Punta Della Dogana Contemporary Art Museum

In the city of the edgy Biennale and the Peggy Guggenheim museum, Venice has a reputation as a center of contemporary arts in Italy. That reputation became more fixed when Francois Pinault, one of the world's leading contemporary art collectors, acquired and renovated the abandoned buildings known as Palazzo Grassi as a showcase for his collection. The unusual architectural structure, located at a point on the Grand Canal, was built in 1677 as the customs house, to assess duty on ships entering Venice. The triangular-shaped building was a groundbreaking architectural design for its time, and is reminiscent of a ship's bow. It next to the fanciful Baroque church of Santa Maria della Salute.

Here at the point where the Giudeca Canal meets the Grand Canal, there is a feeling of being at sea. The renovations inserted glass windows where the closed water gates once were, to give a view of passing boats. It's a beautiful space that showcases multi-media displays of modern and abstract art. Exhibits change regularly, about every 18 months.