Palazzo Mocenigo in Venice

Palazzo Mocenigo was inhabited for several centuries by the illustrious family from which it takes its name, which boasts seven doges in its family tree. In addition to these, numerous family members were writers, procurators, captains, ambassadors, and clergymen.

In 1945, the Mocenigo Palace in San Stae (a local dialect version of Sant'Eustacchio) was bequeathed to the City of Venice by the last descendant of the family, Alvise Nicolò, along with much of the original furniture, to be used as an Art Gallery, completing the Correr Museum.

The furnishings and frescoed rooms were joined to the Civic Museums only at the end of the seventies, after the death of the widow Mocenigo, Costanza Faà di Bruno. However, it was not until 1985 that the public could visit the Palazzo Mocenigo as a museum. The Center for Studies in Textile and Costume found a home here, without disturbing the atmosphere of a "lived-in home" that was desired to be preserved following the opening. The specialized library and offices were arranged on the first floor, where the original furniture had been removed, while the first mezzanine and attic were used for storage of fabrics and costumes. The other floors of the palace, divided into apartments, have been left exactly as they were gifted by Alvise Nicolò Mocenigo.

In the same year, the Center for Studies in Textile and Costume was established in Palazzo Mocenigo, an extraordinary collection of fabrics and clothing along with a specialized library that is always open, featuring an important collection of over 13,000 fashion sketches from the 18th to the 20th century. In the rooms of the main floor, a significant selection of the most important accessories and garments from the collection is displayed. The exhibition is structured to show, as much as possible, the relationship between the choice of fabrics used and changes in taste, also regarding furnishings. The exhibited garments come mainly from Venice, where one can trace an ancient culture of craftsmen who contributed to the birth of the characteristic lagoon style, finely sought after. The processing of the exhibited fabrics is often enriched by embroideries, decorations, and especially the particular lace from Burano.

Venice has played a decisive role in the history of perfume and has a centuries-old tradition that inspired this section of the museum. In the 5 rooms dedicated to perfume, multimedia tools and sensory experiences alternate in a new path of knowledge and experience. The visit is organized around the work of the muschiere, the Venetian perfumer, where one discovers techniques and recipes for making soaps, oils, pastes, powders, and liquids for scenting items, people, clothing, gloves, and environments. Techniques, secrets, collections, and historical artifacts reveal the Venetian art of inventing fragrances.

Where

Santa Croce 1992

How

Vaporetti (Water Buses) From Piazzale Roma: Line 1, stop at San Stae From Venice Santa Lucia Station: Line 1, stop at San Stae From Lido of Venice: Line 1, stop at San Stae

When

From November 1 to March 31: 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM (ticket office 10:00 AM - 3:30 PM) From April 1 to October 31: 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM (ticket office 10:00 AM - 4:30 PM) Closed on Mondays, December 25, January 1

Cost

Full ticket: 8 euros