Luxury Condo Living in Downtown St. Pete, Affords a Connection to the Arts for Its Residents

Photo by Ryan Stefan

Originally Posted On: https://the-julia.com/luxury-condo-living-in-downtown-st-pete-affords-a-connection-to-the-arts-for-its-residents/

Our three favorite museums in downtown St. Petersburg, Florida.

Downtown St. Pete is home to many museums and art galleries. The arts have been a focus for those who have worked to develop downtown St. Petersburg, and this connection dates back decades. Recent improvements to the existing museums, and a focus on bringing in newly constructed spaces to house public collections of art are evident when you take a look at the number of museums and galleries within walking distance for downtown St. Pete residents.

You’ll find no shortage of inspiration to help you make important decisions about color, style and textures for your new home. Here are three of our favorite museums in St. Petersburg.

The Dali Museum is home to a curated collection of over 2,400 works and includes nearly 300 oil paintings, watercolors and drawings, as well as more than 2,100 prints, photographs, posters, textiles, sculptures and objects d’art.

The original building was opened in 1982, but in 2011, the new building was opened. The new design claims to combine the rational with the fantastical. Not just aesthetically beautiful, but also practical with 18-inch thick hurricane-proof walls.

It’s not just what is on the inside that puts the Dali Museum on our list, but also the recognition that the building itself has received. A work of art in itself, one of its distinct features is the geodesic glass bubble, nicknamed “The Enigma”. The bubble features 1,062 triangular glass panels and stands 75 feet tall at its tallest point. The dome is a twenty-first century homage to the dome that adorns Dali’s museum in Spain.

The Dali Museum has received many accolades for its unique architecture. Recognized in the Michelin Guide with a three-star-rating, deemed “one of the top buildings to see in your lifetime” by AOL Travel News, and named one of the ten most interesting museums in the world by Architectural Digest.

Another popular feature of the Dali Museum is the Avant-garden. The garden creates an environment of discovery and is a tranquil space to enjoy the breeze from the Tampa Bay waterfront. There is a Mathematical Garden which allows visitors to experience the relationships between math and nature, as well as a labyrinth in the southeast corner.

The Dali Museum is home to collaborative exhibits which explore Salvador Dali’s relationship to other artists. A café and private event space are also available.

The Morean Arts Center is a resource and a destination for artists since its inception in the early 20th century. Today the Morean Arts Center offers programs for all mediums, styles, and skill levels.

As the Morean Arts Center has grown, it has moved some of its programs to new buildings. In 2009, it moved its ceramic program to a historic 1926 former freight depot. The Morean Center for Clay features a retail space, rotating exhibits, artists’ studios and an artist-in-residence program, plus a unique event space.

The Morean Arts Center is also the home for a permanent display of renowned glass artist, Dale Chihuly. The Chihuly Collection and the Morean Glass Studio have fueled a renewed interest in glass art and provides educational programs and demonstrations.

Learn more about the Morean Arts Center and its programs here. https://www.moreanartscenter.org

A new and highly anticipated addition to the St. Petersburg museum list is the Museum of the American Arts and Crafts Movement. The new museum features an extensive collection of furniture, pottery, tiles, lighting, textiles, photography, woodblocks, metalwork, and fine arts from the American Arts and Crafts movement. Work from artists includes Gustav Stickley, Charles Rohlfs, Frank Lloyd Wright, the Roycrofters, William Grueby, Newcomb Pottery, Margaret Patterson, Louis Sullivan.

The museum is a project of the Two Red Roses Foundation, a nonprofit educational institution dedicated to the acquisition, restoration, preservation, and public exhibition of important examples of furniture, pottery and tiles, lighting, woodblocks, textiles, photography, architectural faience, and fine arts from the American Arts and Crafts Movement.

The collection will be housed in a new five-story, 137,100-square-foot building.

We recommend touring these exceptional museums. Allow a day to explore each one to really experience the exhibits to their fullest. We’re certain your visit will provide inspiration for decorating and designing your new condominium home in St. Pete.