Why go
The Correr Museum fills the upper floors of the Procuratie Nuove and the Napoleonic Wing at the western end of St Mark’s Square, and it is the best place to understand the history and daily life of the Venetian Republic. It began with the collection of Teodoro Correr, a Venetian nobleman who left his art and objects to the city in 1830, and it now combines rooms of history, an important picture gallery and the neoclassical apartments built for Napoleon and later used by the Habsburg emperors and Italian royals.
Because it shares a ticket with the Doge’s Palace, many visitors have already paid for it, yet it is far quieter, which makes it a welcome break from the crowds in the square below. The windows onto the square give some of the best views of the Basilica and the Campanile from above, without any queue,, and on a wet or cold day the museum is a comfortable place to spend a couple of unhurried hours close to the main sights.
What to see
The neoclassical rooms of the Napoleonic Wing open the visit, with a grand ballroom and windows overlooking the square. The history rooms show coins, maps, ceremonial robes and the curious tall shoes worn by Venetian women, and explain how the Republic was governed. One gallery is devoted to Antonio Canova, but Room III, with some of his works, has been closed for maintenance since 29 October 2025.
The picture gallery on the upper floor is the highlight for art lovers. It traces Venetian painting from the Gothic period to the early Renaissance, with works by the Bellini family, Antonello da Messina and Vittore Carpaccio, whose Two Venetian Ladies is one of the city’s most famous small paintings. The route continues into the National Archaeological Museum and the monumental rooms of the Marciana Library, with their painted ceilings.
Plan your visit
In winter the museum opens daily from 10am to 5pm, with last admission at 4pm; in summer it closes at 6pm. Over Christmas it stays open until 9pm on 25 and 26 December 2026 and on 1 and 2 January 2027. There is no separate ticket: entry is by the St Mark’s Square Museums ticket, which also covers the Doge’s Palace, the Archaeological Museum and the Marciana rooms. It costs €35, or €30 online at least 30 days ahead, with a reduced rate of €15 and free entry for under-6s.
The entrance is under the arcade of the Napoleonic Wing, at the end of the square opposite the Basilica. Allow one to two hours. If you are using the same ticket for the Doge’s Palace, consider seeing the Correr first in the morning and the palace in the afternoon, or spread them over two days.
Nearby
St Mark’s Basilica, the Campanile and the Doge’s Palace are all within a few minutes’ walk across the square. Caffè Florian and Caffè Quadri, two of Venice’s historic cafés, sit under the arcades of the Procuratie, and the Clock Tower marks the way into the Mercerie towards Rialto.