Part of the joy of traveling is all of the unique things you can see. Every town and every city has its own set of cultural delights – and Tampa is no different. For those who love a road trip, add Tampa to your list, even if just for a day or two!
Here are some of the best places that you should see.
Photo by Alex Haney on Unsplash
Tampa Museum of Art
While the outside might look a little big and bare (more on that in a moment), this huge 66,000-square-foot masterpiece is packed with large Roman, Etruscan, and Greek antiques and plenty of contemporary and modern art.
The outside looks bare, but it is host to 14,000 LEDs, which means it turns into a work of art all of its own. If you’re an Art+ member, you can go for free, but standard adult tickets are $25.
To see what is coming up, you can check their website for all current and future exhibitions!
Their permanent collections are worth seeing regardless, and after you’re done, you can swing by the store and snag a print for yourself.
Salvador Dali Museum
For fans of Salvador Dali’s works, this museum holds the largest collections of his works. Home to 1,300 graphics, sculptures, photographs, 100 watercolors, and 95 oil paintings – as well as plenty of objects d’art. You can choose from two types of tickets: standard gallery admission is $29, and for an even bigger helping of the weird and wonderful, for $15, you can see the Dali Alive 360.
You can buy tickets 30 days in advance or at the entrance.
Glazer Children’s Museum
The Glazer Children’s Museum is close to the Tampa Museum of Art, meaning you can enjoy two cultural adventures on the same day with some planning. Until 2026, the museum is home to Big John, a huge fossilized Triceratops – and due to this special exhibit, adults will be allowed to visit without children.
Tickets are $18 per adult and child – but for that price, you get an open-ended ticket, meaning you can go any day of the week.
The GCM wonderfully mixes education and fun stuff and will have children playing for hours.
Florida Museum of Photographic Arts
While a picture paints a thousand words, a photo is a moment in time captured forever. FMoPA focuses on the importance of photographic art and its influence on culture and life. There aren’t many museums that are dedicated to photography in the US, so this is one that is worth getting tickets to.
If you have the time for it, they have a range of classes, so you can enjoy the pieces and then improve your own skills.
General admission is between $10-$12, and it welcomes all ages; check the calendar for all of the upcoming events – so you’ll never miss a thing.
Museum of Science and Industry
A natural and technical science museum that lets visitors engage in inspirational exhibits. It is open from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. daily, and entry is free! You can choose to donate, though. This museum runs after-hours events, too, like playing 50 years of gaming, textiles, and more.
