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ARTS

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Culture in full

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Touch down in St. Pete-Clearwater and you’ll immediately be greeted by its vibrant arts scene.

Discover world-class museums, spectacular glass art, hundreds of striking street murals and dynamic performing arts. In 2022, Condé Nast ​ Traveler named St. Pete one of the top small U.S. cities with “big-time art scenes.”

FloridaRAMA

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The Dalí Museum

Q&A with Erica Sutherlin Artistic Executive Director • The Studio@620 Erica Sutherlin is a multihyphenate executive, filmmaker and theatrical director who serves as the artistic executive director of The Studio@620, an intimate space in St. Petersburg that fosters artists and creatives to present collaborative performances and exhibitions.

WHAT MAKES ST. PETE-CLEARWATER’S ARTS SCENE EXCEPTIONAL?

Florida CraftArt

BEST ART MUSEUM THE DALI MUSEUM, ST. PETE

➋ Dunedin Fine Art Center & Children’s Art Museum

➌ The Florida Holocaust Museum, St. Pete ➍ Chihuly Collection, St. Pete ➎ The James Museum of Western & Wildlife Art, St. Pete

I think one of the things that makes it exceptional is the intentionality behind it. St. Pete-Clearwater makes it a focus, and then they know they have to grow that focus. And then that’s a huge conversation, because first we have to educate people to understand that the art you speak of is not just visual art, it’s all the genres and they all require different things.

WHAT ASPECT OF THE ARTS SCENE STANDS OUT THE MOST?

Communitywise, the visual arts. We are known for the murals; that’s the introduction to our art scene. But as a performing artist, as a director, I think what stands out for me is just how much performative art there is here, whether it’s theater, music — and that can be orchestra or jazz and dance.

WHAT ASPECT OF ST. PETE-CLEARWATER’S ARTS SCENE WOULD BE MOST SURPRISING TO A FIRST-TIME VISITOR?

Definitely our theatrical arts. We have all these new theaters and small theaters, and that’s what’s supposed to happen. I want small organizations to start popping up, because it’s about an experience. It’s about connecting to the power of art.

Sutherlin’s answers have been edited for length and clarity.

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The Dalí Museum

MUSEUMS

St. Pete-Clearwater’s museums offer something for everyone, whether it’s viewing art through the lens of the latest technology, traveling to an era when craftsmanship reigned or viewing the latest in contemporary art. Eight museums are clustered in downtown St. Pete amid hotels, shops and restaurants.

THE DALÍ MUSEUM

Visitors from across the globe flock to this museum dedicated to Spanish surrealist Salvador Dalí. Its permanent collection is one of the most comprehensive in the world. The museum was voted the fifth-best art museum in the nation by USA Today in 2026. The building itself is a work of art; a double-helix staircase in the center of the museum was inspired by Dalí’s fascination with DNA, and a large glass geodesic bubble made of 1,062 triangular pieces of glass known as the Enigma erupts from the outside.

A 35,000-square-foot expansion is in the works, which will feature a new exterior, more galleries and a dedicated education center.

The James Museum of Western & Wildlife Art

THREE TO SEE: “Dalí Alive 360°” is an immersive digital experience celebrating the artist’s life in The Dalí Dome, outside in the museum’s Avant-Garden. Get a “personal” experience with the artist via two artificial intelligence exhibits, “Dalí Lives” and “Ask Dalí.” The interactive “Dream Tapestry” lets users transform their dreams and ideas into images via AI program DALL-E.

The Museum of Fine Arts, St. Petersburg

THE MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS, ST. PETERSBURG

Perched on the downtown waterfront adjacent to the bustling St. Pete Pier, the museum boasts the only encyclopedic collection of works in Florida, spanning nearly 5,000 years and including a robust photography selection. Rotating exhibitions also range eras and interests, from the ancient world to the ultra-contemporary.

