Museums, Galleries and Theaters
A City of Creative Spaces
Creativity flourishes in spaces all across St. Pete. Residents and visitors can find world-renowned museums, a host of independent art galleries and exhibits, and a performing arts scene that celebrates local acts alongside national talent.
Museums
Ranked as a top arts and cultural destination among cities its size, St. Pete is home to world-famous museums. Boasting fine art collections, history and science exhibits, and contemporary creations, St. Pete’s museums offer a wide range of educational and cultural experiences.
The Dalí Museum
1 Dali Blvd. | 727-823-3767
Overlooking the Tampa Bay waterfront, in a building that erupts into a giant free-form geodesic glass bubble, is the Dalí Museum. The Dalí Museum celebrates the life and work of the late Spanish surrealist Salvador Dalí and features works from his entire career. The collection includes over 2,400 works from every moment and in every medium of his artistic activity, including oil paintings, drawings, watercolors, book illustrations, prints, sculpture, textiles, photos, manuscripts, and an extensive archive of documents. In addition to their impressive permanent collection, the Dalí hosts rotating exhibitions, tours, events, community and student programming. The Avant Garden and Café Gala are attractions in their own right, and the Dalí’s Innovation Labs and Center for Avant-garde provide enrichment and resources to the wider community.
Dr. Carter G. Woodson African American Museum
2240 9th Ave. S. | 727-323-1104
Presenting the historic voice of the African American community in St. Petersburg, the Woodson Museum hosts exhibits, events, and experiences that elevate the contributions of African Americans to the growth and development of St. Petersburg. Through arts, cultural, and historical exhibits, the Woodson seeks to promote understanding and enhance our ability as a society to act respectfully, value diversity, and foster equal rights and social justice. In addition to exhibits and events, the Museum offers community programming, partnership opportunities, their well-kept Legacy Garden, and a lending library.
Fairgrounds St. Pete
800 28th St. S. / customerservice@fairgrounds.art
Fairgrounds St. Pete is an indoor, explorable, immersive art and technology museum in the Warehouse Arts District of St. Pete. The experience includes work by over 60 local and international artists providing them all a platform to showcase their work and experiment with new ideas. The museum celebrates themes of weird, wacky, wonderful Florida and new artwork is continually added. The name Fairgrounds St. Pete references traditional fairgrounds and their role as a place for exhibiting new ideas, as well as recognizing talent, creativity and innovation. Discover what makes this Florida-inspired museum experience so fun and weirdly special.
The Florida Holocaust Museum
55 5th St. S. | 727-820-0100
In a notable three-story building in downtown St. Pete, the Florida Holocaust Museum honors the memory of millions of innocent men, women, and children who suffered or died in the Holocaust. The Museum is home to a permanent collection of original artifacts, historical photographs, and documents that tell the story of the Holocaust with a special emphasis on the personal stories of local survivors. The Florida Holocaust Museum also hosts an array of changing exhibitions of varying size and scope and offers additional programming and educational support, events, outreach, and a lending library. The Museum is dedicated to teaching the members of all races and cultures the inherent worth and dignity of human life in order to prevent future genocides.
Great Explorations Children’s Museum
1925 4th St N. | 727-821-8992
For over 30 years, Great Explorations has been a go-to spot for Tampa Bay’s children. Offering 18,000 square feet of hand-on exhibits and workshops for kids, Great Explorations has a long history of stimulating learning through creativity, play, and exploration. They were the nation’s first children’s museum to open a licensed preschool, and they offer additional opportunities for learning through regular programming, summer camps, and special events and exhibits.
Imagine Museum of Contemporary Glass Art
1901 Central Ave. | 727-300-1700
In an iconic blue building in the Grand Central District, the Imagine Museum takes visitors on an immersive journey through a collection of glass masterpieces that bring intricate shapes to life and magically transforms color and light. Imagine Museum showcases major works of contemporary American and international art by founding and leading artists in the field of studio glass and art expression.
