Ca’ Pesaro 🇮🇹

Overlooking the Grand Canal of Venice, Italy, Ca' Pesaro is a grand Baroque marble palace turned art museum. Originally designed in the mid-17th century by Baldassarre Longhena and finished in 1710 by Gian Antonio Gaspari, this grand residence features a powerful, balanced façade inspired by Sansovinian classicism, an monumental well courtyard, and preserved decorated ceilings by artists like Bambini and Pittoni. Bequeathed to Venice by Duchess Felicita Bevilacqua La Masa in 1898, it now serves as a municipal museum within the Fondazione Musei Civici di Venezia system, displaying 19th and 20th-century paintings, sculptures, and graphic art.

As you explore, you will discover 19th-century Venetian and Italian masterpieces, pivotal Venice Biennale acquisitions, and sculptures by Medardo Rosso and Adolfo Wildt. Notable highlights include Gustav Klimt’s Judith II, Kandinsky’s White Zig Zags, and works by Chagall, Bonnard, Boccioni, and Miró. Additionally, the palace's upper floor houses the Museo Orientale, showcasing roughly 30,000 Asian artifacts—including Edo-period Japanese armor and prints by Hokusai—collected by Prince Henry of Bourbon-Parma.

Room 10 also presents contemporary video art and temporary exhibits.

What to see at Ca' Pesaro

• Marvel at the mid-17th-century Baroque architecture and Grand Canal frontage designed by Baldassarre Longhena.
• Examine modern art masterpieces like Gustav Klimt's Judith II, Kandinsky's White Zig Zags, and sculptures by Adolfo Wildt.
• Explore works from key Italian movements, including the Bevilacqua La Masa exhibitions, the Burano School, and Spatialism.
• Browse 30,000 Asian artifacts on the upper floor, featuring Japanese Edo-period armor and Hokusai artwork.

Visiting tips

Be sure to look up to admire the surviving fresco and oil ceiling decorations by classic artists like Bambini and Pittoni while touring the galleries.

How long: 1-2 hours · Best time: Early morning

How to get there & what’s nearby

Ca' Pesaro is easy to reach on Venice’s public transport, and pairs naturally with St. Mark's Basilica and Doge's Palace. For where to stay, the weather and full itineraries, see our Venice travel guide.