PHILADELPHIA, PA.-The recently concluded Salvador Dalí retrospective at the Philadelphia Museum of Art was not only a spectacular exhibition of a great artist’s work but also produced a major economic impact for the City of Philadelphia and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, generating total economic activity of nearly $55 million, creating 830 full-time equivalent jobs with over $20 million in salary and wages, adding more than $4.46 million in increased tax revenues, and providing a powerful incentive for cultural tourism to the region. These were among the findings of a report released today by the Philadelphia Museum of Art, together with Advanta, the exhibition’s corporate sponsor, in cooperation with the Greater Philadelphia Tourism and Marketing Corporation (GPTMC) and the Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau (PCVB). The report is available upon request.

Prepared by the Philadelphia-based Urban Partners, the report was commissioned by the exhibition’s marketing partners to independently assess the economic impact of the Museum’s Salvador Dalí exhibition, drawing upon the on-site survey responses of more than 1,000 visitors, as well as surveys of groups and tour operators, and other data collected by the GPTMC and the PCVB. Urban Partners’ analysis focused on the overall spending impact generated as a result of the exhibition; employment generated by this activity; and tax benefits received by the City of Philadelphia and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania as a result of the exhibition.

Salvador Dalí (February 16-May 30, 2005) included more than 200 works of art on loan from public and private collections in 14 foreign countries. The Philadelphia Museum of Art was the only United States venue for the retrospective, which was seen first at the Palazzo Grassi, in Venice, Italy. It was the first retrospective of the artist’s paintings, drawings, and sculptures to be seen in the United States in more than 60 years. Salvador Dalí attracted 370,000 visitors from all 50 states and 33 countries, resulting in 98% of all possible tickets purchased. Approximately 15% of the visitors were residents of the City of Philadelphia, the remaining 85% were visitors who traveled from outside of the city to experience Salvador Dalí, more than 39,000 of whom stayed in a hotel. The Museum successfully negotiated the extension of loans from more than 200 lenders in order to continue the run of the exhibition an additional two weeks and increased public hours by 73% to help accommodate the demand. Every available ticket from 8:00 a.m. to midnight sold out in the last ten days of the exhibition.

Anne d’Harnoncourt, Director of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, said: “It is an extra pleasure to conclude a major exhibition knowing that in addition to serving our core educational mission and delighting our visitors, Salvador Dalí also provided substantial economic benefits for the city, the region, and the state. These results underscore the vital importance of the partners with whom we work, from the scholars and international institutions with which we collaborated to organize the exhibition, to the City of Philadelphia and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania which contributed to make it possible to bring the exhibition here, and Advanta, our extraordinary corporate sponsor which had the foresight to inspire a citywide celebration around this exhibition.

Gail Harrity, Chief Operating Officer of the Museum, added: “Urban Partners’ calculations show that the Museum’s programs and activities have a great impact on our region’s economic vitality, and that for every dollar invested in the Museum there is a far greater return. The Museum is an excellent investment at any time. When we can host a special exhibition such as Salvador Dalí and engage in an exceptional corporate-public partnership as we did in our marketing alliance with Advanta, the GPTMC and the PCVB, it generates benefits that clearly have a tremendous and positive ripple effect throughout our community.”