The perfect guide to all the museums in Venice!

GothicMedieval ArtFrescoes

Arguably one of Venice's most iconic landmarks, Doge's Palace stands as a magnificent testament to 14th-century grandeur. Once the abode of the Doge of Venice, the highest-ranking elected official, and the epicenter of governance, this architectural marvel epitomizes traditional Venetian Gothic design. Positioned elegantly along the Grand Canal, Palazzo Ducale captivates visitors with its exterior allure and the captivating Porta della Carta entrance, adorned with intricate statues and figures.

Venturing inside reveals a world of opulence and artistry. Massive staircases, opulent gilded ceilings, and walls adorned with masterpieces create an atmosphere of awe. The palace's permanent collection boasts a wealth of mesmerizing sculptures, paintings, and frescoes, inviting visitors to lose themselves for hours. Among its renowned chambers are the Sala del Maggior Consiglio, Sala dello Scrutinio, and Sala del Senato, each a testament to Venice's rich cultural heritage.

Doge's Palace Highlights

1. Puerta della Carta
2. Foscari Arch
3. Giant Staircase or ‘Scale dei Giganti’
4. Golden Staircase or ‘Scala d’Oro’
5. Chamber of the Council of Ten or the ‘Sala del Maggior Consiglio’

Recommended Doge's Palace Tickets

Cubism20th Century ArtSalvador Dali

Venice, often hailed as a masterpiece in its own right, captivates with its idyllic canals, charming bridges, intricately designed architecture, and cobblestone pathways. This enchanting ambiance has long inspired some of history's most celebrated artists, whose works immortalize the city's allure. Situated within Venice, the Peggy Guggenheim Collection stands as a testament to modern art's magnificence, boasting a remarkable assembly of masterpieces by luminaries such as Salvador Dali, Pablo Picasso, Georges Braque, Jackson Pollock, and Max Ernst. Curated from the private collection of American heiress Peggy Guggenheim, the museum finds its home in the Palazzo Venier dei Leoni, an elegant 18th-century palace once inhabited by Guggenheim herself. Drawing in approximately 400,000 visitors annually, the collection ranks as Venice's second most frequented attraction, surpassed only by the grandeur of the Doge’s Palace.

Peggy Guggenheim Collection Highlights

1. Jackson Pollock’s ‘Mural’
2. René Magritte’s ‘Empire of Light’
3. Salvador Dalí’s ‘Birth of Liquid Desires’
4. Vasily Kandinsky’s ‘Upward’
5. Pablo Picasso’s ‘On the Beach’

Recommended Peggy Guggenheim Collection Tickets

Jewish GhettoHistory

Venice boasts a rich Jewish heritage, albeit one marred by adversity, dating back to the 1500s. During this period, Europe as a whole was inhospitable to Jews, forcing them to seek livelihoods and refuge far from their homes. Venice emerged as a primary destination due to its employment opportunities, albeit begrudgingly extended. Despite this, discrimination persisted, relegating Jews to segregated neighborhoods. Thus, the first Jewish Ghetto was established. Situated amidst two of the city's oldest synagogues, the Jewish museum in Venice offers a window into the customs and struggles of Venetian Jews during the 16th century. Exhibits include ancient crowns, spires, keys, manuscripts, books, and other religious artifacts crucial to daily Jewish life, shedding light on their historical journey and cultural significance.

Jewish Museum Highlights

1. Jewish Ghetto
2. Channukkioth chandeliers
3. curtain to cover doors of ‘Aron Ha Kodesh’ or ‘Parakòth’

Recommended Jewish Museum Tickets

Da VinciScienceMachines

If you’re a fan and admirer of one of the world’s greatest painter, inventor and thinker, Leonardo Da Vinci, then this place will give you goosebumps. The Leonardo Da Vinci Museum in Venice, is a space dedicated and devoted to the art, work and thoughts of this extraordinary, multi-talented man. The museum is divided into 4 apt and unique sections - Earth, Air, Fire and Water, with each section showcasing relevant, working reproductions of his machines and ideas. All the devices and contraptions on display are built in accordance to his designs and in some cases, to exact scale! There is even a section solely focused on exhibiting his anatomical studies along with a gallery showcasing some of his most famous paintings and works of art. If you think what you saw in ‘The Da Vinci Code’ was impressive, wait till you see what’s in store for you in this museum.

Leonardo Da Vinci Museum Highlights

1. Flying Machines
2. Ideal City
3. War Machines

Recommended Leonardo Da Vinci Museum Tickets

Glass ArtHeritage

Situated on the picturesque and stunning Murano Island, the Murano Glass Museum is a thematic exhibition on the history of glass, glass art and most importantly, Murano Glass. Aside from its breathtaking canals and pleasantly old-fashioned houses, Murano is well-known throughout Italy for its magnificent glass creations. Glassmaking, on this island dates back to about 1291, when all the glassmakers of Venice were ordered by the Government to relocate to Murano for safety reasons. The Glass Museum highlights this heritage through its permanent collections, which include works from as far back as the Roman Empire, all the way till today. Some of the notable pieces on display are creations by the Barovier & Toso glass company and glass textiles designed by Carlo Scarpa, a renowned Italian architect, in the late 1930s.

