When people thinks about Venice, archaeology is not the first thing which comes to mind.
And yet the National Archaeological Museum of Venice is the oldest museum in the town and one of the first public museums in the world. Indeed, it was founded in 1587 and it opened to the public in 1596.
Why do you should visit this museum? Here are some tips.

1 – ADMIRE ST. MARK’S SQUARE FROM AN ORIGINAL POINT OF VIEW. We are placed on the first floor of the palace called Procuratie Nuove, in St. Mark’s square. This palace was built during the 16th century to host the offices of Procuratori, a kind of ministers during the Republic of Venice. Later, it became Napoleon’s Royal Palace and, from the 1920s, it has been hosting our museum and Museo Correr.
Our rooms will offer you breathtaking glimpses at St. Mark’s square, magnificent ceilings and terrazzo floors. A stroll in the center of the historical town without crowd and mob.

2 – LOOKING FOR YOUR OWN DOPPELGANGER AMONG OUR ROMAN PORTRAITS: We display a wonderful collection of Roman portraits donated by the Grimani family. These portraits are so realistic that many visitors find out their own alter ego.

3 – SUFFERING FROM STENDHAL’S SYNDROME IN FRONT OF OUR GREEK SCULPTURES: It is rare to find Greek sculptures in Italy but we have some of them. The most important pieces of our museums are called Grimani Statuettes and represent women wearing peplos. They date back to the 5th century BC. Their marble clothes are so light and soft that they seem to blow in the wind.

4 – SAY HELLO TO SOKRATEA: Our inscriptions tell us moving stories. For example, in room 2 you can find the funerary stele of Sokratea, a woman who lived on the island of Paros and died giving birth to a child. . In the inscription it is written that she will bless whoever stops in front of it to say her hello.

5 – TAKE A SELFIE WITH OUR BIGFOOT: The most appreciated artwork of our collection (according to our Instagram followers) is our “Bigfoot”, that is the fragment of a Roman colossal statue which was 11 meters high! Taking a selfie with it is a must-to-do experience.

6 – DECLARE YOUR LOVE IN FRONT OF OUR EROS: According to the myth, the Greek god of love, Eros, threw arrows to make people fall in love. Anyone hit was bound to fall madly infatuated with the first person they saw. Romantic visitors should take their partners to our room 6. Eros has an excellent aim (sometimes).

7 – FIND OUT EGYPTIAN MUMMIES IN VENICE: In Venice it is possible to admire even three Egyptian mummies. One rests on Saint Lazarus Island and the two other mummies are on show in our room 20.

8 – PATROL OUR ROOMS LOOKING FOR SANDALS WITH LITTLE HEARTS: The Renaissance artist Tullio Lombardo restored some of our sculptures and left a special sign on them: little hearts on their sandals.

9 – REVIEW CLASSICAL MYTHOLOGY: Our rooms display Greek heros and gods. Stroll about to review Greek myths.

10 – TAKING PART IN A TACTILE TOUR: Our staff offer free guided tours during which the guests are blindfolded and can touch some original statues. Booking is mandatory. Our staff is available for “traditional” tours too. [P.S. due to the Covid emergency tactile tours are temporary suspended].

Photo credits: Marcello Grassi
Eros stringing his bow, Roman replica dating back to the 1st century AD from a Greek original sculpture by Lysippos (nowadays lost) dating back to the 4th century BC, Grimani collection, room 6.