The Salvador Dalí Museum in St. Petersburg first opened its doors on this date in 1982. The museum features the largest collection of Spanish surrealist Salvador Dalí’s artwork in North America. The pieces were collected by A. Reynolds Morse and Eleanor R. Morse, who began a long-term relationship with the artist in 1942. The Morses originally opened a museum in their hometown of Beachwood, Ohio, but later decided to purchase a marine warehouse in St. Petersburg to house their entire collection of Dalí artwork, which totals approximately 1500 pieces. The original museum was replaced in 2011 by a new building in downtown St. Petersburg designed by the HOK firm, featuring a large unique glass skylight and entryway.
~Florida Historical Society
