Founded by the artist himself in 1983, the Gala-Salvador Dalí Foundation is a private, independent, non-profit organization with a clear mission: to promote, foster, disseminate, enhance, and defend Dalí’s world worldwide. Headquartered in the Galatea Tower in Figueres, the Foundation acts as a bridge between the Empordà region and the world, elevating the ultra-local to a universal sphere.
Our purpose
The Gala-Salvador Dalí Foundation believes that art is an open door to a deeper understanding of existence. It honors the curiosity that always moved the founder to seek answers in different fields of knowledge.
The purpose is to provide current and future generations with a holistic view of life through the enjoyment and knowledge of art. It aims to make Dalí’s work a springboard for personal enrichment, stimulating emotions and curiosity, with the conviction that art contributes to a better understanding of the meaning of existence.
Our mission
The mission is to promote, foster, disseminate, enhance, and defend the work of Salvador Dalí, his assets and rights, his life experience, his thoughts and concerns, his artistic, intellectual, and cultural creation, and the impact he has had on the Fine Arts, culture, and contemporary thought.
Commitment and Founding Values
The Foundation embraces its founder’s commitment to elevating the ultra-local to the universal, participating, from the Empordà region, in the cultural, social, and scientific changes taking place globally.
The Foundation’s values express its deep commitment to art, people, and society. These principles inspire all its actions and are directly connected to its institutional purpose:
Economic Orientation and Efficient Resource Management
We guarantee rigorous and sustainable management that ensures the independence and longevity of the founding project.
Integration with the Artistic and Institutional Environment
We establish strong links with the cultural, scientific, and educational worlds to amplify the impact of Dalí’s work.
Sensitivity, Respect, and Work for and by Art
We understand art as a common good, a source of emotional well-being and vital knowledge.
Coherence and Ethics in Artistic Policy and Management
Every decision is based on criteria of transparency, accountability, and fidelity to Dalí’s legacy.
Commitment to Quality
We work with excellence to offer meaningful, creative, and innovative experiences.
Commitment to Society
We promote programs that use art as a tool for inclusion, education, and social transformation.
Commitment to the Public
We place people at the center of our cultural action, promoting accessibility and participation.
Human talent management
We foster a work environment based on ongoing training, recognition, and collaborative work.
Respect for equal opportunities and diversity
We promote inclusion and equity, understanding diversity as a source of collective wealth.
Origin and history of the Foundation
The Gala-Salvador Dalí Foundation was created by the express will of Salvador Dalí on December 23, 1983, shortly after the death of Gala—his wife and collaborator—with the mission of preserving, disseminating, and protecting his artistic and intellectual legacy. Dalí himself presided over and directed the organization from its inception until his death on January 23, 1989, when the Foundation’s Board of Trustees assumed its continuity. Since then, several figures have led the institution, such as Ramon Boixadós Malé (president from 1991 to 2017) and Jordi Mercader i Miró (president since 2017), always remaining faithful to the vision of the Empordà native.
Despite its establishment in the 1980s, the Foundation’s origins are closely linked to the public management of the Dalí Theatre-Museum in Figueres, considered Salvador Dalí’s last great work. Officially inaugurated on September 28, 1974, on the ruins of the former municipal theater, this museum was entirely conceived by the artist himself as an immersion into his creative universe.
Over the years, the Foundation created the so-called Dalí Triangle in the Empordà region with the opening to the public of two other emblematic spaces: the Gala Dalí Castle in Púbol, inaugurated on August 1, 1996, and the Salvador Dalí House in Portlligat, opened on September 17, 1997.
In parallel, the collections have been enriched with more than 300 works acquired since 1991, promoting important research and restoration programs to ensure the understanding and conservation of Dalí’s heritage. The impact of this work is reflected in recognition and figures: currently, the three Dalí Museums (Figueres, Púbol, and Portlligat) receive more than one million visitors annually, consolidating the Foundation’s position as an international benchmark in cultural management and the dissemination of Salvador Dalí’s work.