The James Museum of Western and Wildlife Art
150 Central Ave. | 727-892-4200
Located in the heart of downtown, the James Museum houses the personal collection of Tom and Mary James in 26,000 square feet of gallery space. Through personal relationships with artists and many travels to the American West, they have amassed a significant collection that speaks to their interests in history, storytelling and the human spirit. While often relating scenes from the past, most of the art was created in our own era and portrays subjects of American Western history, American Indian cultures, and wildlife from around the world. The James Museum hosts special exhibitions and events, offers regular programming for adults, children, and educators, and invites visitors to their on-site café and museum store.
Museum of the American Arts & Crafts Movement
355 4th St. N. | 727-943-9900
An exciting new addition to the Tampa Bay cultural scene, MAACM is the only museum in the world dedicated to the American Arts and Crafts movement of the late 1800s - early 1900s. Founded by local philanthropist and collector Rudy Ciccarello, MAACM features stunning architectural elements such as a grand atrium, skylights, and a dramatic spiral staircase as well as incredible works of art. Discover exquisite examples of handcrafted furniture, pottery, tile, metalwork, stained glass, and fine art, plus educational programs, graphic studio classes, a store, and a café, in a 137,000-square-foot building that is a work of art itself.
Museum of Fine Arts
255 Beach Drive N.E. | 727-896-2667
In an elegant Palladian-style building on St. Pete’s iconic Beach Drive, the Museum of Fine Arts inspires visitors with a collection covering almost 5,000 years of civilization in thousands of objects extending from antiquity to present. Boasting the only comprehensive art collection of its kind on Florida’s west coast, highlights of the collection include masterpieces from Monet, O’Keeffe, De Kooning, and Rauschenberg, a sculpture garden, a glass gallery, and one of Florida’s most respected photography collections. Additionally, the MFA hosts special exhibitions and events, offers regular programming for children and adults, has a café that overlooks the downtown waterfront, and maintains a rooftop apiary with 12 active beehives.
St. Petersburg Museum of History
335 2nd Ave. N.E. | 727-894-1052
Located on the approach to the St. Pete Pier, the St. Petersburg Museum of History has shared stories of the Sunshine City for nearly a century. Highlighting the history and heritage of Florida with emphasis on St. Pete and the Pinellas Peninsula, this museum offers exhibits that preserve points of interest from our more recent history, including the first commercial airline, the world's largest collection of autographed baseballs, and a photography collection that captures St. Pete’s roots.
Galleries
Independent art galleries show up all across the city, reflecting the active and diverse collection of artists who create in St. Pete. Gallery experiences include ticketed viewing and events, rotating exhibits and art sales, and hands-on opportunities to learn and create.
The Chihuly Collection
720 Central Ave. | 727-896-4527
A pioneer of the studio glass movement, world-renowned artist Dale Chihuly’s stunning, permanent collection of unique artwork resides in downtown St. Pete, across the street from the Morean Arts Center. It is the first installation of Chihuly art in a building designed specifically for that purpose—so that the art and architecture work together to create a visitor experience unlike any other exhibition of Chihuly’s art. The collection is a series of individual spaces designed to complement each of Chihuly's large-scale installations, including several popular series works that have thrilled audiences around the globe.
Creative Clay
1124 Central Ave. | 727-825-0515
Creative Clay’s mission is to help people with disabilities achieve full and inclusive lives through access to the arts by providing expressive, educational and vocational experiences. Creative Clay’s team of professional artists provide outreach art experiences to people with disabilities, as well as children, veterans and those in shelters. In addition to their core Community Arts Program, Creative Clay also offers summer camps, studio time, vocational arts training, mentorship and employment opportunities, and a multidisciplinary arts in wellness outreach program. Visitors can support Creative Clay’s mission by attending events, purchasing artwork, volunteering, or making a donation.
