Between a gondola ride and a coffee in St. Mark's Square, here is the list of must-see museums if you plan a getaway to Venice in 2024.
Venice charms millions of people every year with its soul suspended in time and space. A port city and a junction of western and eastern culture for centuries, it still retains its reputation as a city to visit at least once in a lifetime.
In addition to the wonderful experiences you can have in the city suspended on water, Venice preserves its most precious treasures within its beautiful palaces, which have now become the home of important museum institutions.
If you want to get to know the history and culture of this extraordinary city, don't miss the best museums to visit in Venice in the New Year.
The best museums to visit in Venice in 2024
Art, sculpture, literature, archaeology: although small, Venice hides countless treasures within its museums. To tell its history and traditions, then, there is the Glass Museum and a museum of textiles and perfumes. In short, there is something for everyone!
Not sure where to start? This list of the best museums to visit in 2024 is just for you, all of which can be visited for free thanks to the Venice Pass, a must-have if you want to enjoy the attractions and experiences the city has to offer at its best. In addition to discounts and concessions for the main attractions and guided tours, the Venice Pass allows you to use public transport for 24 hours and to easily organise your itinerary through its handy app, whose map contains up-to-date information sheets for each attraction, including their history, opening and closing times, costs and directions on how to get there.
Discover the Venice Pass❯
The International Gallery of Modern Art in Ca' Pesaro
Ca' Pesaro is a beautiful 17th-century Baroque palace overlooking the Grand Canal in the Santa Croce district.
This alone would be enough to make you want to visit it, but you will be even more amazed when you find some of the most celebrated works of art of the 20th century inside: the International Gallery of International Modern Art, which has been housed at Ca' Pesaro since 1902, hosts famous masterpieces such as Auguste Rodin's The Thinker and Gustav Klimt's Judith II (Salome) together with works by artists such as Giacomo Balla, Adolfo Wildt, Giorgio Morandi and Felice Casorati.
On the second floor you will find temporary exhibitions, while the third floor is worth a visit because it houses the Venice Museum of Oriental Art, one of the most important collections of Oriental (particularly Japanese) art in Italy.
Opening hours: the museum is open Tuesday to Sunday from 10am to 5pm.
Palazzo Mocenigo and the history of textiles, costume and perfume
Remaining in the Santa Croce district, Palazzo Mocenigo is an example of refinement and wonder that tells the story of Venetian fashion and craftsmanship through precious clothes, embroidery and refined lace. The Study Centre for the History of Textiles and Costume, annexed to the Museum, allows visitors to admire the evolution of Venetian fashion, which has always maintained that luxurious elegance famous throughout the world.
For some years now, the museum has housed several rooms entirely dedicated to perfume and the art of the perfumer. Thanks to the great trade in herbs and spices from the Orient, Venice was one of the centres for the development of this aesthetic tradition. You can observe the muscher's workshop (perfumer in Venetian), smell the main notes that make up the most famous fragrances and admire a beautiful collection of absolutely unique bottles.
Opening hours: the museum is open Tuesday to Sunday from 10 am to 5 pm.
The museum of Murano Glass
Visiting Venice also means getting lost on a vaporetto in its beautiful lagoon and visiting its islands. Murano, the island of blown glass, is certainly one of the most surprising. Nothing is more magical than seeing a glowing ball transformed into a beautiful glass horse by expert masters in a glassworks.
To discover the history of this unique and globally-recognised tradition, simply visit the Glass Museum, which has housed exhibits ranging from Roman times to contemporary glass and design pieces since 1861, retracing seven hundred years of Murano glass history.
Opening hours: daily from 10am to 5pm.
The best museums in Venice: Carlo Goldoni's House
For the uninitiated, Carlo Goldoni was one of the first playwrights of the 18th century to bring everyday life to the stage. His house, now a museum, is located in Venice, inside a Gothic palazzetto that has retained all the charm and elegance of the period.
Visiting Carlo Goldoni's House is an immersive experience inside the theatre he created, among his main works and props of the time, as well as an old puppet theatre that will certainly make you feel like a child again.
Opening hours: the museum house is open every day except Wednesdays, from 10am to 4pm.
A walk through the rooms of Archdukes, Kings and Emperors
Returning to the evocative St. Mark's Square, the imposing building that embraces the square hosts numerous itineraries to discover Venetian history and art, inside the Correr Museum and the National Archaeological Museum.
The great news of 2023 is the possibility to visit those rooms that until now were closed to the public: we are talking about the majestic Royal Rooms, i.e. the rooms used by Empress Elisabeth of Austria ("Sissi") during her visits to Venice and the private flats used by the members of as many as three reigning houses - Bonaparte, Habsburg, Savoy - throughout the 19th century and up to 1920.
The guided tour is offered every day at fixed times. For more information about booking click here.
Opening hours: the Correr Museum is open daily from 10 am to 5 pm.
The Peggy Guggenheim Collection in Venice
The Peggy Guggenheim Collection is definitely a must-see museum if you visit Venice. Housed within Palazzo Venier dei Leoni, a beautiful residence overlooking the Grand Canal, it became a museum in the 1980s, after having been Peggy Guggenheim's private home.
This collection is still one of the most important museums in Italy for 20th century European and American art and inside you will find works by Mondrian, Picasso, Magritte, Kandinsky, Pollock and many others. Given the crowds, it is advisable to buy your ticket online to skip the queue.
Opening hours: The Peggy Guggenheim Collection is open daily except Tuesdays, from 10am to 6pm.
Visit the collection with Venice Pass❯
Doge's Palace
Dulcis in fundo, one of the most important symbols of Venice: the Doge's Palace, the masterpiece of Venetian Gothic art. This building was not only the seat of the Doges and therefore of the power of the Serenissima, but it is also a fine masterpiece of Gothic art, as well as the place where the works of art of the greatest geniuses of the time, including Tintoretto and Veronese, are kept.
Visiting its rooms, you can also choose the 'Secret Itineraries' that tell the darker side of the law of the Republic, visiting the Secret Chancellery Room, the famous Torture Room, and the Hall of the Inquisitors, one of the most feared magistracies.
As this is one of the most visited places in the historical centre, we suggest you book your tickets with fast-track access!
Opening hours: the Palace is open daily from 9am to 6pm.
