Fondazione Querini Stampalia
Fondazione Querini Stampalia
Historic building with art
Fondazione Querini Stampalia
My Rating:
The Positives:
Here, historic spaces are combined with Old Master paintings and contemporary art exhibitions. Brilliantly done.
The Negatives:
Perhaps not the first place to go for Venice first-timers, but for those in the know, it's a great alternative to the standard tourist attractions.
Last Modified: 21.04.2026 | Céline
Fondazione Querini Stampalia
Tickets
The details
at a glance
Opening Hours
Collections and Exhibitions:
Tuesday to Sunday, 10.00 – 18.00 h
Last admission 17.30 h
Closed Mondays
Library:
Tuesday to Friday, 10.00 – 20.00 h
Saturday, Sunday, and public holidays, 10.00 – 19.00 h
Prices
EUR 15 for adults
EUR 12 for seniors over 70
Free entry for children under 18
Unfortunately, it’s EUR 2 more expensive through us. But you would be supporting the work on this site… 🙏
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Fondazione Querini Stampalia
Photo Gallery
What is there
to see?
The Fondazione Querini Stampalia offers an incredibly diverse experience! Here, you’ll find one of Venice’s oldest public libraries, the historic rooms of the Querini Stampalia family, important artworks by Tiepolo, Bellini, and Canaletto, as well as regularly changing exhibitions featuring contemporary artists—often showcased during the Venice Biennale.
There’s truly something for everyone!
The tour begins on the first floor, in the original rooms of the Querini Stampalia family. These spaces are preserved much as they were in the 18th and 19th centuries. Visitors can admire the furniture, porcelain, everyday treasures of the family, and a small, beautifully crafted private chapel.
Amid the furnishings, countless paintings from the 14th to 20th centuries are on display. These include everyday scenes of Venice, family portraits, and remarkable masterpieces such as Giovanni Bellini’s “Presentation of Jesus at the Temple”, works by Paolo Veronese, Giambattista Tiepolo, Pietro Longhi’s Geography Lesson and Marsh Hunt, and Medardo Rosso’s “Head of a Boy”.
In the so-called “Myth Room”, curious and unusual works can be found. For instance, Alessandro Varotari (known as Padovanino) painted two women kissing, representing Justice and Peace.
On the second floor, the family collection continues. Here you’ll find a Tintoretto room with the large-scale work “Paradiso”, a design for the monumental wall fresco in the Doge’s Palace. This is followed by a Tiepolo room, a Canaletto room, and then onward into the exhibition spaces.
Finally, the tour descends a rear staircase to the ground floor, where visitors can catch a glimpse of the garden, which also hosts parts of the current exhibition.
Fondazione Querini Stampalia
A bit of History
In the 1950s, architect Carlo Scarpa redesigned the ground floor and garden, incorporating waterways, light effects, and glass—a real highlight for fans of modern architecture. This is a highlight for architektur-fans.
The Querini Family
The Querini family tree can be traced back to the 13th century. They were one of the twelve founding families of Venice—extremely influential, although they were barred from election as Doge in 1310 due to involvement in a conspiracy. Despite this, the family retained considerable power.
In the 14th century, they were gifted a Greek island, and the family name was extended to Querini Stampalia.
By the 14th century, the Querini family already owned homes near Santa Maria Formosa. In the 16th century, the building that would later house subsequent generations—and todays museum—was constructed.
At the beginning of the 18th century, Polo Querini (1654–1728) laid the foundation of the art collection. His son, Cardinal Angelo Maria Querini (1680–1755), preserved all his correspondence with intellectuals and rulers across Europe, including Voltaire and Frederick II of Prussia, and founded the Biblioteca Querininiana in Brescia.
Andrea Domenico Querini (1710–1795) strengthened the family holdings through investments in property, allowing the collection to grow.
Alvise Querini (1758–1834), the last ambassador of the Republic of Venice to France (1795–1797), managed to preserve much of the family’s estate, despite significant losses following the Republic’s collapse.
Finally, in 1869, Giovanni Querini bequeathed the family’s art collection, archives, and library to the city of Venice in his will.
The Museum and Restorations
In 1872, twenty rooms of the museum were opened to the public one day a week, free of charge. Restructurings took place in 1925 and 1934. The house was closed during World War II and reopened in 1946.
In 1948, renowned architect Carlo Scarpa was commissioned to restore the Palazzo Querini Stampalia, as the ground floor had become unusable due to increasingly frequent flooding, including the garden. The restoration work began ten years later and continued until 1963. In the following years, other architects worked on staircases, the courtyard roofing, and additional elements, resulting in a remarkable blend of historic and modern architecture.
Text and image rights: © Céline Mülich, 2024–2026
Permission from the Fondazione Querini Stampalia is still pending…
