Ca’ Pesaro is Venice’s International Gallery of Modern Art, housed in a monumental Baroque palace on the Grand Canal in Santa Croce. Designed by Baldassare Longhena for the Pesaro family and completed after his death by Antonio Gaspari, its richly worked Istrian stone façade is a landmark in its own right.
The palace was bequeathed to the city by Duchess Felicita Bevilacqua La Masa, who wanted it to support young artists. Its collection grew in part through acquisitions from the Venice Biennale, bringing international art into conversation with Italian modernism. Highlights include works by Gustav Klimt, Marc Chagall and Giorgio de Chirico, though displays can change.
The combination of modern art, grand historic rooms and views over the canal makes Ca’ Pesaro a rewarding alternative to Venice’s busiest museums. Allow at least an hour for the gallery, check opening times and temporary exhibitions before visiting, and consider arriving by vaporetto at the nearby San Stae stop.