St. Petersburg just got a national top-five flex, and it’s not about beaches, brunch, or the number of dogs in bandanas per capita. The Dalí Museum has been named the No. 5 best art museum in America in the 2026 USA Today 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards, which means thousands of people across the country looked at a list of museums and collectively agreed, “Yes, the one with the melting clocks energy belongs near the top.” The museum’s team says the ranking feels especially meaningful because it reflects how The Dalí keeps evolving beyond a traditional gallery experience.
The Dalí on the downtown waterfront (1 Dali Blvd) is the kind of place you can turn into a whole afternoon. The museum’s hours run 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily, with later hours on Thursdays until 8 p.m., so you’ve got options whether you’re a morning person or a “my brain wakes up at 3 p.m.” person.
What makes this ranking especially satisfying is that it isn’t just about being a greatest-hits gallery for one of history’s greatest surrealists. The Dalí is home to the most comprehensive collection of Salvador Dalí’s work outside of Spain, but it’s also been expanding what an art museum can feel like, leaning into immersive tech, cross-disciplinary programming, and experiences that don’t require an art-history degree or a black turtleneck to enjoy. In other words, it welcomes the devoted Dalí disciples and the “I’m here because my friend said there’s a cool dome” crowd.
Photo via The Dalí Museum
Where things get delightfully weird
Yes, there is a cool dome. The Dalí Dome, which opened in August 2023, is a purpose-built 360-degree projection space that turns art into a full-body experience, with imagery wrapping the walls and floor like you’ve stepped inside a very stylish hallucination. It’s also where the museum recently debuted Queen Heaven, a 77-minute, 360-degree show celebrating Queen with archival footage, remastered video elements and big cosmic visuals, because apparently the only appropriate way to honor Freddie Mercury is to surround you with him in every direction. It’s also Florida’s only 360-degree dome show, by the way, because of course it is.
The best part is how this all plays with Dalí’s actual vibe. Surrealism is supposed to bend reality, scramble your expectations, and make you question what you’re seeing. The Dalí just decided to do that with both paintings and pixels, which feels like the most on-brand evolution possible.
So if you’ve been meaning to go, consider this your official nudge. The museum’s national top-five moment is a reminder that St. Pete’s arts scene isn’t just locally lovable, it’s nationally relevant. Go get a little weird, take the waterfront stroll afterward, and re-enter reality slowly.
Be sure to follow the museum on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok to keep up with the latest.
Photo via The Dalí Museum