Venice Museums: The 5 Best to Visit

If you’re off on a trip to Venice, don’t leave without visiting some of the city’s many wonderful museums. From collections devoted to the history of glass-making to its very own Guggenheim Museum, Venice has more than enough to keep you occupied every time you go to Venice. Here are five of our favourites.

1) The Museum of Glass

Like many Venice museums, the Glass Museum is housed in an old palazzo – in this case a building once home to the bishops of Torcello on Murano Island. If you’re heading to Murano to see some of the present-day glass-blowers who produce Venice’s most famous export, be sure to pay a visit to this museum to learn about the origins of Venetian glass-making and see exquisite pieces of glass dating back to Roman times.

2) The Leonardo da Vinci Museum

The Leonardo da Vinci Museum brings to life the scientific and artistic genius of the man “whose ideas overtook the knowledge of his times”. Tour this museum and you’ll be able to see some of his incredible machines, brought to life by following his plans to the letter. You’ll also be able to discover his works of art, anatomical studies and much more.

3) The Music Museum

Housed in the beautiful church of San Maurizio, the delightful (and free!) Museo della Musica or Music Museum is dedicated to instrument making, and has a fascinating collection of historic instruments – some familiar alongside some weird and wonderful ones you might not recognise. There’s a particular focus on the great tradition of Italian violin making, spanning hundreds of years.

4) The Jewish Museum of Venice

Small but perfectly formed, the Museo Ebraico or Jewish Museum of Venice was founded in 1953 and you’ll find it between two historic synagogues in the Ghetto Novo, part of the Cannaregio district. It’s a fantastic introduction to the history and way of life of Jews in Venice, in particular showcasing work by Jewish goldsmiths and textile producers from the 16th to the 19th centuries.

5) The Guggenheim Museum

It’s not just New York that has a Guggenheim Museum; Venice has one too, as we’ve seen in a previous post. This one houses the personal art collection of Peggy Guggenheim, niece of Solomon R. Guggenheim of the New York Guggenheim Museum fame. Featuring celebrated artists including Jackson Pollock and Mondrian, it’s a must for your Venetian itinerary.
If you’re thinking of visiting some of these wonderful museums, you might be interested in a Museum Pass, which gets you into eleven civic museums on a single ticket priced at €24, which saves you 28% as well as allowing you to bypass the queues. Order yours online here and you’re all set for your day trip to Venice.