Study the contemporary art collection of a French billionaire inside this stunning 18th-century palace, one of the city’s most important art venues.
The grand marble façade of the Palazzo Grassi is a beautiful sight to behold. The 18th-century palace inspired by neoclassical architecture sits on the Grand Canal and houses a major contemporary arts museum. Designed by Giorgio Masari, the building was the last palazzo built on the canal before the collapse of the Republic of Venice in 1797.
The museum is a repository of the private collection of French entrepreneur and contemporary art collector François Pinault. Visit Palazzo Grassi to see the temporary exhibitions featuring work from his vast collection. They are presented in more than 30 rooms across three floors, including the mezzanine level. Past exhibitions have profiled individual artists, such as the photographer Irving Penn, and touched on themes that include the use of light and artistic expression through video.
Take a break from your artistic journey with a drink and Venetian pastry at the museum’s café. This relaxing spot overlooks the Grand Canal and its interior takes inspiration from the current exhibition of the day.
See what’s going on at the palace’s theatre. The 225-seater auditorium periodically hosts concerts, conferences, talks and screenings.
Learn more about the building’s architecture and its art collection by going on one of the guided tours in French, Italian or English. There are different types of tours available and they attract a supplementary charge. For details, visit the museum’s website.
Overlooking the Grand Canal in Campo San Samuele, the museum can be reached by taking a vaporetto to San Samuele or San Angelo. Another way is to take a train to Piazzale Roma or Tronchetto and then take a motor boat to either San Samuele or San Angelo.
The palace is open every day except Tuesdays and Christmas Day and there is an admission charge. Children up to the age of 11 get in for free, and there are discounts for older children, students and seniors over 65 years old.
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