From 30th July until 31st August 2011, the Dalí Theatre-Museum in Figueres will be staying open from 10pm until 1am every night. Enjoy Dali’s largest collection of works crowd-free at this spectacular museum, just half an hour north of Camiral.
Numbers are strictly limited to 500 at night and tickets, priced at 13 Euros, can be booked directly with the theatre.
The world’s largest surrealist object, the museum was designed by Dali himself to give visitors a fuller understanding of his unique and captivating world. It opened in 1974 upon the site of the former Figueres theatre, which had been damaged by fire. Many would call it the most impressive single-artist museum in the world.
Dali chose his beloved home town for his lasting legacy. In his own words, “Where, if not in my own town, should the most extravagant and solid of my work endure, where if not here? The Municipal Theatre, or what remained of it, struck me as very appropriate, and for three reasons: first, because I am an eminently theatrical painter; second, because the theatre stands right opposite the church where I was baptised; and third, because it was precisely in the hall of the vestibule of the theatre where I gave my first exhibition of painting.”
Don’t miss the magnificent geodesic dome which crowns the building. Designed by Dali, this transparent grid structure has become symbolic with the town of Figueras.
Some of his most outstanding works are exhibited here including The Girl from Figueres (1926), The Spectre of Sex Appeal (1932), Soft Self-Portrait with Fried Bacon (1941), Galarina (1944-45), Atomic Leda (1949), Apotheosis of the Dollar (1965), Galatea of the Spheres (1952) and Dawn, Noon, Afternoon and Evening (1979).
Another must-see for Dali fans is the house he lived in on the bay of Port Lligat, near Cadaques, also within easy reach of Camiral. This was Dali’s only fixed abode from 1930 until the death of his beloved wife Gala in 1982 and he loved the landscape, the light and the isolation of the place. The original fishing hut he bought in 1930 was gradually extended as he added on a number of adjoining houses. It opened as a museum in 1997.
The waterside property was a source of huge inspiration for Dali and still contains many objects used by the artist. Not to be missed are the bizarre garden, with its famous phallic swimming pool and Pirelli armchair, and the vast sculpture of an egg perched on the roof of the building.
Visitors must book ahead by calling 00 34 972 251 015 or visiting www.salvador-dali.org.
