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Natural History Museum : During the early 1700s, the 'rooms of wonders' became popular for showcasing collections of creatures rarely seen by Venetians at that time
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Museo di Storia Naturale Giancarlo Ligabue

Natural History Museum

Natural history museum featuring artifacts from Venetian expeditions.

Featured in Civic Museums Virtual Tours With Kids

Standard admission is €10. Free entry with the official museum or city passes.

See tickets & passes

What makes it special

Historic building

Fondaco dei Turchi, originally constructed for the Pesaro family in the 13th century, later became the residence for Venice's Ottoman Turkish population, hence its name 'dei Turchi'. The main commodities imported from the East by the Turks and traded here were wax, crude oil and wool.

700M years in 3 sections

'On the tracks of life' delves into fossils and paleontology, 'Collecting to astonish, collecting for research' explores the evolution of naturalist collecting during various Venetian expeditions and 'The strategies of life' investigates form and function in living things.

Appeal

Part of the museum's appeal lies in its beautifully crafted and creatively curated exhibits, some of which even include interactive stations.

Large creatures

Spot the fossil of a 7-meter (23-foot) long Ouranosaurus nigeriensis and the skeleton of a 18-meter (60-foot) finback whale.

Natural History Museum : The centerpiece of the museum: a fossilized Ouranosaurus nigerensis, unearthed during an expedition in the Nigerian Sahara

Open Gallery for more insights

Your experience here

  • Spark curiosity and a love of exploration in young visitors.
  • Embark on a journey through the rich complexity of living forms.
  • See an example of a Wunderkammer, a Renaissance 'room of wonders' filled with rare and curious treasures from far-off lands.
  • Trace Venetian explorers’ daring journeys deep into Africa.

Open Gallery to get the feel

Skip-the-line tickets

Secure your spot and dodge the queues by booking your skip-the-line tickets today.

Free with the City Pass

Enjoy direct access to this museum and other top spots, such as the Doge's Palace, with the value-packed Venezia Unica official city pass.

See details and benefits

Connect the dots

Site of another popular museum

Before becoming a natural history museum in 1923, the Fondaco housed what is now the central Museo Correr.

Another Fondaco

Another historical warehouse is Fondaco dei Tedeschi ('of the germans').

Once the only shopping mall in Venice, it's currently closed.

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Virtual visit

Explore the museum's collections on Google Arts & Culture, from the comfort of your current location.

Caution with younger kids

Some exhibits might be disturbing for younger kids, i.e. the taxidermy section, some mummified remains or the famous mermaid-monkey.

What to see nearby

These top spots are just a short walk from Natural History Museum:

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