Hello dear travel enthusiasts! Today we have a cultural adventure ahead of us. We've arrived in the city of Figueres and decided to visit the Dalí Theatre-Museum. Salvador Dalí, a Spanish painter and surrealist, is probably one of the most famous artists in the world. I believe his name is widely recognized. Dalí designed this museum as his personal theatre, reflecting his genius in every corner. Not only did we visit the Theatre Museum, but we also explored the Gala Castle. I mentioned this in one of my previous posts. Gala Castle also known as Púbol Castle, is a structure that Dalí restored for his wife, Gala. It is not in the same location as the museum and requires a separate visit.
As we approached the Theatre Museum, we began examining the artworks. The building itself is quite extraordinary and creative, featuring egg-shaped sculptures on top. Such an original design! The entire museum is filled with surreal curves and shapes. There’s also a famous sign outside where everyone stops to take pictures.
We started looking for the entrance. Upon reaching the inner courtyard, we waited for our entry time to be announced. Let me explain how the system works: There is a screen displaying the entrance times for ticket holders. Visitors with tickets for 10:30 am were being invited in. Since our tickets were for 10:45 am, we had to wait a little. In the meantime, we admired the courtyard.
The columns here looked like they were made of car tires. We decided to touch them to check… And indeed, they were actually made of rubber! They had a soft texture.
There was a very unusual sculpture, body parts appeared to be detached. Fingers were separate, feet were apart… The fingers on the hands seemed intact, but why was there an extra finger placed separately?
This is how the museum visit begins. You can get an audio guide at the entrance. We stepped inside and started exploring. In the second hall, there was a large composition, along with uniquely designed benches that could also be used for resting. These benches were crafted as part of the overall design. This section's exhibition was fascinating, even the small fountain here was a work of art.
In Hall 3 we saw an incredibly interesting piece featuring a portrait of Abraham Lincoln. From a distance, it looked like Lincoln’s face, but as we got closer, a distinct V shape appeared with his actual portrait underneath.
And here it is one of Dalí’s most famous paintings, featuring his wife, Gala Éluard Dalí. The painting was signed in her name. Another artwork dedicated to Gala… But the piece was, of course, created by Dalí himself. He simply used his wife’s name in the signature. Gala was not just Dalí’s wife. She was his muse, manager and closest supporter. Throughout his artistic career, she profoundly influenced him and appeared in many of his most significant works.
When I had previously seen this artwork online, I imagined it to be massive, almost like a grand mural. But in reality, it was surprisingly small, about the size of my palm.
If you don’t know what Pablo Picasso looked like, here’s a portrait of him, what a handsome depiction! This piece reflects Dalí’s admiration for Picasso, capturing both his personality and artistic essence.
Later we visited the crypt, Hall 7. This was the tomb room. There were mirrors and the figure lying on the bed was not clearly identifiable. A fascinating and thought-provoking concept for a gallery space.
Then we waited in line, climbed the stairs and prepared to examine the exhibition from a different perspective, to understand Dalí's thought process. From a distance, we could see a nose, eyes and lips. You could even spot the shoes! Truly extraordinary and fascinating! This is part of the Mae West Room, designed in a way that creates an optical illusion of the face of the American actress Mae West.
This museum actually brings together two museum complexes. The first complex, consisting of rooms 1 to 18, was created by Salvador Dalí himself. Every room and hall is carefully curated to form a cohesive artistic ensemble. For instance, from here you can look outside and get a fresh perspective on the exhibition space we first entered.
The Theatre Museum is filled with mysteries and surprises. You could spend ages looking at each painting, contemplating its meaning. Each visitor can interpret the artworks in their own unique way.
We moved on to another exhibition area. Room 15 was incredible! Here, we saw a blue Salvador Dalí, but when viewed through the glass from the other side, it appeared red. Then, we entered the second complex, which showcases various projects related to the expansion of the Theatre Museum.
Next we found Room 21, a tiny yet fascinating space. Even for those who aren’t huge fans of museums, the Theatre Museum offers an immersive experience. The emotions during the exhibition were so intense that I found myself getting a little lost in the middle of it all. But it was a fantastic experience! This is the kind of museum you’d want to visit multiple times. it’s astonishing.
The museum is not overwhelmingly huge. Definitely not like the Louvre. You could explore it in about an hour, but to fully appreciate the details, you might want to go back and look again.
Of course, we also checked out the gift shop, which offered a wide variety of souvenirs, including postcards & t-shirts (€26.50), mugs (€11.70), notebooks & calendars (€4.00), books (€13.50) and a comprehensive book covering all of Dalí’s works with multilingual explanations (€49.90).
I really liked the elephant figurines, priced at €38 and €55. They were charming, but a bit pricey, made of iron and beautifully designed. The shop even had a section dedicated just to elephants! There were elephant-themed notebooks for €6.90, water bottles for €9.95, posters for €12.50 and small notepads for €5.10.
The watches were particularly stylish, priced at €38.50. Another standout item was a game set for children, available for €9.50, featuring four different activities designed to help kids recreate Dalí’s artworks at home.
Every artwork in the museum opens a gateway into Dalí’s surreal world, leaving visitors in awe. I enjoyed the experience. It was an exceptional museum! I hope this post gives you valuable insights and helps you plan your visit. If you ever find yourself in Figueres, be sure to check out the Dalí Theatre-Museum.
Happy travels!