A vacation rental in Venice means a holiday full of stunning surroundings, excellent food, plenty of boat trips, and endless cultural gems to visit, view, and absorb. And, like so many other ancient and great cities, Venice really does boast a truly endless list of incredible architectural gems, wonderful museums, astounding churches stuffed full of amazing works of art, private galleries, temporary exhibitions, cultural festivals, beautiful palaces, and much more besides to discover. Some, of course, are more famous than others but a less celebrated gem located in a very prominent position in the city is the National Archaeological Museum of Venice, which is right on the beloved and iconic Saint Mark’s Square. This brilliant museum is beautiful, boasts truly fascinating and wonderful collections, and affords visitors a prime viewing spot over the often crowded Saint Mark’s Square. You will likely already find yourself in this piazza at some point over the course of your holiday in Venice so be sure to make a point to also set aside some time to go and explore the National Archaeological Museum – you will not be disappointed!
A museum with a rather long history, the Venice National Archaeological Museum was actually established all the way back in 1523 by Cardinal Domenico Grimani. Upon his death, he left a group of ancient sculptures from his private collection to the Republic of Venice. This would become the basis of what would later be the museum but was then the so-called Public Statuary of the Most Serene Republic of Venice. These collections were later further enriched and expanded with donations made by Domenico’s nephew, Giovanni Grimani. Originally housed in the antechamber of St. Mark Library, what is now the vestibule of the National Library, this statuary became one of the first public museums of ancient art in Europe and, as a result, was a very important early cultural institution in the city and in Europe, generally. The collections, still being expanded and added to, were then moved to the Doge’s Palace in 1812 and were also briefly sent to Florence during WWI, before being moved to its current location in the former Royal Palace in the 1920s. Furthermore, in 1997, the public statuary that was still on display in the National Library was renovated and some trace of the collections can still be found there. This entire area in Venice, in fact, is a block of various different public museums, libraries, and cultural institutions that are often in conversation with each other, making visiting all of them a rather easy feat.
The National Archaeological Museum of Venice today houses a rich collection that boasts Ancient Greek bronzes, ceramics, jewels and coins; an archaeological collection given by the Correr Museum of Egyptian, Assyrian, and Babylonian antiquities; Roman and Greek sculptures, both whole and in fragments; portrait busts of Roman political figures; reliefs, urns, altars, and other funerary pieces; Roman copies of original Greek sculptures; and more. Arranged throughout the various rooms of the museum, the collection is sometimes in typical, “white box” style museum spaces and, at others, in grand historic rooms that are made all the lovelier and more dramatic by the presence of these incredible artefacts.
A fascinating collection, beautiful museum, and wonderful setting, this gem is a must-see for proper culture vultures and anyone with an interest in art and history who is on vacation in Venice and finds themselves in St. Mark’s Square (ie absolutely everyone who spends time in Venice). An early example of such a space and collection opened to the public in both Italy and Europe, this is a historic museum that continues to go from strength to strength, despite all the changes that have happened to it throughout the centuries.
National Archaeological Museum of Venice
Piazza S. Marco 17/52
30124 Venezia
+39 041 296 76 63
drm-ven.archeologico@beniculturali.it
Opening hours:
Can vary depending on the season and on-going events but the museum is generally open daily from 11am to 5pm, with last admissions at 4pm.
