If visitors to Florida have heard of St Pete’s, or to give the city it full title ‘St Petersburg’, then the majority of them will probably associate the city with wonderful sandy beaches which are located about 10 miles southwest of ‘downtown’ at the aptly named resort of St Pete Beach.
However there is more to St Pete’s than just sand, and so if you are visiting for a few days and want to sample some of the cultural amenities that the city has to offer then here are some suggestions for you.
The St Petersburg Museum of History features a variety of permanent and temporary exhibitions, showcasing the history of the city. Founded in 1920, but re-housed to its present location in 1950, one of the most significant exhibits is the First Flight Gallery. Here you can see a full sized working replica of the Benoist Airboat that in 1914 made history as the first commercial flight when tickets were sold to paying passengers to make the flight between St Pete’s and Tampa. In fact this very replica made the same trip in 1989 to celebrate the 75th anniversary of that historic moment.
The Museum can be found by taking I-275 exit 10 (Pier exit) to Beach Drive, then south to 2nd Avenue NE. Parking is available on the street, at the rear of the museum, or in the pier parking lot next door. General admission is $6, with discounts for seniors and children 7 – 17. Under 7’s go free.
Great Explorations is a superb science museum for children, and houses a huge variety of interactive displays. Exhibits include a child-sized market where children can learn to make healthy choices, ‘I construct’; where children can take on roles, build and play in a hands-on, creative environment, and at the same time have lots of fun. There is also an exploration of air pressure, where visitors can balance on balls in streams of moving air, and a whole host of other interactive areas. Perhaps, not wholly cultural, but it is certainly educational and entertaining.
Great Explorations can be found at 1925 Fourth Street North. From I-275, take Exit #24. Go east on 22nd Avenue North for one mile and turn right (South) on to 4th Street North. Drive along 4th Street North until you see a large sign for Great Explorations.
Probably the most significant cultural attraction however is the Salvador Dali Museum. Florida can often seem surreal to the visitor and here in St Pete’s is arguably the most surreal experience of all. The museum hosts the largest collection of Dali’s works outside of Spain. The collection was started by industrialist Reynolds Morse in the 1940’s and reflects all of Dali’s creations, from his early impressionist and cubist works, landscapes, still life and through to his surrealist period. The museum offers free guided tours, which will help the uninitiated understand, to some degree anyway, the background to Dali’s often confusing creations. The museum is situated at 1000 3rd Street South and entrance is $14, with discounts for seniors and children.
However there is more to St Pete’s than just sand, and so if you are visiting for a few days and want to sample some of the cultural amenities that the city has to offer then here are some suggestions for you.
The St Petersburg Museum of History features a variety of permanent and temporary exhibitions, showcasing the history of the city. Founded in 1920, but re-housed to its present location in 1950, one of the most significant exhibits is the First Flight Gallery. Here you can see a full sized working replica of the Benoist Airboat that in 1914 made history as the first commercial flight when tickets were sold to paying passengers to make the flight between St Pete’s and Tampa. In fact this very replica made the same trip in 1989 to celebrate the 75th anniversary of that historic moment.
The Museum can be found by taking I-275 exit 10 (Pier exit) to Beach Drive, then south to 2nd Avenue NE. Parking is available on the street, at the rear of the museum, or in the pier parking lot next door. General admission is $6, with discounts for seniors and children 7 – 17. Under 7’s go free.
Great Explorations is a superb science museum for children, and houses a huge variety of interactive displays. Exhibits include a child-sized market where children can learn to make healthy choices, ‘I construct’; where children can take on roles, build and play in a hands-on, creative environment, and at the same time have lots of fun. There is also an exploration of air pressure, where visitors can balance on balls in streams of moving air, and a whole host of other interactive areas. Perhaps, not wholly cultural, but it is certainly educational and entertaining.
Great Explorations can be found at 1925 Fourth Street North. From I-275, take Exit #24. Go east on 22nd Avenue North for one mile and turn right (South) on to 4th Street North. Drive along 4th Street North until you see a large sign for Great Explorations.
Probably the most significant cultural attraction however is the Salvador Dali Museum. Florida can often seem surreal to the visitor and here in St Pete’s is arguably the most surreal experience of all. The museum hosts the largest collection of Dali’s works outside of Spain. The collection was started by industrialist Reynolds Morse in the 1940’s and reflects all of Dali’s creations, from his early impressionist and cubist works, landscapes, still life and through to his surrealist period. The museum offers free guided tours, which will help the uninitiated understand, to some degree anyway, the background to Dali’s often confusing creations. The museum is situated at 1000 3rd Street South and entrance is $14, with discounts for seniors and children.