Palazzo Ducale or the Doge's Palace was one of my favorite parts of my trip to Venice. Ducale or…read moreDoge means Duke. The Duke was the highest governing position in Venice, and this is once where they lived. While strolling St. Mark's Square I already admired the beauty of the building. The building has gothic architecture with influences from the Byzantine times, Islamic and European Medieval styles. My camera does not do its' beauty justice. The tickets to Doge's Palace are time entry tickets, but they didn't seem to be too strict compared to other museums. Tickets are 37€/person. There is a baggage check in area for large items like a backpack, at no cost. It's nice because my boyfriend and I left our stuff there, even things that weren't required to be checked so we walked around more lightly. I only kept my phone for photos. One of the first things I remember seeing is the snitch mailbox. In the olden days the citizens were encouraged to rat on one another and they can leave anonymous tips for the government here. Unfortunately as a result many were wrongfully imprisoned... and there is a full on prison in the later ends of the tour. It was really scary to walk through. On a more positive note, there had the most stunning golden staircase and one of the most incredible largest paintings in the world, the Il Parasido by Jacopo Tintoretto. A must visit when visiting Venice!

Situated between the Basilica di San Marco and the Riva degli Schiavoni waterfront, the Palazzo…read moreDucale, or Doge's (Duke's) Palace, is arguably the jewel in the crown. It was the seat of the government of Venice for centuries and hosted various government institutions, including the Great Council and the Council of Ten, which controlled the affairs of the republic. Its façade featured intricate marble reliefs, elegant arches, and decorative elements that showcased the beauty of the place where my partner, our friend, family members, and I had gotten self-guided tickets without a reservation last Saturday and moved quickly. One entered the palazzo through a door next to the Lagoon into an enormous courtyard and the Arco Foscari. Here we saw the mix of styles that made up the palace, as successive doges tried to make the palace ever more magnificent. Inside, one can explore a series of opulent rooms, grand halls, and ornate chambers adorned with exquisite artworks, stunning frescoes, and elaborate ceilings. Notable rooms include the Doge's apartments, the Hall of the Great Council, and the Chamber of the Council of Ten. Plan a minimum of two hours to get a good bit of history, which is a living echo of a world that helped shape Europe. We can recommend.

500 to 600 year-old works of art including Michelangelo and Bosch. But the highlight is undoubtedly…read morethe vitruvian man by da Vinci. It is worth the price of the entry alone. It sits behind a closed curtain for 20 minutes then they uncover it for another 20 minutes. They say it will be on display for one year. And then it is stored in a dark room where no one can see it for eight years. They do this routine to avoid damaging the sensitive material.

Worth a trip to the Gallerie dell' Accademia when visiting Venezia…read more I recommend lunch or dinner at Al Vechio Maragon (nearby) after the visiting the museum.

I'm obsessed with every thing about Peggy Guggenheim & the area of Dorsoduro that surrounds the…read moreCollection. Just a delightful home on the Grand Canal, small & intimate with such diversity that the moment we left I was already craving a revisit. Beautiful garden memorial to Peggy & her beloved dogs. "Peggy's ashes are buried her beloved pooches are also with her. This is the only case in the world where the creator of a museum is buried inside" The courtyard is peaceful and allows for a few areas to reflect before or after visiting the collection inside. Of course, the delight is the canal entrance to the terrace showcasing the bronze Marino Marini "Angel of the City" statue of a rider on a horse with outstretched hands and an erect phallus that is said to once upon a time be detachable to prevent the nuns who were passing by from seeing it. Eventually stolen enough times that it was soldered in place. What a place !! What an island !

Mega over-crowded! We bought tickets online because it may "sell out". I don't think they would…read moreever sell out-seems packing hundreds of people into very small rooms and hallways was just fine. Large student groups of uninterested kids and bougie aficionados with no self-awareness abound. Not sure if the art or people watching was more insufferable. We spent about 20 min inside before we bailed. Also, 90% of the art looks like what second graders produce and parents would hang on a fridge. Want to see art? Walk thru any of the art galleries with photography and oil paintings for sale-far better plan. Not sure how this gets nearly 5 stars. During the very busy season this place must be even more insane. How about limit the crowds, especially for those with the foresight to pre-purchase tickets to avoid what we experienced.

We opted for the Ca d'Oro when the Gallerie dell'Accademia di Venezia sounded too daunting and too…read morefar away. Galleria Giorgio Franchetti alla Ca d'Oro was a great beginner's introduction to the island's many art galleries and museums. The museum is just the right size (housed in an old palace, just a few floors) and is not crowded. You basically get the whole museum to yourself and its a nice contrast to the busyness of Piazza San Marco. The art is so so but the building is what truly shines here. The Bon family designed the palace. If that family name makes no sense to you at all, just know that they also designed Doge's Palace! The courtyard is a beautiful space and is made up of the most amazing tile work. Also nice is the balcony and area where your boat would pull up from the canal. Just imagine what that would be like if it were back in the day. Not much has changed in terms of the structure and it is easy to picture what life was like in this palace.

Normally not a museum guy, but I completely enjoyed this one. The audioguide worked perfectly and…read moreallowed me the time to follow the paintings and see things I would not have seen on my own. This is definitely worth your time. So glad we did this.

