While your vacation rental home is cozy, you came to Florida to see the sights. More than pristine beaches, impeccable dining and world-class nightlife, St. Petersburg also offers a variety of museums so you can soak up some culture while you take a little break from the sun and sand.

The Dali Museum – This museum celebrates the life and work of surrealist, Salvador Dali. This glass-paneled building near the waterfront features over 2,000 works spanning his entire career. It also has exhibits from other surrealist artists. The museum is open daily from 10am to 5:30pm with extended hours on Thursday until 8pm. Tickets are $24 for adults, though there are several discount options and kids 5 and younger are free.

Museum of Fine Arts – The MFA has been repeatedly named the best art museum in the Tampa Bay area. They offer antiquities and modern art pieces encompassing nearly 5,000 years. The museum is open daily from 10am to 5pm with extended hours on Thursday until 8pm. Tickets are $17 for adults, there are several discount options and kids 6 and younger are free.

Start in the morning and stay for lunch as the MFA has a café open Tuesdays through Sundays 11am to 3pm.

St. Petersburg Museum of History – This museum of history is located on the pier. It was founded in 1921 and offers exhibits that delve into the city’s history and take you from pioneer days into modern times. The museum is open daily from 10am to 5pm. Tickets are $15 for adults, there are several discount options and kids 6 and younger are free.

Florida Holocaust Museum – This educational museum’s core exhibition: History, Heritage and Hope can be found on the first floor. It features original artifacts, video and photos before, during and after the Holocaust. They also offer temporary exhibits. The FHM is open daily from 10 am to 5 pm. Tickets are $16 for adults, there are discount options plus free admission to active U.S. military, USF students with ID plus children 6 and younger.

Morean Arts Center – This is a community-based visual arts organization operating since 1917. It includes a glass studio with hot shop and a center for clay. This contemporary gallery and arts center is free, open to the public and one of the oldest in Florida. It features local artists and those across the globe. Art classes are available.

Within the Morean Arts Center is a permanent collection of world-renown glass artist, Dale Chihuly. His contemporary glass pieces are impressively-scaled and emboldened by color. Tickets are $19.95 for adults and there are discount options plus children 5 and younger are free.

 Second Saturdays ArtWalk

If you happen to be staying at your vacation rental home on a second Saturday, the museums and galleries of St. Petersburg’s Waterfront Arts District, Central Arts District, EDGE District, Grand Center District and the Warehouse Arts District invite you to discover their Art Walk. It’s the second Saturday of each month from 5:00pm to 8:30pm. Walk or ride the trolley to check out this vibrant art scene. This interactive map makes it easy to find your way.

Parking Options

Some museums have paid on-site parking. There are also a variety of downtown surface lots, street, parking or city parking garages plus the St. Petersburg Downtown Looper Trolley. Passengers ride free in the Free Fare Zone and it’s only $0.50 outside of the zone.

Download the City of St. Petersburg’s parking app, Parkmobile. It’s good at any metered space within St. Petersburg and allows you to control how you pay and extend your parking sessions easily.

Clearwater Sunset

Clearwater Beach was named “Best Beach Town in Florida” by USA Today readers in January 2013. St. Pete Beach received a Travelers’ Choice Award from TripAdvisor after reviews from vacationers named the beach the number one beach destination in the U.S. and number 5 in the world in 2012.

http://www.visitstpeteclearwater.com/articles/st-pete-clearwater-award-winning-beaches?utm_source=Mar2013newsletter&utm_medium=referring-link&utm_campaign=TA-text-Mar2013newsletter

Photo by User:Waters2100 (Own work) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

http://attractionsmagazine.com/blog/2013/03/14/downtown-disney-to-become-disney-springs-over-the-next-three-years/

Photo by Loadmaster (David R. Tribble)    This image was made by Loadmaster (David R. Tribble) Email the author:  David R. Tribble Also see my personal gallery at Google Picasa (Own work) [CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0) or GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html)], via Wikimedia Commons

Marie Curie 1903

The Orange County Regional History Center will celebrate Women’s History Month with a presentation by author Shelley Emling on Wednesday, March 13, at 6:30pm. Emling will discuss her book “Marie Curie and Her Daughters: The Private Lives of Science’s First Family.” A reception will be held at 5:30pm.

http://thehistorycenter.org/Tea/MarieCurie

Photo by Ebyabe (Own work) [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC-BY-SA-3.0-2.5-2.0-1.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

Photo by David Shankbone (Own work) [CC-BY-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

Photo by (Ebyabe) (Own work) [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html), CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/) or CC-BY-2.5 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.5)], via Wikimedia Commons

Photo by (Ebyabe) (Own work) [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html), CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/) or CC-BY-2.5 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.5)], via Wikimedia Commons