Correr Museum

Museo Correr is one of the essential Venice museums. Here you will learn about the history of Venice. There are paintings, sculptures, and other exciting items on display. 

Getting to the museum

You can find the museum on St Mark’s Square, the most famous square on the Venice map. The collections are in the Napoleonic Wing of the Square and on the upper floors of Procuratio Nove. If you plan to arrive by vaporetto, the nearest stops are S. Marco and San Zaccaria. It is a large and ambitious museum, so you’ll need a guidebook or a private guide. Exploring the museum can take up to half a day. Luckily, you can book your ticket online. As a bonus, it will give you access to the Archeological Museum and the Marciana National Library. 

History of the museum

The building which houses Museo Correr emerged between 1806-1814 during the Napoleonic era. But the museum had a few other locations before it opened on St Mark’s Square in 1922. The display was the collection of Teodoro Correr, a passionate art collector, and a Venetian aristocrat. He wanted to make his entire collection available to the public. After he died in 1830, the collection became accessible to the public. The nobleman even left certain funds to the city to maintain and expand the collection. Some pieces in the museum were donations by a few important Venetian families. 

Why you should visit

All the items in Museo Correr offer an interesting insight into the history of Venice. It covers a period from the foundation of Venice to the 19th-century unification of Italy. You’ll find rare manuscripts, sculptures, paintings, and naval and military memorabilia. The first section of the museum occupies the Napoleonic Wing. Here you can admire a remarkable collection of works by the greatest sculptor of the time, Antonio Canova. The second section is the Procuratie Nuove, designed by the architect Vincenzo Scamozzi. The art collection is on the second floor and consists of two parts. The first one features bronzes. The second has paintings by Giovanni Bellini, Vittore Carpaccio, Bartolomeo Vivarini, and others. The age of the pieces ranges from the earliest days of Venetian painting to the 16th century, with many unrivaled masterpieces. The museum also has a library, a numismatic collection, and a photographic archive dedicated to Venice.

Things to do in the area

Museo Correr stands in the most popular part of Venice, the San Marco neighborhood. It’s easy to find on the Venice map as the location’s very central. In this area, you will find the best Venice attractions, including St Mark’s Basilica, St Mark’s Bell Tower, and the Doge’s Palace. These are all must-see sites that should be on any Venice itinerary. Don’t forget to stop at the Bridge of Sighs, one of the Venice icons. You can also explore some of the nearby Venice churches. The closest ones are San Moisè, San Zaccaria, and Chiesa della Pietà. And how about some cultural experiences? Not far from Museo Correr, you’ll find the beautiful La Fenice Theater and the Music Museum of Venice. In this part of the city, you can never run out of things to enjoy!