Salvador Dali Museum Grand Opening Parade and Quick Facts

Video and story by Rob Baynard

Amidst harsh economic times where art programs in schools are disintegrating and unemployment levels are skyrocketing, the commitment of city officials and developers collaborated to give Dali a place that would make him proud, a place that will ensure the continued enjoyment of his work for generations to come.

Completion of the $35 million Dali is a testament to the generosity of St. Petersburg philanthropists such as Tom James and Bill Hough and visionary city leaders like former mayors Bob Ulrich and Rick Baker.

The nearly 70,000 square foot waterfront structure features thick concrete walls able to withstand a Category-5 hurricane, and an elevated 15,000-square foot gallery space which sits 40-feet above sea level, protecting all 2,140 pieces of Dali’s work that are a part of the collection.

The geodesic glass dome redefines downtown St. Petersburg’s waterfront and will surely become an iconic image of the city in the future. Rising 84 feet above sea level, the “Glass Enigma” as its named, features nearly 1,000 individually-sized glass triangles that are anchored in steel beams which are supported by the thick concrete walls.

The Progress Energy Helical Staircase is the main focus of the interior, with a gravity-defying spiral of concrete rising out of the ground over 60 feet in the air and finishing above the third floor, at a point just below the glass enclosure.

The director of the Dali Museum, Dr. Charles Henri (Hank) Hine talked about why they chose the helical shape for the staircase. He said, “Dali was fascinated by the discovery in the 50s of the shape of DNA, and he said, ‘Viola! Here is proof of the presence of the divine in the material world.”
“We wanted, as a central architectural feature describing both energy and information, this helical structure to be at the core,” said Hine.

From procession participants in costumes to Spanish Royalty, the unveiling of a revolutionary Dali building was seen in a surreal setting befitting Dali’s art and life.