Layout and collections
The visitor route
On the ground floor of the Museum, surrounding the entrance hall, visitors will find the museum’s main facilities and services, including the information desk, ticket office, cloakroom, toilets, bookshop, café and lift.
The museum also features an education room on the mezzanine floor overlooking the Grand Canal. Refurbished as part of the museum’s reopening in June 2023, the space was redesigned to provide a more functional and versatile environment through the addition of new fittings, including shelving, tables, display panels, a whiteboard, a screen and upgraded technical systems.
First floor
The visit to the museum collection begins at Giorgio Massari’s large ceremonial staircase on the side of the palazzo opposite to the Grand Canal.
On the first floor, eleven rooms exhibit paintings, sculptures, frescoed ceilings, and collections of 18th century furnishings.
Second floor
The second floor opens with a long central hall typical of Venetian palazzo in which there are two early works by Canaletto; the rooms dedicated to the work of Pietro Longhi and the Giandomenico Tieopolo frescoes originally on the walls of Villa Zianigo are not to be missed.
Farmacia Ai do San Marchi
On the third floor, visitors can explore the reconstructed “Ai Do San Marchi” Venetian pharmacy, originally located in Campo San Stin and in operation since at least the second half of the seventeenth century.
A rare example of a historic pharmacy, it bears witness to the excellence of Venetian craftsmanship and scientific culture during the eighteenth century.
Egidio Martini Picture Gallery
On the third floor, the Egidio Martini Picture Gallery houses the most significant donation made to the City of Venice since the beginning of the twentieth century, remarkable both for the number of works and for their outstanding artistic, historical and scholarly value.
The collection comprises paintings by masters associated predominantly with the Venetian school, spanning from the fifteenth to the nineteenth century. Thanks to Egidio Martini’s research, these works have been accurately attributed and placed within the broader context of Venetian art.
Mestrovich Collection
The Browning Mezzanine, accessed via the staircase next to the café, displays works from the Mestrovich Collection, including paintings by artists such as Jacopo Tintoretto and Bonifacio de’ Pitati.
Spazio ‘700 – MUVE FOR ALL
In the museum’s ground-floor reception area, Spazio ‘700 – MUVE FOR ALL offers a welcoming, accessible and multisensory environment. Through interactive features, educational tools and sensory experiences, it provides visitors with an engaging introduction to the Museum of 18th-Century Venice.
Garden
The spacious garden, open to the public during the museum’s opening hours, features play equipment inspired by works from the museum’s collections for all children, including those with special needs. The outdoor space is also designed to host small theatrical performances.
