18 – Museo Storico Navale di Venezia

18 – Museo Storico Navale di Venezia. Founded in 1919, it is located close to the Arsenale; in one of the old granaries of Venice. 

It is the most important museum of its kind in Italy and part of the complex, is still under the jurisdiction of the Italian Navy. 

The main building’s exhibition area, covers 5 floors with a total of 42 rooms. However, close by and forming part of the museum complex, is the “Ships Pavilion”; which is located in the former oar workshops of the Arsenale.

The Historical Naval Museum of Venice

Ships Pavillion

Location – Opening Times – Tickets and Concessions

Top 25 recommended Museums

Links (internal–external)

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• Historic naval museum 
• Both life-size and scale model vessels
• Suggested duration: 2 – 3 hours
• Vaporetto Stop: Arsenale ( Line 1, 4.1, 4.2). By foot, 10 minute walk along the Riva degli Schiavoni; east from Piazza San Marco   

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Museo Storico Navale di Venezia

The Historical Naval Museum of Venice founded in 1919, is located close to the Arsenale; in one of the old granaries of Venice. Its collections recall those made under the Venetian Republic, when ship-builders models were kept in the Arsenal, in a special building called  the “Casa dei Modelli” (Archive of the Models).

Scale models were used instead of drawn plans; for building the vessels. Some of these old models survived the ransacking of the Arsenale, in 1797 and are now kept in the museum. Here Venetian Ships and Boats are exhibited, as well as models of ships built in the Arsenale, during the French and Austrian occupation (1797-1866) and old and current models of the Italian Navy.

The variety of the exhibited models goes beyond the Venetian boundaries and it contains a huge collection of scale models of fishing boats; used in seas of China and the Far East. The most extraordinary model is the one of the “Bucintoro“, the Doge’s ceremony ship. Original relics coming from the sea-wars are also exhibited.

The museum also includes the Ship Pavilion, located close by; near to the Arsenal bridge.

 

Ships Pavilion

(Visits at fixed hours on Saturday and Sunday – max 25 people)

The building is located, on the Rio dell’Arsenale, next to the Arsenale Bridge. The building that was once the “oar workshop”, now houses part of the collection of vessels of the Naval History Museum of Venice. It consists of three wings arranged in a series and a fourth, similar in size; that is perpendicular to the former; covering a ​​two thousand square metre area. Examples of Venetian boats on display are; ancient ceremonial gondolas, working lagoon boats and military ships.

The Pavilion was constructed in the mid-sixteenth century, to serve as an oar workshop and depot. Shortly after its completion in 1577, it was temporarily adapted as the head office of the Great Council of Venice, the main government body of the city. This followed a disastrous fire, that had destroyed much of Palazzo Ducale and had made it uninhabitable for a long period.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The rooms essentially retained their function of specialist oar joinery, supported by a very busy workshop and storage areas; until the mid-nineteenth century. Following the reorganisation of the Arsenale, which began after 1866, when Venice was annexed to the Kingdom of Italy; the premises were used as storehouses and workshops, by the military engineer corps. At that time, the roofing was restored, with the introduction of an interesting two-way system of iron beams integrating the wooden trusses of the roof.

Since 1980, the oar workshop areas have been known by the name of the “Ships Pavilion”; an extension of the Museum’s main building and houses vessels of great historical importance.

 

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Location – Opening Times – Tickets and Concessions (as of Sept 2025)

Location

 

Opening Times

Every day (except Tuesday): 10am – 6pm

Tickets and Concessions

ENTRANCE TO NAVAL HISTORICAL MUSEUM:16 Euro

VISIT TO THE SUBMARINE ENRICO DANDOLO + ENTRANCE TO NAVAL HISTORICAL MUSEUM AND THE SHIPS PAVILION: 26 Eur

Note. Please check for ticket prices and concessions with the actual Museum linked below, as many sites appear to offer different price structures.

The Museo Navale di Venezia (MUNAV) is not part of the MUVE system (Fondazione Musei Civici di Venezia). Instead, it is owned by the Italian Ministry of Defense and managed through the Navy. It belongs to a network of 15 military museums overseen by Difesa Servizi, which is distinct from the MUVE civic museum foundation.

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TOP RECOMMENDED 25 MUSEUMS.

Select your museum and click on the link below:

1 – Palazzo Ducale (The Doge’s Palace)

2 – Peggy Guggenheim Collection

3 – Ca’ Pesaro

4 – The Correr Museum

5 – Galleria dell’Accademia

6 – Scuola Grande di San Rocco

7 – San Servolo Insa*e Asylum Museum

8 – Palazzo Grassi (Francois Pinault Collection)

9 – Museo Fortuny

10 – Leonardo da Vinci Museum

11 – Fondazione Querini Stampalia

12 – Museo del Vetro

13 – Museo del Merletto

14 – Punta della Dogana

15 – Casa di Carlo Goldoni

16 – Museo di Storia Naturale di Venezia 

17 – Museo Palazzo Mocenigo

18 – Museo Storico Navale di Venezia (not linked)

19 – Museo della Musica

20 – Fondazione Emilio e Annabianca Vedova

21 – Museo di San Marco

22 – Museo Ebraico di Venezia

23 – Palazzo Cini

24 – Museo Provinciale di Torcello

25 – Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Venezia

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Links (internal–external) 

Museo Storico Navale di Venezia

Video 19 MINS-visita al Museo Navale di Venezia

To widen your experience and enjoyment before visiting, please see my comprehensive and illustrated posts, linked below:

Castello – District and Attractions

The Arsenal of Venice

Venice Discount Cards and Passes

Galleries of the Dorsoduro

Private Art Galleries of San Marco

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18 – Museo Storico Navale     18 – Museo Storico Navale    18 – Museo Storico Navale