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Historic seat of a Venetian confraternity founded in 1261, with Codussi's staircase, the Sala Capitolare and a reliquary of the True Cross.
May 9, 2026 – November 22, 2026
Immersive, multisensory exhibition by the Belarus Free Theatre, curated by Daniella and Natalia Kaliada: it presents contemporary independent Belarusian art and the way it arises, is censored and survives under an authoritarian regime.
The Scuola Grande San Giovanni Evangelista is a lay confraternity founded in Venice in 1261. From 1301 it had its seat in premises next to the church of San Giovanni Evangelista, owned by the Badoer family, which the confraternity bought and rebuilt over the course of the 15th century.
In 1369 the Scuola received a relic of the True Cross as a gift, kept in a Gothic reliquary of rock crystal and gilded silver. Around this relic a famous cycle of paintings, the Miracles of the Cross (Miracoli della Croce), took shape, and further architectural additions followed: the marble screen by Pietro Lombardo, the staircase by Mauro Codussi and, in the 18th century, the Sala Capitolare renovated by Giorgio Massari.
With the Napoleonic suppression of 1806, the property was partly confiscated and partly sold, and the large canvases of the Miracles of the Cross passed to the State; today they can be seen at the Gallerie dell'Accademia. In 1856 the building was bought by a group of citizens, and the confraternity resumed its activities, which continue to this day.
The complex comprises the two-storey Scuola building, the church, the former cemetery and two small squares (campielli). The ground floor houses a lapidarium, while the first floor displays canvases by Venetian artists such as Palma il Giovane, Tintoretto, Tiepolo and Longhi, commissioned by the Scuola over the centuries.
| Adults | €10 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | €8Students under 26 with a university card, residents and people born in the municipality of Venice, FAI members (Fondo Ambiente Italiano) with membership card, people over 65 |
| Children & teens | freefree up to age 11 · Free admission for children under 12 accompanied by adults. |
| Visitors with disabilities | freeFree admission for people with disabilities. |
| Groups | €3 per personRate of €3 for school groups of children under 14 accompanied by teachers. |
Free admission also for journalists registered on the professional roll (albo). Tickets are bought at the ticket office by card or in cash; no booking is needed on opening days.
Audio guide in the form of a web app, accessible from any device via QR code and also designed for people with visual impairments.
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Bookshop at the ticket office.
The Scuola Grande is available for conferences, concerts, gala evenings, weddings and exhibitions.
Inquiries & details| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| Audio guide | yes (IT, EN, FR) |
| Good to know | Free audio guide via QR code, handed out at the start of the visit. Guided tours in Italian and English take place on scheduled dates and require booking by email to museo@scuolasangiovanni.it; private visits are available on request. |
