Ca’ Rezzonico Museum

Ca’ Rezzonico is a splendid palace overlooking the Grand Canal that currently houses the Museo del Settecento Veneziano. Construction work on the building began around 1649 thanks to the noble Bons family, but was then suspended for lack of funds. Only in the mid 18th century, thanks to Giambattista Rezzonico, a merchant and banker of Lombard origin, was the palace completed.

Today, a collection of 18th-century Venetian furniture, paintings and sculptures can be admired inside. Highlights include paintings by Antonio Canaletto, Francesco Guardi, Giambattista Piazzetta and sculptures by Antonio Corradini and Andrea Brustolon. Original furniture from the 18th century and a valuable collection of porcelain are also housed.

Things to do at Museo Ca’ Rezzonico

Ca’ Rezzonico is a three-storey building and its majesty can already be admired from the exterior façade. Built on the Grand Canal, the palace welcomes its guests into an elegant garden, then once inside the residence, the route takes you up three floors plus a mezzanine. The first floor houses the rooms reserved for the flats of the Rezzonico family, while on the upper floors are the alcove and on the third floor the pharmacy ‘Ai Do San Marchi’, once located in Campo San Stin in Venice.

First Floor

Visitors entering Ca’ Rezzonico are immediately fascinated by the grand staircase designed by Giorgio Massari with two statues by Giusto Le Court representing the allegories of Winter and Autumn. Climbing the stairs, one enters the great Ballroom with frescoes by Giambattista Crosato.

The route then leads through nine rooms containing paintings, sculptures and furniture from the 18th century. Also noteworthy are the decorations and frescoes in the various rooms, many of which were created by Gianbattista Tiepolo. Among the most important are the Throne Room, the Wedding Allegory Room and the Tapestry Room.

Browning Mezzanine

The Browning Mezzanine is named after the English Browning family who owned the residence in the late 19th century and carried out various restoration and extension works. The Mezzanino currently houses the works of the Mestrovich Collection, which was created by the wealthy Mestrovich family, originally from Dalmatia but who moved to Venice in the 20th century.

Here are pictorial masterpieces that were collected over the centuries by the family, who then decided to donate the collection to the city of Venice. Among the most valuable masterpieces are two canvases by Iacopo Tintoretto, a panel by Cima da Conegliano and several paintings by Bonifacio de’ Pitatic, Benedetto Diana, Francesco Guardi and Alessandro Longhi.

Second Floor

The second floor welcomes visitors with the ‘portego’: a particular passageway that was characteristic of Venetian palaces. In this area are two canvases by Canaletto. Next there is a room with works by Pietro Longhi and another room with frescoes by Giandomenico Tiepolo that did not originate from this residence but were removed from Villa Zianigo.

Also not to be missed is the 18th-century alcove from Palazzo Carminati in San Stae. Here in an ivory-white frame is the bed on whose headboard is a painting of the Holy Family with St Anne and St John.

Third Floor

The third floor houses the rooms of the old Ai do San Marchi Pharmacy that was once located at Campo San Stin on the corner with Calle Donà. We have news of its existence since the 17th century, but the furnishings that we can admire here belong to the 18th century. The pharmacy consists of three rooms: the workshop proper, the laboratory and the retro-pharmacy.

Another section of the floor houses the precious Egidio Martini Art Gallery, where numerous paintings by Venetian artists from the 15th to the 20th century are on display. Among the most prominent authors are Cima da Conegliano, Alvise Vivarini, Bonifacio de ‘Pitati, Tintoretto and Palma il Giovane.

History of Ca’ Rezzonico Museum

The project to build Ca’ Rezzonico began in the 18th century thanks to the Bon family who had entrusted the work to architect Baldassarre Longhena, the professional who had already worked in Venice on the Basilica della Salute. Unfortunately, the expenses for the construction of the residence were too high to bear and when the architect died, work was stopped before the villa was completed.

In the mid-eighteenth century , Giambattista Rezzonico, a nobleman from a wealthy Lombard family, bought the building and entrusted Giorgio Massari with the work of completing the palace. It was this family that gave the building its name. Work was completed in 1758 in time to celebrate Carlo Rezzonico, Giambattista’s son who had been elected pope with the name Clement XIII.

Unfortunately, the residence changed hands several times during the 19th century until 1887 when it was purchased by Robert Barrett Browning, son of the English writer Robert Browning. Over the years, several owners followed until 1935 when Count Lionello Hirschell di Minerbi sold the palace to the city of Venice.

Since 1936, Ca’ Rezzonico has become the seat of the Museo del Settecento Veneziano, which, in addition to paintings by Canaletto, Pietro Longhi, Tintoretto and Tiepolo, houses rooms with furniture and furnishings from the 18th and 19th centuries. In the 2000s, the museum collection was expanded with the addition of the Egidio Martini Art Gallery and the Mestrovich Collection.

Tickets for the Ca’ Rezzonico Museum

We advise you to buy your ticket for the Ca’ Rezzonico Museum directly online to ensure your visit and skip the queue at the ticket offices.

Free ticket with Venice Museum Pass Plus

You can also enter Museo Ca’ Rezzonico thanks to the Venice Museum Pass Plus which is the cumulative ticket for the Civic Museums of Venice, recommended if you want to visit the main museums of Venice including the famous Doge’s Palace.

Opening Hours

The opening hours of Museo Ca’ Rezzonico are:

• From 01 November to 31 March: 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. (last admission 4 p.m.)
• From 01 April to 31 October: 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. (last admission at 5 p.m.)
• Closed on Tuesdays

How to reach Museo Ca’ Rezzonico

Museo Ca’ Rezzonico can be easily reached either on foot or by waterbus. On foot the Museum is just over 1km from St Mark’s Square and can be reached by following the signs for the Accademia Bridge. From the Venezia Santa Lucia train station, on the other hand, it is about a twenty-minute walk to the Museum. Those who prefer to take the vaporetto can take Line 1 to the Ca’ Rezzonico stop.