The Imagine Museum is a contemporary glass art museum in downtown St Petersburg, Florida, spread across 22 galleries.
This guide was updated in August 2026. Several older guides still list Sunday hours starting at noon, but the museum has actually opened at 10am on Sundays for some time. It also now stays open until 8pm on Tuesday evenings, not just Thursdays. Active-duty military members, veterans, and their families get free admission through 7 September 2026. You can book through Viator before you go.
Quick facts about the Imagine Museum
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Address | 1901 Central Avenue, St Petersburg, FL 33713 |
| Opening hours | Tue & Thu 10am–8pm; Wed, Fri–Sun 10am–5pm; closed Mon |
| Adult admission | $15 |
| Senior admission (65+) | $13 |
| Children (7–17) | $10 |
| Children (6 and under) | Free |
| Nearest transit | PSTA SunRunner, 22nd Street Station |
| Typical visit duration | 1 to 2 hours |
Why book tickets to the Imagine Museum?
- 🏛️ A serious glass art collection: Over 500 contemporary glass pieces are on display, including work by Dale Chihuly.
- 🎟️ Free entry for young children: Kids aged six and under always visit at no charge.
- 🌿 Free on-site parking: A rare perk in downtown St Petersburg, with a dedicated lot behind the building.
- 📜 Rotating themed galleries: Current shows include Jan Exnar’s abstract cast glass and a comic-and-anime-inspired Graphic Worlds gallery.
- 💰 Free for military through September: Active-duty personnel, veterans, and their families visit free until 7 September 2026.
Opening hours at the Imagine Museum
The Imagine Museum is closed on Mondays. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, it stays open late, from 10am until 8pm. On Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, it keeps shorter hours, from 10am to 5pm. Some older listings show only Thursday as a late night, with Sunday opening at noon rather than 10am. Both details are now out of date, so it’s worth checking current hours before a late or early visit.
Ticket prices for the Imagine Museum
| Ticket type | Price |
|---|---|
| Adult | $15 |
| Senior (65+) | $13 |
| Military with ID | $13 |
| Educator with ID | $10 |
| College student with ID | $10 |
| Children (7–17) | $10 |
| Children (6 and under) | Free |
| Members | Free |
The museum also runs regular discounted sessions. Tuesday evenings from 5pm to 8pm cost $10. Thursday evenings after 5pm drop to $5. Wednesdays offer a $5 rate for visitors aged 65 and over, and Sundays from 10am to noon cost just $5. SNAP/EBT cardholders pay $3 through the Museums for All programme. Book in advance through Viator if you’d rather not queue at the ticket desk.
How to get to the Imagine Museum
By car, the museum is in St Petersburg’s Edge District, between downtown and the Historic Kenwood neighbourhood, about a five-minute drive from the city centre.
By public transport, take the PSTA SunRunner and get off at 22nd Street Station, or use the Central Avenue Trolley and alight at 20th Street South and 1st Avenue South. Both stops are a short walk from the entrance.
On foot, it’s roughly a 1.5-mile walk from downtown St Petersburg, an easy stroll for visitors already exploring Central Avenue’s galleries and shops.
Parking at the Imagine Museum
The Imagine Museum has a free parking lot on the north side of the building, which is the easiest option for most visitors. There’s also two-hour metered street parking directly out front, useful for a quick visit but not for a longer one.
How long to spend at the Imagine Museum
Alongside the likes of the Morse Museum in Orlando and the Corning Museum of Glass in the Finger Lakes, New York, this is one of the top glass art attractions in the US.
Most visitors spend one to two hours exploring the 22 galleries. Visitors who linger over the audio tour, included with admission, tend to be at the longer end of that range. Families with children often add extra time for the museum’s scavenger hunt.
Accessibility at the Imagine Museum
The Imagine Museum describes itself as wheelchair accessible, and the museum provides loaner wheelchairs sized to fit through its gallery doorways. Visitors using larger, motorised wheelchairs may find some doorways tight, so it’s worth calling ahead if this applies to you. Free parking is available close to the entrance for visitors who need it.