It's overwhelming. Give yourself time to view, recognize and feel this art environment. The…read morepaintings, woodwork, wood sculptures, tile work etc. The restoration video is educational about the precise process of bring the color back to the original form

Very small yet informative museum and a true gem. We were able to purchase tickets in advance and…read morethey weren't too pricy . If you're into seeing and exploring I would recommend a visit but I can be skipped and not really a must see. The building it quite exquisite. The hands on experiments were really interesting and the history behind it all was fascinating.

Located in a church (no air conditioning) this is a small museum although they pack a lot in…read more Luckily not too busy when we went but could get very congested if there were more than a few groups inside. There were a lot of models of his mechanical inventions, some art pieces, informative descriptions. It wasn't too memorable but also we were quite hot and uncomfortable which could have tainted the experience.

Very much enjoyed the quiet and magnificence of this palace turned museum; however, two issues:…read moreaudio tour was difficult to follow from room to room with using a decimal point and title system and poor signage, and no place to sit, despite ample space! On our feet for a full three hours unless seated on the stairs between floors apologizing to other navigating between floors. Otherwise wonderful.

Venice is completely packed full of tourists pretty much year round these days, but there are many…read moreplaces where it's possible to get away from the crowds--they are called museums, and this is a great one. It's devoted to 17th-century Venetian painting but also has room-full of fantastic carved furniture, worth seeing all by itself, ceiling paintings throughout, and a separate collection of works donated by Ferruccio Mestrovich, where I wandered through the rooms for a full 45 minutes without seeing another person. This is on the Grand Canal! This is where Robert Browning lived in the 19th century! You can go down to the cafe and sit basically on the water with a glass of wine for as long as you like. Get a museum day pass and a day transportation pass.

Museo Correr, is the Corner Museum, and I'm sure they get their name being in the corner of St…read more Mark's Square. Admission to this museum was included with our ticket for the Doge's Palace so we decided to check it out. Just to manage expectations, visiting this after the Doge's Palace made the visit very lackluster and underwhelming... ... but it's more important to prioritize going to the Doge's Palace at an earlier time to avoid crowds so I wouldn't advise on coming here first. If you're limited on time, you can skip it. This museum captures the history, art, and daily life of the Venetian Republic. We saw ancient maps and globes. It was fascinating to see how the world was perceived before the discovery of North and South America. There were also paintings and sculptures from famous Italian artists. There were also historic documents and objects from the old republic.

This was one of my favorite museums in Venice, and I'm truly shocked that some reviews on here…read morerecommend skipping it. I guess it depends what you're into. The museum is situated right on st. Marks square directly opposite st. Marks basilica and is in a palatial building that stretches across the square. The archeological museum Is also a part of this same collection. Architecturally the building is fantastic, and the rooms rival those of the Ducal palace. Unlike the ducal palace; this museum also has a whole bunch of artifacts which relate to the history of Venice. My favorite parts were the classical sculptures, the medieval maps, and the extensive coin collections. Ticket was a common with the ducal palace. This museum also had fewer people and that also made it more enjoyable.

Beautiful paintings and silks can be found in this museum. There are several boards used to give…read moreyou context of the artist, history, and architecture before you enter. The silk dresses and remnants of other silk patterns are plentiful. Beautiful colors and designs as well as the tools used to create them can be found throughout. Don't forget to look up and view the silk chandeliers. Geometric designs covered by beautiful silks create interesting light. My favorites were the paintings, especially those depicting the city of Venice. There were also many portraits of women in various poses. The ones of the women looking away were interesting. It was fun to see some images in a beginning stage where some of the picture was still a drawing and other parts had begun to be painted. It was also interesting to see the models of theatres. Lots of variety in the displayed art. For 10eu, it was a great sample of art.

From the owner: The house belonged to the brilliant Mariano Fortuny, since 1975 one of the benchmarks for Visual…read moreArts in Venice

If you're like me, a lover of contemporary art, you must stop by Palazzo Grassi while in Venice…read more I remember my time "getting lost" in Venice and stumbling across this hidden gem. After seeing and admiring a mind numbing amount of Renaissance art while in Italy, it was refreshing to come across this modern art museum for a change of pace. The museum is owned by François Pinault, owner of Kering, the group that owns Gucci, Balenciago, Alexander McQueen, Saint Laurent, Bottega Veneta, Stella McCartney and... Puma, Volcom, and Tretorn among other brands. Pinault owns one of the biggest collections of contemporary art worldwide Check their website for current exhibitions -- http://www.palazzograssi.it/en Good luck finding it!

This 18th century palazzo has an impressive history of its own. At one time it was occupied by the…read moreJesuits. In the 1980s it was bought and restored by FIAT. Currently owned by French fashion mogul Francois Pinault. It holds wonderful, inspiring exhibitions - the recent 'Picasso, la joie de vivre' was magnificent. The building itself is splendid with a wonderful staircase and stunningly ornate gold encrusted ceilings. Gazing out of the windows provides a further brilliant, if slightly distracting, artistic vision. As an avid art collector, Pinault's personal collection is deeply impressive, varied and often quirky featuring notable works by Damien Hirst and Jeff Koons. If you need a breather from the art overload, take a break in the palazzo's cafe run by renowned restaurant Vecio Fritolin. Enjoy a light lunch or just a restorative caffe.