Correr Museum

The Correr Museum, located in the heart of Venice in Piazza San Marco, is one of the city’s most prestigious museums, dedicated to illustrating the history, art, and culture of Venice. Founded thanks to the generous donation of Teodoro Correr in 1830, the museum offers a journey through the centuries, telling the story of the Serenissima Republic of Venice and its many transformations. The museum is housed in the majestic Napoleonic Wing of the Procuratie Nuove, a neoclassical building initially designed by Vincenzo Scamozzi in the 16th century and completed by Baldassarre Longhena. During the Napoleonic rule, the building was transformed into a Royal Palace, later used by the Habsburgs and the Savoys. Since 1922, the museum has been located in the elegant rooms of this palace, which still retain the sumptuous imprint of the imperial and neoclassical period. The collections of the Correr Museum cover a wide range of themes and historical periods, divided into different sections ranging from the city’s history to its art. One of the most fascinating sections is dedicated to the life and culture of the Republic of Venice, which occupies the first floor of the museum. Here, through a series of thematic rooms, various aspects of Venetian life are explored, from political institutions to public festivities, through trade and navigation. The section dedicated to the Venetian navy is particularly evocative, with models of galleys, navigation instruments, and paintings depicting important naval battles such as the Battle of Lepanto in 1571. This section illustrates how naval power was crucial for Venice’s commercial and political supremacy in the Mediterranean. The museum also houses a rich collection of artworks, including paintings by great Venetian masters such as Giovanni Bellini, Vittore Carpaccio, and Lorenzo Lotto. Of particular note is the Canova collection, which includes drawings, sketches, and sculptures by the famous neoclassical artist Antonio Canova. The neoclassical rooms, with their refined stuccoes and elegant decorations, provide the ideal setting to admire these works. Another point of interest is represented by the rooms of Empress Elisabeth of Austria, known as Sissi, who stayed in Venice in 1856 and again between 1861 and 1862. These rooms, restored and opened to the public in 2012, are furnished with original furniture from the Napoleonic era and offer a fascinating glimpse into the daily life of one of the most iconic figures of the 19th century. From a social and political perspective, the Correr Museum is a living testimony of Venetian history. Its collections document not only the artistic and cultural aspects, but also the political transformations that the city has undergone over the centuries. From the glorious era of the Serenissima Republic, through the Napoleonic and Habsburg rule, to the annexation to the Kingdom of Italy, each historical phase is represented in the museum’s rooms. The Correr Museum is also an important center for research and study. Its library, which contains over 20,000 volumes, is a valuable resource for scholars and enthusiasts of Venetian history. Additionally, the museum regularly organizes temporary exhibitions, cultural events, and conferences that attract visitors from around the world and contribute to keeping alive the cultural tradition of Venice.