Venice: discovering the Natural History museum

Venice is a beautiful city, with so many things to see that one lifetime would not be enough. In this article we will then focus on one of them, namely the Natural History Museum , an adventure to be experienced in one go and which can please all ages thanks to its many layers of reading.

Let's find out how to organize a visit to Venice that includes this stop and, possibly, also the beautiful Gallery of Modern Art for a day focused on culture.

The Natural History Museum of Venice: an overview

The Natural History Museum of Venice was born from the ancient civic museum and Correr collection, named after the patrician Teodoro Correr who, in the first half of the 19th century, dedicated his life to gathering a vast collection of works of art, historical objects and naturalistic finds, which upon his death in 1830 he donated to the Municipality of Venice.

In 1923, the Municipality of Venice decided to place the natural history collection in the Fontego dei Turchi , an emblematic building overlooking the Grand Canal. This medieval building, built in the 13th century by the Pesaro family, was once the headquarters of Turkish merchants in Venice, until it was acquired by the municipality in 1859 and subsequently restored to house the museum.

The Fontego dei Turchi: a historic building

The Fontego dei Turchi, home to the Natural History Museum, is an extraordinary example of medieval Venetian architecture. The structure, originally built as a home for the noble Pesaro family, has been modified and adapted over the centuries. From 1621 to 1838, it served as a residence and trading center for Turkish merchants in Venice . During this period, the building was profoundly transformed to adapt to the commercial and housing needs of its new occupants.

When the palace was handed over to the Municipality of Venice, it was in a state of serious deterioration. It was then that, under the direction of the engineer Federico Berchet, a long restoration process began which sought to restore the building to its original 13th century form and this has made it one of the most beautiful palaces to see along the Grand Canal .

The museum collections

The heart of the Natural History Museum is made up of its collections, which represent a testimony to the rich tradition of scientific research that has characterized Venice. These collections include 2 million artefacts ; many of the collections come from donations from Venetian scholars and collectors. Over the years, the Museum has continued to enrich its heritage, acquiring new collections, such as_

• the entomological one;
• the malacological;
• African ethnological collections..

The exhibition and the visit itinerary

The Natural History Museum of Venice offers a unique and engaging visit experience, thanks to a modern museographic layout that integrates scientific content with interactive and multimedia elements . The exhibition itinerary is divided into different thematic sections, distributed over two floors of the building.

On the ground floor, visitors can admire the Cetacean Gallery , where two large cetacean skeletons are on display: a fin whale and a young sperm whale. This section offers an immersive experience, thanks also to the underwater blow-ups that decorate the windows and which evoke the immensity of the ocean.

The second floor houses three main sections. The first, On the trail of life , is dedicated to paleontology and tells the story of life on Earth through a vast collection of fossils, including the remains of dinosaurs discovered during Giancarlo Ligabue's scientific expeditions. One of the main attractions is the skeleton of Ouranosaurus nigeriensis , a dinosaur discovered during an expedition in the Tenerè desert, Niger. This section does not limit itself to presenting fossils as simple finds, but uses them as tools to understand the evolutionary and geological dynamics that have shaped our planet.

The Collect to amaze , collect to study section, however, explores the evolution of naturalistic collecting and the birth of scientific museology. Finally, The Strategies of Life offers a fascinating journey into biodiversity, illustrating how different species have adapted to their environments through movement and nutrition strategies.

The cetacean gallery and life strategies: an in-depth study

The Cetacean Gallery is one of the most evocative spaces of the Museum. Here, visitors can observe up close the gigantic skeletons of a fin whale, almost 20 meters long, and a young sperm whale. These skeletons, suspended from the ceiling, offer an impressive view of the majesty of these marine mammals. The exhibition is enriched by information panels and audio devices that allow you to listen to the songs of the cetaceans, creating a multisensory experience.

Instead, the section dedicated to life strategies offers an in-depth exploration of biodiversity and the survival strategies adopted by different species. From the variety of living forms to adaptation to terrestrial, aquatic and aerial environments, the section highlights the incredible similarities between different species that share the same habitat. The exhibition itinerary focuses on two main themes: movement and nutrition.

Let's draw some conclusions about Venice and the Natural History Museum

Venice must be experienced, visited over several days to grasp its atmosphere, this city has vibrations that are unique to it and unique in the world. How can we extend the visit then? It's really easy just:

• Use tourist cards to get discounts on visit prices;
• Book an apartment online.

By acting in this way in a few steps it is possible to considerably reduce the dedicated budget and stay for several days in complete comfort.