Ca' Pesaro Palace

Address: Ca’ Pesaro (Galleria Internazionale d’Arte Moderna), Venice, Italy

Ca’ Pesaro is a Baroque palace on Venice’s Grand Canal in the Dorsoduro district, originally begun in the 17th century and attributed to architect Baldassarre Longhena. It is now a public museum complex housing modern and non-Western art collections.

The palace contains permanent galleries of 19th and 20th century painting and sculpture plus an Oriental art collection, spread across several floors and displayed in historic rooms. Highlights include large-format modern works and rotating temporary exhibitions, all entered from the canal-side facade.

Construction began under Baldassarre Longhena in the mid-17th century and continued after his death; the finished palace reflects later Baroque completion phases. The building was converted to public museum use in the 20th century and adapted internally to house galleries while preserving the exterior facade.

The palace stands on the Grand Canal in Dorsoduro, close to the Accademia and a short vaporetto ride from Piazza San Marco. Its canal-front position makes it a prominent landmark visible from the water and from bridges along the southern stretch of the canal.

• Best view: Located directly on the Grand Canal in the Dorsoduro district, the facade is best viewed from the water or the opposite canal bank for uninterrupted views.

What to See#

• Galleria Internazionale d’Arte Moderna: Houses the museum’s modern and contemporary collections, displayed in period rooms and galleries along the Grand Canal-facing façade.
• Museo d’Arte Orientale: Contains a collection of Asian and Near Eastern art assembled in the palace, exhibited in dedicated rooms within the same complex as the modern art galleries.

Ca’ Pesaro is on Venice’s Grand Canal in the Santa Croce/Dorsoduro area and is reached by vaporetto (public water bus). Grand Canal routes (notably lines 1 and 2) run past many major palaces; disembark at the nearest Grand Canal stop and walk a few minutes to the palace. Venice has no car access - arrive by foot or water transport.

• Ca' Pesaro houses both the International Gallery of Modern Art and the Museo d'Arte Orientale-allow time to see both collections in one visit, since they are under the same roof.
• Avoid midday cruise-ship traffic along the Grand Canal by visiting mid-morning or late afternoon on non-cruise days; large tour groups often swarm museums around lunchtime.
• Check the museum's temporary exhibition schedule before you go-special exhibits rotate and can significantly change what's on display and the time needed to see the collection.