What to see inside the Imagine Museum
American Masters Gallery anchors the first floor, home to Dale Chihuly’s Seven-Part Seaform Set among other major American studio glass works. This is the same Chihuly who’s behind Chihuly Garden and Glass in Seattle.
European Masters Gallery, on the second floor, showcases leading glass artists from across Europe, including Czech Master Jan Exnar’s abstract cast-glass pieces exploring the Velvet Revolution.
Karen LaMonte’s kimono sculptures greet visitors near the entrance, delicate cast-glass and ceramic forms that draw on Japanese dress.
Graphic Worlds: Exploring Comic & Anime Art Gallery is a rotating, family-friendly show pairing glass art with comic and anime-inspired imagery, including Amanda Conner’s cover art.
Asian Inspired Gallery and Blue Madonna Gallery round out the second floor’s themed spaces, part of what the museum calls its Journey of the Imagination galleries.
Practical visitor tips for the Imagine Museum
| Tip | Detail |
|---|---|
| Go on a Tuesday or Thursday evening | Extended 8pm hours mean smaller crowds and, on Thursdays, a discounted $5 rate. |
| Use the free parking lot | It’s on the north side of the building and easier than hunting for street parking. |
| Try Sunday morning | The $5 rate from 10am to noon on Sundays is one of the cheapest ways in. |
| Bring headphones | The free audio tour works with your own headphones for a more comfortable listen. |
| Ask about the scavenger hunt | Tiny hidden glass pieces throughout the galleries keep children engaged during the visit. |
Frequently asked questions about the Imagine Museum
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Is the Imagine Museum open on Mondays? | No, the museum is closed every Monday. |
| Do I need to book a timed ticket? | No, tickets don’t require a specific time slot, so you can buy online or on arrival. |
| Is parking really free? | Yes, there’s a free lot on the north side of the building, plus limited metered street parking. |
| How is the Imagine Museum different from the Chihuly Collection nearby? | The Imagine Museum shows a broad international collection across 22 galleries, while the Chihuly Collection focuses on installations by one artist. |
| Can I visit with young children? | Yes, children 6 and under go free, and the museum runs a scavenger hunt suited to families. |
Things to do near the Imagine Museum
The Chihuly Collection is just a short walk east along Central Avenue, in a purpose-built space showcasing Dale Chihuly’s large-scale installations.
The St Pete Pier stretches out over Tampa Bay in downtown St Petersburg, with shops, restaurants, and waterfront views.
Sunken Gardens offers a lush, historic botanical garden a few minutes’ drive from the museum.
Central Avenue’s Edge District is packed with independent restaurants, bars, and galleries, right on the museum’s doorstep.
The Morean Arts Center runs its own glassblowing studio and hot shop downtown, where visitors can watch live demonstrations.
Alternative attractions to the Imagine Museum
The Chihuly Collection, also in St Petersburg, is the closest comparison, showing large-scale glass installations by a single celebrated artist.
The Morean Glass Studio & Hot Shop, downtown St Petersburg, pairs a working glassblowing studio with live demonstrations for visitors.
The Dalí Museum, on St Petersburg’s waterfront, holds one of the largest collections of Salvador Dalí’s work outside Europe.
The Museum of Fine Arts, St Petersburg covers a broader collection, from European painting to photography, a short drive from the Imagine Museum.
The Tampa Museum of Art, around thirty minutes away across the bay, focuses on modern and contemporary art, including changing glass and sculpture shows.
More Florida travel
Other Florida travel guides on Planet Whitley include:
- Guides to the Tampa Bay CityPass attractions, including the Florida Aquarium and Glazer Children’s Museum.
- Saying hi to the Apollo Beach manatees near Tampa.
- Why the Ringling Museum in Sarasota is one of the best stops on the Punta Gorda to Tampa drive.
- Guide to catching the Caladesi Island ferry.
- Plan your visit to the Naples Botanical Garden in South-West Florida.