THREE TO SEE: In the permanent collection, look for Old Masters paintings from the 1600-1700s from the Grasset Collection; contemporary artist Kehinde Wiley’s “Leviathan Zodiac” (“The World Stage: Israel”), 2011; and Georgia O’Keeffe’s iconic painting, “Poppy,” 1927.

THE JAMES MUSEUM OF WESTERN & WILDLIFE ART

With its stunning imported sandstone façade, the museum brings the imagery of the American West to Central Avenue and is just blocks from the waterfront. Its vast private collection features bronze sculptures and paintings of cowboys, Native American life, landscapes and animals and contemporary art created by living Western and Native American artists. Special exhibitions highlight local and national artists and reveal historical aspects of Native American life and culture.

Chihuly Collection THREE TO SEE: Discover the works of sculptor Frederic Remington and photographer Edward S. Curtis in the Early West Gallery. The Jewel Box is an intimate gallery at the heart of the museum showcasing brilliant Native-made jewelry. Seek out Earl Biss’ panoramic painting, “Winter Sunrise Circle of the Big Sky People,” and Shonto Begay’s contemplative “Composing My World” in the Native Artists Gallery.

IMAGINE MUSEUM

Contemporary glass art by American and international artists is on dazzling display at this museum in the buzzy Grand Central District. Its collection boasts more than 500 pieces and includes many works by the museum’s founder.

THREE TO SEE: In 2026, the museum named Czech Republic-born artist Martin Janecký as its Artist of the Future; look for any of his 14 pieces in the collection.

Admire Toots Zynsky’s filet-de-verre technique with her verdant “Fogliame Mizimah.” Anthony James’ “Portal Icosahedron” is a mind-boggling sculpture made with LED lights and mirrors.

CHIHULY COLLECTION

One of only two museums dedicated to the living legend glass artist Dale Chihuly, it’s unique in that the building was designed specifically for his artwork. It’s presented by the Morean Arts Center and admission includes a glassblowing demonstration at the Morean Glass Studio and Hot Shop, located right across Central Avenue.

THREE TO SEE: A 20-foot site-specific installation resembling rock candy greets visitors from the street. Every year, three Studio Edition glass sculptures, handblown and signed by Chihuly, are offered to collectors. The collection includes some of his most popular pieces, including the spectacular “Ruby Red Icicle Chandelier,” which was created for the collection.

Imagine Museum

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MUSEUM OF THE AMERICAN ARTS & CRAFTS MOVEMENT

The first museum in the world dedicated to the American Arts and Crafts movement of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, at 137,000 square feet, it’s the largest in the city. The five-story downtown museum showcases pottery, furniture, metalwork, lighting and photography from the preeminent private collection of the movement.

THREE TO SEE: The building is an architectural triumph with a modern exterior clad in granite and bronze and an egg-shaped ovoid structure. Step into The Culbertson Hall, a reinstallation of the entry hall from a home designed by Greene and Greene in Pasadena, California, in the early 1900s. The dining room vignette offers a complete picture of a Craftsman-style dining room, from the furniture and lighting to the table setting.

FLORIDARAMA

ST. PETERSBURG MUSEUM OF HISTORY

Located on the entrance to the spectacular Pier District, this more than 100-year-old museum delivers interesting facts about the Sunshine City, including its pioneering role in aviation. It also offers special historical exhibits that go beyond the ‘Burg.

THREE TO SEE: See the world’s first airliner and learn about the birth of commercial aviation in the Flight One Gallery, located mere steps away from where the first commercial flight happened in 1914. Take the rare opportunity to see an ancient Egyptian mummy and sarcophagus in “Pathway to Eternity: Life, Death, and Afterlife.”

Baseball fans will revel in “Schrader’s Little Cooperstown,” a collection of 5,000 signed baseballs, certified by Guinness World Records as the largest of its kind.

LEEPA-RATTNER MUSEUM OF ART

Formerly named Fairgrounds St. Pete, this 15,000-square-foot space anchors the creative compound The Factory St. Pete in the Warehouse Arts District. The artmeets-technology immersive experience features artist-made installations that celebrate all things Florida. Guests can choose from a variety of scavenger hunts to play while they explore the space filled with cats, aliens and a hurricane.

