Museums/Itinerary in Venice

A couple of random things:

We really enjoyed a student-led tour of the University buildings of Ca’Foscari. It focuses on history and architecture, and ends in a grand room with great views of the Grand Canal. Saturdays only.

https://www.unive.it/pag/24290/

One that we wanted to see, but could not get reservations, was the old insane asylum on the island of San Servolo. The island is used now as a conference center, but the museum is open certain hours. We rode the vaporetto out to the island and walked around, but could not go inside the museum itself. We will try to go back another time.

https://servizimetropolitani.ve.it/en/insane-asylum-museum/visiting-the-museum

Of course there is the Accademia, if you haven’t already been there. It was our 5th visit to Venice before we made it inside, but it is very interesting inside, especially if you go before the tour groups arrive.

And the Fondaco di Tedeschi is very interesting to see, for the interior design and the high-end shopping, as well as for the rooftop terrace viewpoint (reservations required, book 3 weeks in advance).

https://www.dfs.com/en/venice/service/rooftop-terrace

When will you be in Venice? Home Faber, a high-end craft show, will be running during the month of September. It will be on the small island of San Girogio Maggiore. Glass Week is September 14-22, with exhibitions at various locations around the city. And the Art Biennale has already opened (though I assume that's mostly contemporary art).

re. Fondaco di Tedeschi, they appear to post tickets 21 days in advance and looks like they sell almost immediately

The Corer museum is good, and I really enjoyed the museum of 18th century Venice.

The Museum at the Jewish Ghetto may or may not be closed for renovations. I seem to recall reading something about that, but can't remember details. At any rate, even if the museum itself is closed, a visit to the Ghetto itself is worth the few hours one can spend there.

@TC, do you recommend touring the interiors of the synagogues?

Also in Cannaregio where the Ghetto is located is Santa Maria dei Miracoli, which many highly recommend tho not in the Rick Steves guide. It's known for marble and an icon of the Virgin Mary.

Not everyone is interested in Contemporary Art, but are you aware of how important is the Venice Biennale? It takes at least two days just to see the two main areas (Giardini and the Arsenale), and there are usually a few satellite exhibitions elsewhere in town. A large number of countries have a whole building that they assign to a single artist (like the USA), or where they curate a show by multiple artists, even some from other countries. Sometimes big multinational private galleries have a show for a big $$$ artist that they represent. I'm not applauding the commoditization of art, or the collecting habits of the super-wealthy, I'm just saying that the Biennale cannot be ignored.

If you get tired of Venice, I'm sorry I haven't seen the interior (and art) of the inland palace the Doge retreated to when Napoleon arrived, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Villa_Pisani,_Stra It's a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

What is your favorite museum?
And anything else you would recommend?

Some museums and churches:

• Gallerie dell'Accademia
• Tintoretto Scuola Grande di San Rocco
• Basilica S.Maria Gloriosa dei Frari
• Basilica Santa Maria della Salute
• Church of San Giorgio Maggiore

If you like boats, visit the naval museum and also arrange a private tour of tiny boat museum Arzana in Cannaregio: https://arzana.org/dove-siamo-come-trovarci/

@TC, do you recommend touring the interiors of the synagogues?

Jules M.,

Yes I do. Many will say that after seeing many churchs / synagogues, all places of worship start to look alike. I don't think that's the case at all. While they do share many things in common, they are all different. No matter how many I enter, I always find something different to appreciate even though I'm not all that religious.

I think it helps to have a path, a thread of interest, rather than “oh here’s another museum - here’s another nativity/crucifixion/ascension.

We hired an apartment once, advertised as “renovated by a student of Carlo Scarpa, Venice’s best known modern architect”. No big deal, we figured in our ignorance. And then, we started to see Scarpa’s archi handwriting all over Venice, from the Piazza to the entry kiosk at the Biennale, via the Academia.

It intrigued me, and so I bought a book, and have followed Scarpa all over the Veneto.

So that’s what I mean by a thread. The Querini Stampalia Foundation is worth a visit.

Next thread, the Tiepolo boys, Father, Son and Grandson. Check out the Stations of the Cross in San Polo. It is brutal in its realisation.

The Hospital Library is a pretty special museum, a most beautiful royal blue and gilt ceiling, the odd painting and interesting displays of medical stuff. And I got lucky one time with a display.

Take a very old book, say 700 years old.
Photograph the pages.
Reprint, using exactly the same inks and papers.
Bind it, using the same leather, board, fabrics, threads, adhesives.

So a facsimile has been created, or rather two facsimiles. Put one away for safe keeping.
Have the other on display.
“Sure, pick it up, open it, turn through a few pages. No, you don’t need white gloves; that would spoil the tactile feeling.”

So I was able to recreate for myself the experience of buying a book around the year 1300.

Lucky.

So many great (and different) suggestions!
We won't be in Venice on a Saturday to do the University tour, although I did find a free audio tour of presumably the exterior of the buildings. The mental hospital museum sounds wonderful. A peep into the hospital exhibits sounds interesting too, since we both have medical backgrounds.
We are pondering the Correr museum versus the Accademia.
I will need to study up on the Biennale, but we really don't like contemporary art (that's just us). I will see.
I am going to read more on Venetian history to add some background to what we see.
Thanks so much!

Edited The Jewish Museum isn't all that impressive, so what you would miss is the tour of the synagogues. I found this info on the Sephardic Synagogue website: For Shabbat and Jewish Holidays take place at the Spanish Synagogue in the Summer, and the Levantina Synagogue in the winter. The Access to the Synagogue and to Kiddushim must be reserved ahead of time. Guests must provide PDF scans of valid ID’s or Passport pictures of every family member to the following email address [email protected] or via Whatsapp +39 3286457585. Services are on Friday evening and Saturday morning. Friday's services are usually much shorter than the hours' long services on Shabbat morning. In my experience quite of few of the locals speak English and are friendly. I've only been in the Spanish Synagogue, it is beautiful. Note that men and women are seated separately during services - the women's section is in the balcony, so it's a much better view of the interior. If you go, you can arrive late but are expected to stay to the end. I'd expect Fridays to be about an hour long.

I echo the recommendation for the Corer. The Doge's Palace Secret Itineraries tour is worth a special visit for history buffs. Book early, the tour groups are small and sell out quickly. If you go in warm weather, take a cold drink and a fan with you - it's very hot under the roof!

On my last visit I went to Ca' Rezzonico, not so much for the art works but really to visit one of the palaces on the Grand Canal for a glimpse into what life was like for the very successful burghers of yesteryear. I believe Ca' d'Oro may be even better.

The Church of San Giorgio Maggiore on the Giudecca across the canal from St Mark's Square is impressive and from the tower has great views.

My favorite thing in Venice is to wander the backways, away from most of the tourists. My preferences are the Dorsoduro and Cannaregio.

Thanks for all the feedback!

@Chani, not sure I follow you. Are you saying we need to submit information to security for tours of the synagogues or just for those that want to attend services? We'd be more interested in tours. We will be in Venice in September, and according to a friend, this year, there are no Jewish holidays in September as Rosh Hashanah is in October. Or are you saying that Venice might follow a different calendar than those in the U.S?