Venice

With its triangular shape, Punta della Dogana split the Grand Canal from the Giudecca Canal. As center for contemporary art , the former monumental port of the city present a permanent exhibition of works from François Pinault Collection.

The Museum is one of the most important collection of Japanese art of the Edo period. This collection was bought by Prince Henry II of Borbone, Count of Bardi during his travel to Asia, bewteen 1887 and 1889. More than 30.000 objects, among which swords and daggers, Japanese armours, delicate enamel objects and precious porcelains, with wide sections dedicated to Indonesian and Chinese art.

For over 15 years, the Attombri brother has evoked facets of Venetian life, culture, and architecture in their unique and exquisitely hand-crafted jewelry. Their creations are renowned all over the world and have often inspired fashion shows and designs in Italy and Paris.

The island of Murano is famous for its glassworks and showroom. Here you will witness the finest and most exquisite glass creations being made.

Venice is famed for the work of its artisans, especially carnival masks. Enter a shop, any shop, and you are sure to see a mask on a rack or shelf. Tucked away in a quiet street in Dorsoduro, one of the few genuine mask-makers Ca' Macana continues to engage in this ancient craft. You can even make your own, if you wish—the shop’s artisans are very willing to teach their craft to visitors.

The Venetian lagoon has a well-established ship-building tradition. Couple that with an intense passion for boat making and you have a stunning collection of gondola model boat kits constantly in production and on sale. Proceeds of the sales go to Gilberto Penzo’s research and reconstruction of traditional lagoon vessels.

Building a stargazing center dedicated to modern observational astronomy seems proper given Galileo’s contribution to the subject. The Venice Planetarium on the island of Lido is the largest of its kind in Italy, and can seat up to 60 people.

A grand museum that seeks to represent Venice of the 13th to the 16th century, Museo Corrrer has got every artifact or artwork of note relating to the city’s historical and cultural journey. Collections include works by the Bellini family (e.g. Crucifixion, Gentile’s Portrait of Doge Mocenigo, Transfiguration, and Pieta). Be sure to explore the smaller museum dedicated to the Risorgimento and Libreria Sansoviniana.

The Museum is housed inside the Fondaco dei Turchi, a Venetian palace overlooking the Grand Canal, which used to be a warehouse for Turkish traders in the 17th and 19th century.

An interesting house—its Venetian Gothic architecture is striking; its courtyard very atmospheric. It was built in the 15th-century and served as Carlo Goldoni’s home in the 17th century. Today, it houses a museum dedicated Goldoni memorabilia and artifacts related to theater. It also serves as a study center, with an extensive library and archive.

Ca' Rezzonico takes us back to when Cassanova was in the midst of his numerous romantic conquests, orgies, games, and masquerade parties. It recreates 18th-century Venice as it was inside the walls of its villas and palazzos. Treasures include furniture, painting, and decorative objects. Inside the museum is an enormous ballroom, a magnificent throne room with a rococo ceiling painted by Tiepolo.

Featuring a curious treasure trove of wooden sculptures by Livio de Marchi (on display and for sale), Livio de Marchi allows you to expect the unexpected. Imagine a car, a house, hanging raincoats, bras, underpants, dresses, shopping bags, and more, in all their wooden glory—creases and all—come to vivid life in front of you.

This museum is located inside the Palazzo Mocenigo. Over the years, it has taken in the textile collections of different museums: the now-closed International Centre of Art and Costume, Vittorio Cini, Museo Correr, Palazzo Grassi, and the Peggy Guggenheim Museum.

It’s possible that the most remarkable art collection could be put to shame by Ca’ d’Oro’s opulent beauty. This 15th-century Gothic palace used to be covered in gold leaves, vermilion, and ultramarine decorations. Today, it retains its sinuous pointed arches. In fact, it looks like something between a medieval church and a Moorish temple. In 1922, philanthropist Baron Giorgio Franchetti donated Ca’ d’Oro to the state. The palazzo now serves as a display gallery for the Baron’s private collection of paintings, sculpture, and furniture, and is open to the public.

A shipyard complex that used to be the symbol of Venetian naval supremacy and economic power. Its construction began in the 12th century and continued into the following centuries up to the 16th. There are two Greek lions at the side of the gate. Today, the Arsenal is a venue for many cultural activities. No surprise, the Historical Naval Museum is here.