This Tarpon Springs modern and contemporary museum’s collection is primarily built on the works of 20th-century artists Abraham Rattner, Allen Leepa and Esther Gentle, and also includes prints and works on paper by their contemporaries, like Marc Chagall and Fernand Léger. The museum hosts a robust exhibition schedule that showcases contemporary artists.

THREE TO SEE: Devon Brady’s “The Bait Ball” is a dizzying kinetic installation inspired by “schools of fish and human mosh pits.” Look up to see a family of manatees swimming overhead in “Gentle Giants of the Bait Ball” by artist Nina Nichols. Experience the high-energy “Sugar Coat Disco” room, with wildlife-shaped disco balls by Jaimie Bird and a wall made up of over 1,000 shimmering spoons.

THREE TO SEE: A mural reproduction of Pablo Picasso’s “Guernica” (1937) is the only authorized full-scale one in the world.

The museum also holds the collection from the Gulf Coast Museum of Art, which closed in 2009, and includes works by notable Florida artists like Clyde Butcher.

Virtual exhibitions are also offered, including “Woman-Made: A Celebration of Female Artists in the Collection.”

FloridaRAMA

LeepaRattner Museum of Art

THE WOODSON AFRICAN AMERICAN MUSEUM OF FLORIDA

Named for Dr. Carter G. Woodson, the scholar who initiated Black History Month, the museum seeks to preserve and present African American history. Located in the Black-owned business hub called the Deuces Live District, it displays historical exhibits and has a scholarship program for youth. Contemporary African American and Black artists are showcased in special rotating exhibitions.

THREE TO SEE: The building recently underwent renovations to make room for more art and artifacts. Commune with nature in the Legacy Garden on the museum’s picture-perfect grounds. The museum is also the starting point for the African American Heritage Trail, a walking tour of the neighborhood’s history told through placards.

THE FLORIDA HOLOCAUST MUSEUM

The museum that honors the millions of men, women and children who died or suffered in the Holocaust is one of the largest in the world. It tells the stories of victims and survivors through artwork and educational and traveling exhibits, with a mission to prevent future genocide. It has one of the few remaining railroad boxcars that the Nazis used to transport Jews and other victims to concentration camps.

THREE TO SEE: Be inspired by Thor, the rescue boat that saved Denmark’s Jewish population during the Holocaust. The museum holds the personal collection of writer and professor Elie Wiesel, including his writings and his Nobel Peace Prize.

“Dimensions in Testimony” enables guests to ask questions that prompt responses from prerecorded interviews with Holocaust survivors.

GREAT EXPLORATIONS CHILDREN’S MUSEUM

Kids get hands-on while learning at this museum, which is just a short car ride from downtown and the beaches. It’s located on the grounds of Sunken Gardens, one of the oldest roadside attractions in the country.

The botanical paradise is home to more than 50,000 tropical and subtropical plants set amid pools and waterfalls.

Bonus: It has its own flamboyance of flamingos and other exotic birds.

THREE TO SEE: “Garner’s Dive Shop” is a floor-to-ceiling climbable structure that provides 360-degree views of the museum.

Nothing says childhood better than the “Treehouse,” a flying ship and cabin set upon two tree trunks, complete with a slide.

In “Fossil Park,” kids can touch and dig for real fossils, see a prehistoric raptor nest and experience what Florida looked like in the Miocene Era.

The Florida Holocaust Museum

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GALLERIES St. Pete-Clearwater is brimming with galleries, studios and art centers as well as world-class performing arts venues.

VISUAL ART GALLERIES

Art greets you just as you arrive at the St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport’s Sightline Gallery, featuring local artists.