Highlights of Museo del Vetro ( Murano Glass Museum)

1. Barovier Cup
2. displays of Suguso
3. Venini
4. Moretti and Cenedee
5. colorful glass bead collection

CraftmanshipFamily

Just like how Murano is famous for its glass, the island of Burano is recognized for its lace and lace creations. In fact, the Burano lace was once such an item of luxury, that most of the noble families and aristocrats of Europe wanted the lace adorned on their trousseau or dresses! The Burano Lace Museum, located at the iconic palace of Podestà of Torcello, takes you on a complete rundown of the history and craftsmanship of the famous Venetian laces, and in the mornings gives you an opportunity to see this fine creation in the making. The permanent collection here is chronologically organized and divided into 4 sections - 16th century, 17th-18th century, 19th-20th century and The Burano Lace School (1872-1970). In each of the sections you will see examples of the products made during that period, including objects like glasses, clothes, books, drawings and even paintings.

Highlights of Museo del Merletto (Burano Lace Museum)

1. Video explaining origins of needlework and lace patterns
2. antique lace fabrics from the 1600s
3. decorative pieces of lace
4. soft and intricate lace works

FamilyGraphic Art

Nestled in the Santa Croce district of Venice, Ca’ Pesaro stands as a magnificent testament to 18th-century Venetian architecture, boasting a breathtaking Baroque facade that overlooks the Grand Canal. Constructed in 1710 by the renowned architect Baldassarre Longhena for the illustrious Pesaro family, this opulent palace currently serves as the home to the International Gallery of Modern Art and the Museum of Oriental Art. Within the confines of the Modern Art Museum, visitors are treated to a rich collection primarily spanning the 19th and 20th centuries, featuring masterpieces by esteemed artists such as Gustav Klimt, Henry Moore, Umberto Boccioni, Wassily Kandinsky, and Marc Chagall. A dedicated section also showcases an impressive array of graphic art. Ascending to the upper floor of the palace, guests are transported to the Oriental Museum of Venice, where a diverse array of objects and artworks from Japan, China, Indonesia, and Cambodia are on display. Among the captivating exhibits are weapons, armor, dolls, kimonos, statuettes, and drawings—all curated from the extensive travels of Prince Henry of Bourbon.

Highlights of Ca’ Pesaro International Gallery of Modern Art

1. Auguste Rodin’s ‘Burghers of Calais’
2. Medardo’s ‘Madame X’
3. Franz Von Stuck's ‘Medusa'
4. Gustave Klint’s ‘Judith II Salomé’
5. Felice Casorati’s ‘The Young Maidens’

HistoryCultureVenetian Art

Not to be confused with the Accademia Gallery in Florence, which houses Michelangelo’s ‘David’, the Accademia in Venice is, in its own right, also one of the finest art museums in the world. The Gallerie dell’Accademia, which is situated in the lovely south bank of the Grand Canal, once used to be a part of Accademia di Belle Arti di Venezia, a prominent art school founded in 1750 by Giovanni Battista Piazzetta, famous for being one of the first institutions in the world to study the art and science of art restoration, back in 1777. Today, the museum boasts of some outstanding works of Venetian and Italian heritage, exhibiting pieces by gifted Italian artists including Bellini, Carpaccio, Veronese, Tiziano, Veneziano, Tintoretto, Tiepolo, Titian, and Canaletto. If you’re looking to spend some time admiring and marvelling at Italian art, then this is the place for you.

Highlights of Gallerie dell’Accademia

1. Leonardo Da Vinci’s ‘Vitruvian Man’
2. Veronese’s ‘Feast in the House of Levi,’
3. Bellini’s ‘St. Job Altarpiece’
4. Titian’s ‘Pieta’
5. Giorgioni’s ‘The Tempest’

BaroqueRococo

Another art museum definitely worth visiting in Venice is the Museum of the Querini Stampalia Foundation, located in the Palazzo Querini Stampalia. Considered to be one of the most significant and well preserved house museums in Venice, the gallery consists of a wide range of Baroque and Rococo masterpieces, including works by Giovanni Bellini, Pietro Longhi, Gabriel Bella, Matteo Ghidoni, Lorenzo di Credi and Giulio Carpiono. The museum also contains a fair number of modern-art works, thanks to the donations of Venetian artist Eugenio Da Venezia, who in 1989, gave a substantial amount of his work to the foundation in order to give impetus to the rising Venetian art movement.

Highlights of Museo della Fondazione Querini Stampalia

1. Recreation of Querini Stampalia’s home
2. Giovani Bellini’s ‘The Presentation of Jesus in the Temple,’
3. scenes of Venetian life by Pietro Longhi and Gabriel Bella
4. Canaletto’s sketch of Domenic Tintoretto’s ‘Paradise’
5. Canaletto’s sketch of Giambattista Tiepolo's ‘Last Judgment’

PaintingsTintorettoScuola

The Scuola Grande di San Rocco is one of the most awe-inspiring, ornate and recognizable buildings in all of Venice, with some even claiming that this structure is to Venice what the Sistine Chapel is to Rome! Established as a confraternity in the mid-16th century and later proclaimed a Great School, painter Tintoretto was commissioned with the tough task of providing paintings for the Scuola and decorating its walls and ceilings. It took the artist 24 years and nearly a third of his life to complete this task, and the results definitely reflect the work. With breathtaking frescoes, intricate murals and exquisite paintings, it is no wonder why some Tintoretto fans believe that the Scuola Grande di San Rocco was his pièce de résistance. Some of the artist’s best pieces can be found in the Sala dell'Albergo, Sala Terrena and the Sala Superiore. It must be said that even if you’re not a fan of paintings and of art in general, you must still pay this museum a visit, to simply bask in the sheer brilliance of Tintoretto’s effort.

Highlights of Scuola Grande di San Rocco

1. Chiesa di San Rocco
2. Tintoretto's painting on the ceiling of ‘Sala dell’Albergo,’
3. ‘Annunciation,’ ‘Assumption’
4. ‘Elijah Fed by an Angel’