Leonardo da Vinci Museum in Venice

To discover more about the life and works of the great Italian scientist and artist Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519), visit the Leonardo da Vinci Museum in Venice. The site is part of the San Rocco monumental complex and is located in the Scoletta Vecchia building. The museum is structured in four areas (earth, water, air and fire) that allow visitors to closely observe and sometimes even test some of the Florentine master’s inventions.

Some rooms are purely exhibition halls while others boast an interactive area suitable for involving children in a fun and instructive way. Young and old, therefore, have the chance to discover the workings of some modern machines such as the flywheel, the helicopter and the hang-glider, and to understand how these are based on principles and mechanisms already studied by Leonardo in the 15th century.

Things to do at the Leonardo da Vinci Museum

Inside, the museum offers travellers a tour of Leonardo’s main paintings. Here, reproductions of his most important works can be admired up close in very high resolution. As copies of the works are exhibited, they can be displayed on backlit screens that not only increase the level of detail but also allow visitors to get up close, which would not be feasible at all with the original works.

One section is devoted to the collection of machines designed by Leonardo. Some of these have been reproduced in prototypes, maintaining the proportions and if possible even the dimensions of the original drawings. In addition to trying out some of these models, it is possible to read and explore the principles of physics and mechanics behind his inventions. There is also a 3D virtual reality video film to understand the functioning of the main war machines he designed.

The section on the Anatomical Studies made by the Florentine artist could not be missing, together with a collection of his drawings and manuscripts made by the Royal Vinci Commission between 1920 and 1930. Thanks to a lengthy digitisation process, many of the volumes in this collection can now be consulted. Next to the main works there are explanatory panels in several languages, including Italian, English, French, German, Spanish and Russian. Inside the museum there is also a bookshop with books for adults and children about Leonardo, scale models of the machines, reproductions of the most famous inventions and many gadgets.

Tickets for the Leonardo da Vinci Museum

Admission to the Leonardo da Vinci Museum in Venice is on payment; tickets can be purchased conveniently online. The cost of tickets to enter the Museum is as follows:

• € 8,00 Full
• € 6,50 Reduced (for children from 5 to 17 years old and students up to 23 years old with university card)
• Free for children up to 4 years of age accompanied by a paying adult and for disabled persons.

Opening hours

The Leonardo da Vinci Museum of Venice is open daily with the following opening hours: from 10.30 am to 6.30 pm with last admission at 5.15 pm. Closed: 25 December and 1 January.

How to reach the Leonardo da Vinci Museum in Venice

The Leonardo da Vinci Museum is located in the sestiere of San Polo, near the Basilica of Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari. Those travelling by train from Santa Lucia Station will then take approximately 15 minutes to walk to the museum. Once out of the station you must cross the Ponte degli Scalzi bridge and then continue towards the Church of San Simeon Piccolo. Once there just follow the signs for the Scuola Grande di San Rocco as the museum is located within the complex. Those arriving from Piazzale Roma, on the other hand, will need to walk about 10 minutes towards Fondamenta dei Tolentini.