Long-standing St. Pete gallery ARTicles Gallery & Fine Art Services shows a stable of artists working in painting, sculpture, photography and more. Right next door, D-Gallerie offers contemporary works by locals and well-known national artists. In St. Pete’s Grand Central District, The Werk Gallery & Object Lab shows local artists in rotating exhibitions on one side and sells antiques and secondary market blue-chip works on another. A variety of experiences awaits at The Factory St. Pete: Find group and solo shows by local artists at FloridaRAMA; the Florida Wildlife Corridor’s Wild Space Gallery, which showcases work that addresses the environment in rotating exhibitions; and the educational Museum of Motherhood, which celebrates all things maternal. Gulfport’s Brenda McMahon Gallery showcases fine art and fine craft.

FINE CRAFT GALLERIES

Find handmade works in clay, glass, metal, wood and textiles in St. Pete at Florida CraftArt on Central Avenue and at SHAPIRO’S Gallery and Red Cloud Indian Arts on Beach Drive.

ART CENTERS AND STUDIOS

The Morean Arts Center in St. Pete, the Dunedin Fine Art Center, and the Safety Harbor Art & Music Center offer classes and feature robust exhibition schedules.

Visit artist studios in St. Pete’s Warehouse Arts District; visit the ArtsXchange, Sixstar Art Studios, The Factory St. Pete and 3DB Galleria; or head downtown to see the artists of ArtLofts. In Dunedin, visit artists at Stirling Art Studios & Gallery.

GLASS

With enough representation to earn the nickname the “glass coast,” St. Pete-Clearwater is full of options for enthusiasts of the 64 A M E R I C A ’ S FAV O R I T E B E A C H E S

Dunedin Fine Art Center

medium. St. Pete’s Duncan McClellan Gallery was voted the No. 1 Free Attraction in the U.S. by a 2025 CashNetUSA study and features leading glass artists from around the world.

Zen Glass Studio & Gallery and the Morean Glass Studio and Hot Shop offer glassblowing demonstrations and classes. Be inspired by the works on display at Imagine Museum and the Chihuly Collection in St. Pete and the work of artist Marlene Rose at her eponymous Clearwater gallery.

CLAY

View functional and sculptural ceramics and give the wheel a spin or learn handbuilding via classes at the Morean Center for Clay, the Clay Center of St. Petersburg, the Clay Co-Op, and The Hive Community Clay. The Dunedin Fine Art Center also has a full schedule of classes.

PERFORMING ARTS

From Broadway shows to exceptional local theater and opera, St. Pete-Clearwater’s performing arts venues are packed with culture. Take in a Broadway musical at Ruth Eckerd Hall in Clearwater. The St. Petersburg Opera Company performs all the great composers at The Palladium Theater, the downtown St. Pete venue that also offers dance, cabarets and more. The Mahaffey Theater in St. Pete books renowned comedians. Zubrick Magic Theatre brings a Las Vegas-style magic

show to St. Pete. Find unique theater experiences as well as art shows and other creative ventures at The Studio@620 in downtown St. Pete. FreeFall Theatre, also based in St. Pete, offers many original productions, along with contemporary plays and employs equity actors. Likewise for American Stage, which holds an annual production in St. Pete’s downtown waterfront park, Demens Landing, every spring.

ART WALKS AND TOURS

St. Pete-Clearwater’s galleries, studios and artsy neighborhoods open their doors to the public with monthly art walks and annual studio tours. St. Pete’s Second Saturday ArtWalk spans multiple arts areas from the downtown waterfront to the Warehouse Arts District. The artists of the Pinellas Arts Village open their studios for a festive monthly block party. View works of public art via the Clearwater Arts Alliance’s docentled walks on select Saturdays; you can also arrange a special docent-led tour for groups or take a self-guided tour with a map found on its website. See what Gulfport artists are creating via two monthly art walks and the annual Art Jones Studio Tour and biannual Art in the Yard. The Artist Enclave of Historic Kenwood’s Tour of the Arts combines the creativity of artists with the classic architecture of the downtown-adjacent St. Pete neighborhood. Dunedin’s Studio Waltz happens twice a year.

