Galleria Accademia

You get a double-whammy of art in this museum, with the building by Palladio and the artwork from a galaxy of Venetian art stars. The building was a church and monastery designed by the great architect Andrea Palladio. The formal Accademia di Belle Arti was founded in 1750, a school to teach painting, sculpture and architecture. It was the first academy to formalize art restoration as a course of study in 1777. The first president of the Accademia was Venetian painter, Giambattista Tiepolo.

The school inherited a fine collection of masterpieces from various sources through the years, and opened an art gallery to the public in 1817 to put them on display. The collection has grown, thanks to the prominent students and teachers who studied and taught here, and other Venetian artists who became famous. The museum showcases artwork from the Byzantine period through the Renaissance and beyond. Inside the magnificent complex at the foot of the Ponte dell'Accademia you'll find masterpieces by Grand Masters like Veronese, Tintoretto, della Francesca, Mantegna, Giorgione, Titian, Bellini, Canaletto and more. It is definitely a highlight for any art lover.

The Galleria Accademia of Venice is open from 8:15 AM til 2:00 PM on Mondays; from 8:15 AM til 7:15 PM every other day. It is open until 10:00 PM on Fridays. If you want to reserve in advance, you can book online at the Galleria Accademia website.