museum
Dali@LouHammond.com
Grande Experiences
Rob Kirk
RKirk@Grande-Experiences.com