Upon arrival in St. Petersburg, we will enjoy a docent tour of The James Museum. During a trip out West, Tom and Mary James became captivated by the art, landscapes, and wildlife. They be-gan buying pieces of art. The James collection is now one of Florida’s largest private art collections, consisting of 3,000 works of art, featuring wildlife, western landscapes, Native American Indians, and cowboys. Mary James has an equally stunning collection of Native American jewelry. There are 12 museums of Western art in the country.
The $75 million museum has been privately funded. It features over 400 modern and historic works of art including sculptures, paintings, and jewelry featured in the museum’s 26,000 square feet of gallery space. Iconic artists such as Frederic Remington and Charles Russell, as well as contemporary living artists are represented in the collection. The walls resemble the sandstone of the mesas of the Southwest. The entry hall features an 18 feet high, two-story waterfall with a slopped granite face. The museum also includes a theater, gift shop, cafe (temporarily closed) and special event space.
Before returning home, we will refresh ourselves and enjoy with lunch at Datz, featuring American cuisine. Datz is an award-winning restaurant and has been featured on Good Morning America, Travel Channel, Food Network, Cooking Channel, and more.
"Lunch is Dutch Treat at the Craft Kafe".