Ca' Pesaro – Galleria Internazionale d'Arte Moderna
Longhena's Baroque palace on the Grand Canal, housing the International Gallery of Modern Art and the Museum of Oriental Art.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
Ca' Pesaro is a Baroque palace designed by Baldassarre Longhena for the Pesaro family. The works, begun by Doge Giovanni Pesaro in 1628 and continued by Longhena, were not finished when the architect died in 1682. The façade on the Grand Canal was completed by Leonardo Pesaro in 1679, and the palace was finished by Antonio Gaspari in 1710 with few changes to the original design.
After the Pesaro family the building passed to the Gradenigo family and then to the Armenian Mechitarist Fathers, who ran a college there. In 1851 Guglielmo Bevilacqua bought it; on his death in 1859 it was inherited by his sister Felicita, who by her will destined it as a residence and gallery for young artists. The Comune di Venezia carried out the bequest on 5 December 1899, establishing the Fondazione Bevilacqua La Masa.
In 1902 the palace was fitted out as a museum, and the International Gallery of Modern Art was inaugurated on 18 May of that year. The core of the collections comes from the Comune's purchases at the first Biennales and from donations from 1897 onwards; over time bequests such as those of De Lisi-Usigli and Wildt-Scheiwiller have been added. On the third floor is the Museum of Oriental Art, managed together with the Ministry of Culture and included in the same ticket. Today Ca' Pesaro is part of the Fondazione Musei Civici di Venezia.
Highlights
- Judith II (Salome) by Klimt
- The Thinker by Rodin
- Works by Medardo Rosso, Boccioni and Casorati
- De Lisi-Usigli bequest with works by Morandi, de Chirico, Kandinsky and Miró
- More than 40 sculptures by Adolfo Wildt
- Museum of Oriental Art on the third floor
Permanent exhibitions
- Galleria Internazionale d'Arte Moderna – Collection of modern and contemporary art with works by Klimt, Rodin, Medardo Rosso, Boccioni, Casorati and other artists.
- Museo d'Arte Orientale – Collection of Oriental art on the third floor of the palace, included in the Ca' Pesaro ticket.
- Founded
- 1902
- Operated by
- Fondazione Musei Civici di Venezia (MUVE)
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €15 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | €7.50children aged 6 to 14, students aged 15 to 25, people over 65, MiC staff, holders of Rolling Venice and ISIC cards |
| Children & teens | €7.50free up to age 5 · Reduced rate for children aged 6 to 14. |
| Seniors | €7.50Reduced rate for people over 65. |
| Visitors with disabilities | freecompanion free · Free admission for people with disabilities and a companion. |
| Students & apprentices | €7.50Students aged 15 to 25. |
| Groups | €4 per personSchool rate for visits from 1 September to 15 March, for classes of all levels with a list of names and up to 2 accompanying teachers. |
| Families | –Seniors + Junior offer: reduced rate for all paying members of groups of two adults with at least one young person up to 16 years old. |
| I Musei del Moderno e Contemporaneo (full price) | €20Reduced €10; valid for three months, one admission per museum: Ca' Pesaro, the Museum of Oriental Art, the Museo Fortuny and the MUVEC. |
| Museum Pass (full price) | €50Reduced €25; valid for six months, one admission per museum to the permanent collections of the Musei Civici (excluding the Torre dell'Orologio). |
The Ca' Pesaro ticket includes the Museum of Oriental Art. Free admission for children aged 0 to 5, residents and people born in the Comune di Venezia, people with disabilities accompanied by a companion, licensed tour guides, ICOM members, up to 2 accompanying teachers per school group, and holders of the MUVE Friend Card, AMACI and other membership cards. Online, only the reductions for ages 6–14, 15–25 and over 65 are available.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible
- Elevator
- Accessible restroom: no information
- Accessible parking: no information
- Service dogs welcome: no information
- Tactile models & exhibits: no information
- Sign language tours: no information
- Easy-to-read materials: no information
- Audio description
The museum is listed as fully accessible; as a listed historic palace there may be slight slopes, raised thresholds or irregular steps. A social story for independent visits, a multisensory visit with audio description of Chagall's “Rabbi of Vitebsk”, and educational routes adaptable to specific needs are available.
Kids & families
| Kids’ admission | free up to age 5 |
|---|
- Family tours & workshops
- Baby changing facilities
The museum has a baby pit-stop for breastfeeding and nappy changing. MUVE Education offers routes and workshops for families and schools.
Getting there & parking
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Amenities & dining
- Café
- Museum shop
- Coat check
- Wi-Fi
Museum café with Venetian and Italian offerings; museum store with books, guides and objects. Free Wi-Fi, free coworking space and the public piano “Cecilia” in the entrance hall. Free cloakroom; trolleys and luggage whose three dimensions add up to more than 1 metre are not allowed. “MUVE Dog Friendly” dog-sitting service.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| School programs | yes |
| Good to know | The route includes the International Gallery of Modern Art and, on the third floor, the Museum of Oriental Art. Guided tours and workshops are organised by MUVE Education. |
