Palazzo Ducale
The former residence of the doges and seat of the government of the Serenissima (the Republic of Venice), with state rooms, a picture gallery, an armoury and prisons.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
Palazzo Ducale was the residence of the doge and the seat of the main magistracies of the Republic of Venice. The first structures on the site date back to the 9th century, when the seat of ducal power was moved to Rialto; the present appearance, however, is the result of many later reconstructions.
Between 1340 and 1424 the Gothic wings facing the basin of San Marco and the Piazzetta were built, with the great hall of the Maggior Consiglio (Great Council). Between 1424 and 1452 the façade on the Piazzetta was rebuilt under Doge Francesco Foscari, with the Porta della Carta. After the fire of 1483 the east wing was rebuilt in Renaissance forms by Antonio Rizzo, with the Scala dei Giganti. Further fires, in 1574 and 1577, destroyed much of the halls and paintings, which were redone with the work of artists such as Tintoretto, Veronese and Palma il Giovane.
After the fall of the Republic the palace housed law courts and the Biblioteca Marciana. Following the annexation of Venice to the Kingdom of Italy it was handed over to the city and turned into a museum. Today it belongs to the Fondazione Musei Civici di Venezia. The route includes the Museo dell'Opera with the original capitals of the loggias, the state rooms, the picture gallery, the Armeria (armoury) and the Prigioni Nuove (New Prisons), reached via the Ponte dei Sospiri.
Highlights
- Scala dei Giganti with the statues of Mars and Neptune by Sansovino
- Sala del Maggior Consiglio
- Picture gallery with works by Bellini, Carpaccio, Titian and Tiepolo
- Armeria with more than 2,000 pieces
- Ponte dei Sospiri and Prigioni Nuove
- Museo dell'Opera with the original capitals of the loggias
Permanent exhibition
- Percorso museale permanente – The route takes in the Museo dell'Opera, the loggias, the state rooms, the picture gallery, the Armeria and the Prigioni Nuove via the Ponte dei Sospiri.
- Founded
- 1340
- Operated by
- Fondazione Musei Civici di Venezia (MUVE)
- Visitors per year
- approx. 1,118,443 (2022)
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €35 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | €15children aged 6 to 14, students aged 15 to 25, people over 65, MiC staff, holders of Rolling Venice and ISIC cards |
| Children & teens | €15free up to age 5 · Reduced rate for children aged 6 to 14. |
| Seniors | €15Reduced rate for people over 65. |
| Visitors with disabilities | freecompanion free · Free admission for people with disabilities and a companion. |
| Students & apprentices | €15Students aged 15 to 25. |
| Groups | €5.50 per personSchool group rate for visits between 1 September and 15 March, accompanying teachers included (maximum 2); a list of names is required. |
| Families | –Senior + Junior offer: reduced rate for all paying members of groups of two adults with at least one child up to 16 years old. |
| Itinerari Segreti di Palazzo Ducale (full price) | €40Reduced €20; the ticket also includes the Museo Correr, the Museo Archeologico Nazionale and the Sale Monumentali of the Biblioteca Nazionale Marciana. |
| I Tesori Nascosti del Doge (full price) | €40Reduced €20; the same museums are included as with the secret itinerary. |
| Museum Pass (full price) | €50Reduced €25; valid for six months, one admission per museum to the permanent collections of the MUVE museums (excluding the Torre dell'Orologio). |
The ticket “I Musei di Piazza San Marco” (€35, reduced €15) also gives access to the Museo Correr, the Museo Archeologico Nazionale and the Sale Monumentali of the Biblioteca Nazionale Marciana, and includes the MUVE APP audio guide. Buying online more than 30 days before the visit, the price is €30 (reduced €15). Free admission for residents and people born in the Comune di Venezia, ICOM members, children aged 0 to 5, people with disabilities accompanied by a companion, licensed tour guides in Italy, accompanying teachers of school groups, and holders of the MUVE Friend Card and other membership cards listed on the website.
Accessibility
- Partially wheelchair accessible
- Elevator
- Accessible restroom
- 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: no information
Fully accessible lift and accessible toilets on the ground floor. The Itinerari Segreti, the Prigioni and the Armeria are not accessible. The educational routes and workshops of MUVE Education can be adapted to individual needs.
Kids & families
| Kids’ admission | free up to age 5 |
|---|
- Family tours & workshops
- Baby changing facilities
MUVE Education offers guided tours and workshops for families, schools and visitors with specific needs. The museum has a baby pit-stop for breastfeeding and nappy changing.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
San Zaccaria
Vaporetto (water bus): San Zaccaria stop (lines 1 and 2).
Public entrance through the Porta del Frumento, on the Piazzetta San Marco.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
- Café
- Museum shop
- Coat check
Museum café with Made in Italy cuisine and Venetian touches; museum shop with books, guides and objects. Free cloakroom; trolleys and luggage whose three dimensions add up to more than 1 metre are not allowed. The “MUVE Dog Friendly” dog-sitting service can be booked online.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| Audio guide | yes (IT, EN, FR, ES, DE, KO) |
| School programs | yes |
| Good to know | The MUVE APP audio guide is included in the ticket “I Musei di Piazza San Marco”. The special itineraries “Itinerari Segreti” and “I Tesori Nascosti del Doge” take place by reservation only, with a specialist guide and small groups; visitors arriving more than 15 minutes late lose their place. Guided tours and workshops are organised by MUVE Education. For unguided groups of more than 10 people, earphones are mandatory (€1 per person). |