Duncan McClellan Gallery
2342 Emerson Ave. S. | 855-436-4527
A staple of the Warehouse Arts District, the Duncan McClellan Gallery features rotating exhibitions showcasing national and internationally recognized glass artists. With 3,000 square feet of gallery spaces and 5,000 square feet of outdoor courtyards and lushly planted sculpture gardens, the grounds regularly host events, meetings, and workshops.
DMG School Project
2342 Emerson Ave. S. | 855-436-4527
Located within the Duncan McClellan Gallery, the DMG School Project is a multi-faceted educational program that provides inspiration through the creative medium of glass art. The Project offers monthly educational lectures, classes, and free glass blowing demonstrations to the public as well as scholarships, residency programs, and glass art classes designed to light a passion for learning. Teachers can access a curriculum that blends world history, geology, chemistry, math and creative problem solving.
Florida CraftArt
501 Central Ave. | 727-821-7391
Headquartered in the heart of St. Pete’s arts and culture district, this statewide organization represents thousands of Florida's established and emerging fine craft artists. Since 1951, Florida CraftArt (formerly Florida Craftsmen) has advanced and celebrated Florida's fine crafts through exhibitions, workshops and educational programs. Fine craft art is presented in the 2,500-square-foot retail gallery and in the adjacent Exhibition Gallery that features curated exhibitions and programming.
Morean Arts Center
719 Central Ave. | 727-822-7872
With roots dating back over 100 years, the Morean has focused on an innovative community-oriented approach to art and arts education. The Morean is known as one of the most successful visual arts organizations in the region, offering studio classes from painting and drawing to metalsmithing, sculpture, and digital photography; mounting approximately 15-20 contemporary art exhibitions a year and providing a wide variety of family and children's programming, school tours, summer camps, and special events.
Morean Center for Clay
420 22nd St. S. | 727-821-7162
Located in the Historic Train Station in the Warehouse Arts District, the Morean Center for Clay promotes and enhances the education of contemporary and historic ceramics. It is one of the largest working potteries in the southeast, and the facility offers educational courses in working with clay, studio space, gallery sales, event rentals, exhibitions, and a renowned artist-in-residence program. Attracting local and national teaching artists, the Morean Center for Clay appeals to all pottery enthusiasts and opens their high-quality workshops and classes to all skill levels.
Morean Glass Studio
714 1st Ave. N. | 727-822-7872
The Morean Glass Studio offers visitors behind-the-scenes access and a chance to watch resident glass artists create unique works of art. Commonly called the “Hot Shop,” artists work in front of an audience, gathering molten glass from the furnace, shaping it, and cooling it. An assistant narrates the process, detailing the science behind glass work, the artistic vision guiding the process, and the steps of production. All the pieces created in the Glass Studio are available for purchase in the adjacent Hot Shop Store.
The Studio@620
620 1st Ave. S. | 727-895-6620
A place that says “yes” to fostering the creative, cultivating the mind, and providing a safe haven for exploration, the award-winning Studio@620 has long been dedicated to artists and audiences in St. Pete. 620 develops artistic and educational programs that integrate a variety of art forms in order to encourage new cultural experiences both for the audience and the artists. They are well-known for bringing people from diverse cultural backgrounds and experiences together as artists, audiences, and volunteers to work collaboratively with artistic, educational, and cultural organizations in and beyond St. Pete. A home for the visual and performing arts, visitors to Studio@620 can find visual art exhibits and sales as well as performances, literary arts, photography, discussions, and community support in abundance.
Theaters
St. Pete hosts a thriving performing arts scene that takes the stage across the city. A collection of beloved venues present plays, operas, orchestras, dance, poetry, comedy, and concerts to audiences in a year-long lineup that delights locals, visitors, and longtime patrons.
