The building was purchased by the City of Venice in 1899 specifically to serve as a home for the International Gallery of Modern Art.
The facade is noted for its dramatic use of light and shadow, featuring deeply recessed arched windows and heavy rusticated stone columns.
The Oriental Art collection includes over 30,000 objects, including samurai armor, lacquerware, and ukiyo-e prints.
The palace was left unfinished by the Pesaro family and was eventually completed by the Gradenigo family after significant delays.
Ca' Pesaro is an 18th-century Baroque marble palazzo on the Grand Canal that houses Venice's primary collection of 19th and 20th-century modern art. The building was designed by Baldassarre Longher and later completed by Antonio Gaspari for the aristocratic Pesaro family. The museum displays paintings and sculptures from the Venice Biennale collections, featuring artists such as Klimt, Kandinsky, and Chagall. Its top floor hosts the Museum of Oriental Art, containing an extensive collection of Japanese Edo-period artifacts acquired by Prince Henri de Bourbon. The interior retains grand frescoed ceilings and original architectural proportions. The gallery serves as a key venue for temporary exhibitions of contemporary international art. Visitors can access the building directly from the Grand Canal via a private dock.
The view from the main entrance staircase looking back toward the courtyard allows for a frame of the ornate Baroque architecture.
Combine your visit with the neighboring Natural History Museum, which shares a similar historic context.
Check the official website for current temporary exhibition schedules, as these often occupy the lower floors.
Utilize the museum’s courtyard for a quiet break away from the canal-side crowds.
Do not rush through the Oriental Art collection on the third floor, as it is often overlooked by tourists focused only on the modern paintings.
Closed on Mondays.
Maintain a quiet volume and refrain from using flash photography near sensitive light-sensitive textiles or paintings.
