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ECONOMIC IMPACT OF SALVADOR DALI EXHIBIT

Philadelphia, PA

Urban Partners was retained by the Philadelphia Museum of
Art
and Advanta, in cooperation with the Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation (GPTMC) and the Philadelphia Convention & Visitors Bureau (PCVB), to independently assess the economic impact of the Museum’s Salvador Dalí exhibition, which was on view to the public from February 16, 2005 to May 30, 2005. Salvador Dalí was the first comprehensive exhibition of Dalí’s work since he artist’s death in 1989 – including paintings, drawings and
sculptures loaned by over 200 public and private collections
worldwide — and the Philadelphia Museum of Art was the only United States venue at which the retrospective appeared. 

Interest in Salvador Dalí was tremendous, so much so that the Museum extended art loans by two weeks and increased public visiting hours by 73 percent. Over 370,000 visitors viewed Salvador Dalí , representing all 50 states and 30 countries and including 233,000 visitors who live outside Philadelphia and who came to the city specifically to see the exhibition. We determined that Salvador Dalí generated
total economic impact of $54.9 million within the Philadelphia region, including $30.7 million in direct and $24.2 million in indirect benefits.


Additionally, the exhibition:

  • Created, directly or through contracts, 830 full-time equivalent jobs;

  • Generated the booking of nearly 20,700 Philadelphia hotel room nights by individuals coming to Philadelphia specifically to see Salvador Dalí;

  • Produced a total local and state tax benefit of $4.46 million, and

  • Motivated approximately 52,000 visits to other area cultural attractions by individuals who came to Philadelphia specifically to see Salvador Dalí.

Client: Philadelphia Museum of Art
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