Naval History Museum of Venice

Museo Storico Navale: The Naval History Museum of Venice

The Doge's fleet before San Nicolo di Lido by Francesco Guardi

Francesco Guardi: The Bucintoro before San Nicolo di Lido (1780) Louvre

The Venice Naval History Museum is located in the Campo San Biagio in the eastern Castello district, a short walk from the Arsenale vaporetto stop.

The main entrance to the museum is flanked by two enormous anchors seized from Austrian battleships during the First World War.

The first floor contains a collection of Second World War artillery pieces and torpedoes. It also houses an exhibition dedicated to the memory of the 18th century admiral Angelo Erno who won some minor naval engagements against Algiers and the Bey of Tunis, and who reorganised the Arsenale in a vain attempt to maintain Venetian naval power.

Admiral Erno, arguably Venice's last military hero, died just five years before the city's conquest by Napoleon in 1797.

The first floor of the museum also houses a 16th century frieze by Fernando Bertelli which depicts Venice’s famous victory against the Ottoman Empire at the Battle of Lepanto in 1572.

The Sea Battle of Lepanto by Fernando Bertelli

A large section of the second floor is dedicated to another naval hero, Admiral Morosini, who drove the Turks out of the Pelopponese in the late 17th century. Despite his military achievements, Admiral Morosini is probably best known for his scandalous bombardment of the Parthenon during the siege of Athens in 1687.

The Morosini exhibition includes the admiral's triangular silk banner and several sculptures and engravings which formerly adorned his flagship.

Admiral Morosini became Doge of Venice in 1688, but was unable to continue his invasion of Greece after a plague epidemic depleted his navy. Instead he sacked several Dalmatian coastal towns whose inhabitants had refused to pay Venetian taxes.

In addition to the Morosini exhibition, the second floor contains an exquisite collection of model ships which are correct in virtually every detail.

The collection includes military and merchant ships but the most impressive item is undoubtedly the model of the Bucintoro, the Doge’s ceremonial barge.

The Bucintoro before the Doge's Palace by Canaletto (mid-18th century)

The Ducal procession lead by the Bucintoro sails past the Doge's Palace: Canaletto (1732) Royal Collection, UK

The third floor of the museum charts the history of Venetian trawlers and merchant vessels, and includes an extensive display of traditional fishing gear.

There are also some decorative 17th and 18th century gondola prows and several silver-trimmed black hats of the kind formerly worn by gondoliers in the service of noble families.

Several unusual and lavishly decorated gondolas are also displayed including one which formerly belonged to Peggy Guggenheim, the founder of the Guggenheim Museum on the Grand Canal.

The museum grounds, which once formed part of the Arsenale, contain several sheds in which various historic barges are displayed.

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