PHILADELPHIA, PA.- Anne d'Harnoncourt, Director of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, today announced that due to popular demand and thanks to the kindness of public and private lenders of works of art from around the world, "Salvador Dali" will be extended through Monday, May 30 (Memorial Day).

Made possible by Advanta and originally scheduled to close on May 15, the exhibition opened in Philadelphia on February 16 after being seen at the Palazzo Grassi in Venice, Italy, the only other venue. As of April 22, "Salvador Dali" has attracted 196,263 visitors and a total of 296,000 tickets have been issued. Visitors have come from Philadelphia, the tri-state region, across the United States and Puerto Rico and around the world, including Australia, Canada, Columbia, France, Germany, Great Britain, Hungary Portugal, Spain, and the Virgin Islands.

In response to public demand, the Museum has also increased its viewing hours for the exhibition. Throughout the month of May, "Salvador Dali" will be open seven days a week (normally closed Mondays) from 8 a.m. until 10:00 p.m. (first tickets issued 8 a.m.; last tickets issued at 7:30 p.m.).

"This is a landmark exhibition in every way," said Anne d'Harnoncourt. "It is a critical success, a popular success, a major contribution to our understanding of the art of the 20th century and today. It has been a special pleasure to have the retrospective at this Museum, where Dali's work can be seen in the context of our splendid collections of 20th century art. We are thrilled to be able to share this remarkable exhibition with more visitors.

"It was a challenge to bring together 200 works of art, with over 180 loans from 14 countries. This great project could not have happened without the initiative and influence of the Gala-Salvador Dali Foundation, in Figueres, Spain, and the Foundation's Director of the Center for Dalinian Studies, Sra. Montserrat Aguer Teixidor, who commissioned the worldwide Dali Centennial, and contributed to the catalogue that accompanied the retrospective. The project could hardly have succeeded so brilliantly without the expertise of the distinguished Dali scholar Dawn Ades, guest curator for the project in Venice, and our Muriel and Philip Berman Curator of Modern Art, Michael Taylor, a specialist in early modernism who oversaw the brilliant presentation of the exhibition in Philadelphia. The exhibition could never have been extended without the blessing of the Foundation, the invaluable support of Advanta and very timely financial assistance from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania."

When the Philadelphia Museum of Art decided to explore extending the exhibition, it sought support from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to help offset the costs of the extension. "The Dali exhibit is an excellent draw to the Museum and the City of Philadelphia while generating economic benefits for the entire region," Governor Rendell said. "This possibly once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for visitors also enhances an already culturally unique and culturally rich environment."

"Salvador Dali" is the first museum retrospective of the artist's work to be seen in the United States since 1941 and Philadelphia is the exhibition's only U.S. venue. Visitors to Salvador Dali from around the world include over 15,000 high school and college students, among them close to 2000 students from some 60 Philadelphia high school classes who have attended thanks to a grant provided by Popular Financial Holdings. About 3000 area college students purchased tickets through a special discounted program that extended through March.

In Philadelphia, "Salvador Dali" has been made possible in the United States by ADVANTA. Its extension has been made possible by Advanta and the Economic and Community Development Fund of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Additional funding has been provided by an endowment from The Annenberg Foundation for major exhibitions at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, by The Pew Charitable Trusts, and by a generous contribution from Gisela and Dennis Alter. Promotional support provided by NBC 10 WCAU, Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation, Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau, Amtrak, and the Productivity Bank of the City of Philadelphia. The print media sponsor is The Philadelphia Inquirer and Philly.com.

The exhibition was commissioned by the Gala-Salvador Dali Foundation, Figueres, Spain, and organized by Palazzo Grassi, Venice, with the Gala - Salvador Dali Foundation, Figueres, Spain, in collaboration with the Philadelphia Museum of Art and with the support of the Salvador Dali Museum of St. Petersburg, Florida, in celebration of the centennial of Dali's birth.