American Stage
163 3rd St. N. | 727-823-7529
As the Tampa Bay area’s longest-running, most critically-acclaimed professional theatre company, American Stage has been dedicated to telling meaningful, compelling stories with integrity and professionalism since 1977. Committed to being a vital arts leader and contributing to the cultural landscape of the Tampa Bay region, American Stage pursues innovative programming and works to provide a world-class theatre experience that’s accessible to all. In addition to their lineup of shows, they also offer classes, camps, and highly accessible membership opportunities for students and young professionals.
The Florida Orchestra
244 2nd Ave. N., Suite 420 | 727-892-3337
Recognized as a leading performing arts institution, the largest professional orchestra in Florida, and one of the most vibrant and innovative orchestras in America, The Florida Orchestra inspires, enriches, and educates audiences across Tampa Bay. Presenting varied experiences of live symphonic music, and educational opportunities for schools, families, young artists, and the community, the Orchestra serves as a leader and beacon for the musical arts throughout the state. The Florida Orchestra hosts performances at The Mahaffey and other locales.
freeFall Theatre Company
6099 Central Ave. | 727-498-5205
Located between downtown and the beaches, freeFall Theatre Company presents a varied range of classical and new works that are bold, daring, and diverse. They strive to be accessible and present performing arts in ways that invites, entertains, and challenges their audiences. Contributing to the Tampa Bay arts community since 2008, freeFall provides broad access to theatre that represents a high level of artistic achievement, as well as educational programs that increase the community’s understanding and enjoyment of live theatre.
The Mahaffey Theater
400 1st St. S. | 727-892-5798
Located in the heart of downtown, the Duke Energy Center for the Arts — The Mahaffey Theater is a 2,031-seat venue featuring elegant ballroom space, spectacular waterfront views, and European box-style seating. The Mahaffey hosts top-quality national and international artists and performances, including Broadway, classical, pop, rock, comedy, dance, family, and the renowned Florida Orchestra. Additionally, the Theater supports the highly successful Class Acts program, which enables school children to experience the performing arts through in-theater performances as well as in-school outreach and extension programs.
The Palladium Theater
253 Fifth Ave. N. | 727-822-3590
Just a few blocks from the waterfront in downtown, the historic Palladium Theater at St. Petersburg College is consistently ranked as one of Tampa Bay’s best, most affordable venues for classical, jazz, blues, theatre, opera, Celtic, comedy, dance, educational, literary, community events, and more. Whether in the main concert hall, Hough Hall, or in the intimate Side Door Cabaret, the Palladium presents quality cultural programming for and by the community it serves.
St. Petersburg City Theater
4025 31st St. S. | 727-866-2059
As the oldest theatre program in St. Pete, St. Petersburg City Theater has been enriching the lives of St. Pete residents and visitors since 1925. They offer community-produced mainstage productions, training and mentoring with experienced performers, directors and designers, children and youth programs, and adult education workshops.
St. Pete Opera Company
2145 1st Ave. S. | 727-823-2040
Presenting fully staged professional opera productions of the highest quality, the St. Petersburg Opera Company enriches the cultural lives of the residents of and visitors to the Tampa Bay area. Since 2007, the St. Petersburg Opera Company has been making opera accessible to present and future audiences through community outreach, educational initiatives, and collaboration with other arts organizations. Shows are presented at several locations, including the Palladium Theater.
The Studio@620
620 1st Ave. S. | 727-895-6620
A place that says “yes” to fostering the creative, cultivating the mind, and providing a safe haven for exploration, the award-winning Studio@620 has long been dedicated to artists and audiences in St. Pete. 620 develops artistic and educational programs that integrate a variety of art forms in order to encourage new cultural experiences both for the audience and the artists. They are well-known for bringing people from diverse cultural backgrounds and experiences together as artists, audiences, and volunteers to work collaboratively with artistic, educational, and cultural organizations in and beyond St. Pete. A home for the visual and performing arts, visitors to Studio@620 can find visual art exhibits and sales as well as performances, literary arts, photography, discussions, and community support in abundance.