MUSEUM CAFES ARTS CAFÉ

MUSEUM OF THE AMERICAN ARTS & CRAFTS MOVEMENT Dine in the museum’s majestic atrium while enjoying your lunch. One of the many sandwiches on the menu, the muffuletta, comes in two sizes: big and massive, and is served on an original Joe Gambino bun. Treat yourself with sweet or savory offerings from the bakery and wash it all down with wine, beer or a cocktail.

CAFÉ GALA

Chalk Walk, Clearwater Beach

ART FESTIVALS

St. Pete-Clearwater’s breathtaking landscape is the perfect backdrop for year-round outdoor festivals. For more on festivals, go to VisitSPC.com/Events.

ST. PETERSBURG FINE ART FESTIVAL St. Pete, South Straub Park • Late Winter View works in painting, photography, sculpture and more while taking in waterfront vistas.

CAFÉ CLEMENTINE

TARPON SPRINGS FINE ARTS FESTIVAL ON THE BAYOU Tarpon Springs, Craig Park • Spring A tradition for over 50 years, this juried festival is one of the largest fine art festivals in Florida.

BLOOM N CHALK FEST Safety Harbor, Main Street • Spring Artists bring the sidewalks to life with colorful creations of trompe l’oeil.

MAINSAIL ART FESTIVAL St. Pete, Vinoy Park • Spring Hundreds of artists bring their work to the downtown waterfront for this festival ranked as one of the 200 Best Fine Art Events in the U.S. by Sunshine Artist Magazine.

ART HARVEST Dunedin, Highlander Park • Fall Presented by the Junior League of Clearwater-Dunedin, this juried festival features works in fine art and fine craft.

THE DALÍ MUSEUM The cafe’s chef, Chuck Bandel, trained in Spain with master chefs to bring the flavors of the country to the museum.

Share tapas like the Charcuterie of Spain, enjoy soups like gazpacho or try the pressed Serranita 1906 sandwich.

Leave room for dessert like the Basque cheesecake. The café has a coffee bar and serves beer, Spanish wines, Jarrito sodas and kombucha.

Pinellas Arts Village

Mainsail Art Festival

THE MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS, ST. PETERSBURG Visit the local artisanal bakery’s pastry counter in the museum’s conservatory to order seasonally inspired pastries, sandwiches, soups and salads. Drinks include coffee, cold brew and organic tea. Dine indoors or outdoors with views of Tampa Bay, or arrange to have your lunch packed to-go for a picnic in one of the neighboring parks.

PERRY’S PORCH

ST. PETERSBURG MUSEUM OF HISTORY This spot boasts a desirable location at the entrance to the St. Pete Pier. The open-air restaurant and coffee bar is named for early St. Pete developer C. Perry Snell. The vibe is a relaxed, Old Florida place to enjoy coastal eats and cocktails on the wraparound porch.

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MURALS

More than 600 outdoor murals (and counting) add to St. Pete-Clearwater’s vibrancy.

Since 2015, the SHINE Mural Festival has delivered hundreds of vibrant murals by renowned local, national and international street artists to St. Pete every fall. Take a tour in style on the Star Trolley and get all the facts from local arts experts. Take a guided tour by foot or bike via Florida CraftArt, or venture out on a self-guided excursion using the SHINE map and downloadable PixelStix app that reveals their details. Arts agency Creative Pinellas has several ongoing mural programs that bring colorful walls to St. Pete-Clearwater.

➎ 66 A M E R I C A ’ S FAV O R I T E B E A C H E S

➋ ➌

➍

BEST MURAL TARPON SPRINGS POST CARD MURAL

BY JEFF / SUN SIGNS

➋ “Ikigai in Bloom” by Reid Jenkins ➌ “Abiding Light” by Dreamweaver ➍ “The Taste of Creation”

by Isac Gres

➎ Marymont Secret Garden Mural

by Laura Thomas

➊

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"Years of Piers" mural

by Chad Mize at the St. Pete Pier

Mural by Jared Wright in downtown St. Petersburg

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"Point of Pines" mural by J&S Signs, located in the MLK North District of St. Petersburg

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