about the dalí museum
The Dalí, located in the heart of downtown St. Petersburg, Florida, is a not-for-profit museum with a mission to care for and share Salvador Dalí’s work while preserving his legacy. The Museum seeks to drive imagination, innovation and new perspectives through its unparalleled collection, exhibition collaborations with other globally leading museums, award-winning digital art experiences and interactive programming. The Museum serves as an educational and cultural resource for Tampa Bay and the world at large.
the dalí museum expansion
With the vision of creating more revolutionary spaces to share with its evolving global audience, The Dalí has been taking steps toward a building expansion. The proposed expansion will:
- Extend the Museum’s footprint for immersive experiences that harmoniously blend art and technology,
- Increase the education & community programming space to both supplement K-12 curriculum and host events state-of-the-art events,
- Nurture the arts evolution and growing tourism in Pinellas County.
the funding journey
In accordance with Pinellas County’s Capital Project program, which utilizes Tourist Development Tax (bed tax) to fund up to 50% of capital projects that have projected incremental economic impact, the Museum first applied for a capital grant in 2019. The project cost was $35M and after County review, The Dalí’s $17.5M request was approved.
Shortly thereafter, the pandemic’s aftermath drove substantial increases in materials and labor, resulting in a new project cost of $68M. Thus, in 2022, the Museum repeated the process to request half of the new cost, or $34M.
In 2023, the Pinellas Board of County Commissioners (BCC) approved $25 million of the $34 million recommended by the Tourist Development Council, $9 million less. The BCC directed The Dalí to return for additional funds up to half the construction cost once the County formed a plan for beach renourishment.
In 2024, the capital grant agreement was approved by the BCC, including a joint marketing plan to promote the Museum and the destination, granting The Dalí the aforementioned $25M toward the project.
“The Dalí Museum and its community deeply appreciate the action of the County Commission on granting us funds for our expansion. The Tourist Development Council members who are on the front lines of the largest Pinellas County economic activity—tourism—showed they believe in The Dalí’s power to draw visitors and to enrich our community. We continue to evaluate the scope of the project and other necessary funding to determine the optimum assets of the expansion. We believe the grant will help preserve the vibrant cultural growth of the County and enrich our contributions to the world of art while driving tourism to the area.”
– Dr. Hank Hine, Dalí Museum Executive Director
current and next steps
- The Dalí is exploring new designs that will still meet the Museum’s and community’s needs while determining sources of financial support to supplement its own resources.
- The City and The Dalí are working through amendments to the Museum’s 99-year renewable lease.
- Once a design and the lease agreement are both confirmed, The Dalí will commence a capital campaign to raise the remaining funds through private contributions, corporate sponsorships and other grants.
photo of the museum expansion
Looking for additional information?
Learn more about The Dalí’s capital campaign or make a donation: Development@TheDali.org
Press inquiries: PR@TheDali.org
Building (construction, architecture, etc.) inquiries: Expansion@TheDali.org
General inquiries: Info@TheDali.org