New Arts & Entertainment Pass

THREE MAJOR CULTURAL INSTITUTIONS IN ST. PETERSBURG CREATE
ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT PASS, PARTNER WITH RESTAURANTS

MEDIA CONTACTS:
Roger Zeh, roger@fine-arts.org, 727.896.2667, ext. 231
Wayne Atherholt, Wayne.Atherholt@moreanartscenter.com, 813.416.2490 (mobile)

The Museum of Fine Arts, St. Petersburg, the Chihuly Collection presented by The Morean Arts Center and The Morean’s Glass Studio and Hot Shop, and The Mahaffey have joined forces to encourage greater participation in the arts. The goal is to make the arts more affordable for residents and tourists.

The new St. Petersburg Arts and Entertainment Pass will provide one admission to the MFA and one each to the Chihuly Collection and the Glass Studio and Hot Shop. At the Mahaffey, the pass offers one admission to any mid-day live series performance. The pass costs $34.50, with a retail value of $110, and can be purchased at the Welcome Desks of the MFA and the Chihuly Collection beginning Thursday, December 15.

The pass can also be used for special offers at the following downtown restaurants: the MFA Café, Marchands at the Renaissance Vinoy Resort and Golf Club, the Park Shore Grill, The Hangar at Albert Whitted Airport, 400 Beach Seafood & Tap House, and Spice Routes at The Morean.

For example, participants can enjoy one dessert at the MFA Café and Marchands, a bowl of clam chowder at 400 Beach, or a glass of wine or draught beer at The Hangar, all with entrées. The pass will be punched at the 10 venues and can be used once at each one.

St. Petersburg has become an arts destination. The Museum of Fine Arts led the way with the addition of the Hazel Hough Wing in 2008, more than doubling the size of the original building. The pass arrives just in time for the MFA’s major exhibition, Ancient Egypt—Art and Magic: Treasures from the Fondation Gandur pour l’Art, Geneva (December 17-April 29).

The impressive Chihuly Collection and The Morean’s expanded Glass Studio and Hot Shop followed in 2010. The Mahaffey recently unveiled its refurbished theater and lobby to rave reviews.

Downtown St. Petersburg has experienced a dramatic increase in restaurants, cafés, condos, specialty shops, and clubs. It has become a model of the new "walking city,” mixing residential spaces and arts and entertainment attractions. Once downtown, visitors can reach most of the venues on foot or easily via The Looper, the downtown trolley. The Central Avenue Trolley also connects to The Looper.