Museo di Storia Naturale di Venezia (Fontego dei Turchi)

What's On

Permanent Collections

Collecting to Astonish, Collecting for Research

The story of naturalist collecting, from cabinets of curiosities to Giovanni Miani's finds from his 1859-60 search for the source of the Nile and Ligabue's expeditions.

Permanent collection€15

The Strategies of Life

Form and function in living things: extinct and living species, gigantic to microscopic, showing how organisms adapt to move, feed, sense and survive.

Permanent collection€15

Cetaceans Gallery

Ground-floor gallery centred on an 18.6-metre fin whale skeleton, washed ashore near Naples in 1928, exploring the lives of whales and dolphins.

Permanent collection€15

On the Tracks of Life

Palaeontology rooms built around Giancarlo Ligabue's 1973 Ténéré desert expedition, with the Ouranosaurus nigeriensis dinosaur and a giant fossil crocodile.

Permanent collection€15

Nearby

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Ca' Pesaro – International Gallery of Modern Art

Architecture2 min walk

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Palazzo Mocenigo – Museum of Textiles and Costume

Design3 min walk

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Fondazione Prada Venezia (Ca' Corner della Regina)

Architecture4 min walk

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Ca' d'Oro – Galleria Giorgio Franchetti

Architecture6 min walk

Visitor Information

How much does Museo di Storia Naturale di Venezia (Fontego dei Turchi) cost?

Standard adult admission to Museo di Storia Naturale di Venezia (Fontego dei Turchi) is €15. Reduced €7.50 for ages 6-14, students 15-25, over-65s, Rolling Venice and ISIC card holders. Free for Venice residents, under-6s, disabled visitors with a companion and ICOM members.. Prices for special exhibitions and timed-entry slots may differ.

What are the opening hours of Museo di Storia Naturale di Venezia (Fontego dei Turchi)?

Museo di Storia Naturale di Venezia (Fontego dei Turchi) is open Tue-Sun 09:00-17:00 from 1 October to 31 May (last entry 16:00); 10:00-18:00 from 1 June to 30 September (last entry 17:00), with Friday and Saturday until 20:00 from 1 May to 26 September 2026. Closed Mondays.. Holiday hours can vary, so check the museum's website before you go.

Where is Museo di Storia Naturale di Venezia (Fontego dei Turchi)?

Museo di Storia Naturale di Venezia (Fontego dei Turchi) is located at Santa Croce 1730, 30135 Venezia, Italy, in the Santa Croce area of Venice. The nearest stations are San Stae (vaporetto line 1) and Riva de Biasio (vaporetto line 1).

What can I see at Museo di Storia Naturale di Venezia (Fontego dei Turchi)?

Dinosaurs, a 19-metre fin whale and explorers' cabinets inside a 13th-century Byzantine palace on the Grand Canal. Current highlights include Collecting to Astonish, Collecting for Research, The Strategies of Life and Cetaceans Gallery.

Do I need to book Museo di Storia Naturale di Venezia (Fontego dei Turchi) in advance?

Booking ahead is recommended, especially for weekends, school holidays, and special exhibitions. Tickets are normally on the museum's website, and a pre-booked timed slot helps you avoid queues at the entrance.

When is the best time to visit Museo di Storia Naturale di Venezia (Fontego dei Turchi)?

Weekday mornings shortly after opening are typically the quietest, especially mid-week. Late afternoons can also be calmer. Weekends, school holidays, and the lunch rush are the busiest periods.