The Correr Museum is a museum complex located in Piazza San Marco that allows you to take a journey into Napoleonic Venice to discover the halls of Venetian civilization.
It's no coincidence that the Correr Museum is one of the must-see museums in Venice, just steps from the Doge's Palace and the Marciana National Library, passing by the National Archaeological Museum. The museum complex is one of the city's major cultural institutions, housing one of the city's most important and extensive collections. Without a doubt, it's one of the must-sees in Venice if you decide to spend a few days in the lagoon.
To reach the Correr Museum, simply turn your back on the Basilica and find the main entrance in theNapoleonic Wing to begin your visit. What you'll find inside is not a traditional museum, but a true leap back in time, and room after room, you'll discover the history of Venetian civilization.
The history of the Correr Museum
The museum belongs to the Fondazione Musei Civici di Venezia and is housed in the so-called Napoleonic Wing and partly in the Procuratie Nuove building. It takes its name from the nobleman Teodoro Correr, who upon his death donated a valuable art collection to the city, forming the core of the collection. The complex also includes the National Archaeological Museum and the Monumental Hall of the Biblioteca Marciana , and allows for a reconstruction of the history of the Serenissima from Ancient Egypt to the 19th century.
The museum also recounts Venice's glorious past as a center of trade and culture, with sections dedicated to the Republic's social and political life and its naval ingenuity. The building was designed during Napoleon's reign as king of the Kingdom of Italy, with the aim of expanding the palace that was intended to house his court, although the rooms ultimately became the residence of another court, the Habsburg one.
Inside, you'll find rooms decorated in the style of the early 19th century, and you'll almost hear the footsteps of Emperor Franz Joseph and his wife Elisabeth, better known as Sisi, as they dance in the ballroom, or their voices as they converse in their studies, bedrooms, and boudoirs. All it takes is a little imagination, and you'll feel like you're truly in 19th-century Venice at the king's court.
The rooms of Empress Elizabeth
The Habsburg rooms were designed for EmperorFranz Joseph and his wife Elisabeth, who lived there between the autumn of 1861 and the spring of 1962.
These rooms are often intimate, dedicated to the Queen's private life and audiences. The neoclassical decor is complemented by period furniture and exquisite tapestries. You can see the bathroom and antechamber to the Apartments, as well as the stunning Boudoir, characterized by soft colors, floral motifs, stucco, and many other sophisticated decorations.
The Neoclassical Rooms: Discovering Canova
The magic of the Correr Museum doesn't end with the rooms alone, but extends to the artworks such as those found in the Neoclassical Rooms: Daedalus and Icarus, Orpheus and Eurydice, and Venus Italica are the undisputed marble protagonists of this section of the museum, an apotheosis of sinuous lines and realism that brings the myth to life. From here, we proceed to the splendid ballroom, richly decorated with stuccoes and frescoes reminiscent of the Gods of Olympus.
Venetian Civilization
In this part of the museum, before reaching the Marciana Monumental Library, you'll find objects and paintings that tell the story of Venetian civilization. Here, you can retrace the history of the Serenissima, one of Europe's most important republics: the history of a grandiose city, which has seen battles and Doges, but also festivals and art, taste and luxury.
Finally, the National Archaeological Museum and Library will crown a visit to the Correr Museum, featuring a collection of historical artifacts and the Library's vault decorations, expertly crafted by Titian, Veronese, and Tintoretto.
Visiting Venice and the Correr Museum
A lifetime may not be enough to discover Venice, its museums, and its beauty, which is why visitors who want to fully appreciate the city's charm should consider staying at least a weekend. Doing so while saving money isn't difficult: simply book an apartment online to enjoy the benefits of a short-term rental and visit the city stress-free.
