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Museum · Figueres, Catalonia
Teatre-Museu Dalí
Museum conceived by Salvador Dalí over the ruins of the old Figueres theatre, opened in 1974 and crowned by a geodesic dome. It houses the largest collection of the artist's works, who is buried in the crypt, and includes the Dalí·Joies jewelry rooms.
Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.
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About Teatre-Museu Dalí
The building was the Teatre Municipal de Figueres, designed by Josep Roca i Bros and inaugurated in 1850. At the end of the Civil War, in 1939, a fire destroyed the interior and only the façade and the external walls remained. Dalí had been baptized in the church of Sant Pere, opposite, and held his first exhibition precisely in the theatre's lobby, in 1918 and 1919.
On August 12, 1961, amid the ruins, Dalí announced that there would be his museum there. Work began in 1970, and the geodesic dome was commissioned to the architect Emilio Pérez Piñero. The inauguration took place on September 28, 1974. The artist continued working on the museum until he died on January 23, 1989, in the Torre Galatea, attached to the building. Two days later he was buried in a crypt under the dome.
The route comprises 24 rooms. Numbers 1 to 18 make up the part designed by Dalí himself as a single work: the courtyard with the rainy Cadillac (Cadillac lluvioso), the Mae West room, created with Óscar Tusquets, and the Palau del Vent, with its painted ceiling. Among the paintings are La cesta del pan (1945), Leda atómica (1949) and Galatea of the Spheres (1952). There are also works from the painter's collection by names such as El Greco and Marcel Duchamp.
Rooms 23 and 24 house Dalí·Joies, a permanent exhibition opened in 2001 with 39 gold and gemstone jewels designed by Dalí and the drawings that originated them. They are part of the museum's same route. The foundation that manages the complex recommends not following a fixed itinerary, as the artist would have liked.
Before you go
Practical information
Cidade Turismo reviews its information regularly, but something may have changed. Check with the place before planning your trip.
How much time to set aside
From 1½ to 2 hours, according to the foundation itself, including the jewelry rooms.
Best time
Right at opening, with your ticket already bought. In July and August the museum is busy all day. Opening times change depending on the time of year; check before you go.
How to get there
It's located at Plaça Gala i Salvador Dalí, in the center, about a 10-minute walk from Figueres station. From Figueres-Vilafant station, take the shuttle bus to the center or a taxi; it's about 2 km.
Tip
The foundation always recommends buying tickets in advance: there is a ticket office at the entrance, but sales depend on capacity. The Teatre-Museu ticket is not valid for Portlligat or Púbol, which have separate entrances. Items larger than a small backpack must be left in the luggage storage.
Official website
Get your questions answered
Frequently asked questions about Teatre-Museu Dalí
Is Dalí buried in the museum?
Yes. He died on 23 January 1989 and was buried two days later in a crypt beneath the museum's geodesic dome.
Are Dalí's jewels included on the same ticket?
The Dalí·Joies exhibition occupies rooms 23 and 24 and is part of the Teatre-Museu Dalí route. Confirm when purchasing what is included.
Do I need to buy a ticket in advance?
It is recommended by the foundation. The venue's box office sells tickets, but availability depends on the museum's capacity, which is usually high in summer.
Why is the museum in a theatre?
Dalí chose the ruins of the old municipal theatre because he considered himself a theatrical painter, because he had been baptized in the church opposite, and because he exhibited there for the first time as a teenager.