Did You Know?

Did you know that Venice experiences an annual phenomenon called "Acqua Alta"? During certain times of the year, particularly in winter, high tides cause flooding in some parts of the city. Wooden walkways, known as "pontoon" bridges, are temporarily set up to allow pedestrians to navigate through the flooded areas.

Did you know that Venice is known as the "Floating City" or "City of Water"? This nickname is due to the absence of roads and cars within the historic center of Venice. Instead, transportation is primarily conducted by boats and water taxis, making it a truly distinctive and charming city to explore.

Did you know that Venice has over 400 footbridges? These bridges play a crucial role in connecting different parts of the city, spanning the canals and allowing pedestrians to move around. The most famous and iconic bridge in Venice is the Rialto Bridge, which dates back to the late 16th century.

Did you know that Venice is home to the world's oldest operating casino? The Casino di Venezia, located in the Palazzo Vendramin-Calergi, opened in 1638 and continues to welcome visitors to try their luck at various games of chance in a historic setting.

Venice, Italy is built on more than 100 small islands and has over 400 bridges connecting them all together. The city has no roads, only canals and footpaths.

You are here: Home | Things To Do In Venice and See In Venice | Museo di Palazzo Mocenigo

Discover The Rich History Of An Italian Palazzo: Museo Di Palazzo Mocenigo

Of all the fascinating museums in Venice, this one may hold most appeal for women and artists, especially theatre and film designers. This is a specialty fabric and costume gallery extraordinaire! Housed in a stunning Patrician aristocratic former residence, the Mocenigo is near the Church of San Stae in Santa Croce; the museum has its own style of worshippers...

The building itself is a marvel of fashionable beauty with elaborate trim, and ceiling frescoes painted in the 1700s.

Exhibits include 18th century staged rooms with furnishings and accessories, ornate and lavish. Visitors will also find a cornucopia of clothing, with sumptuous fabrics and detailed embroidery, for men and women, draped on mannequins. These are our 300-year-old fashionistas! Displays include such intricate items as altar clothes, millinery and jewellery.

Don’t miss the perfume laboratory, a curiosity shop of ingredients and containers from the early days of fragrance (well, people didn’t bathe much back then...). The museum offers perfume workshops.

A key aspect of the museum is restoration. Unlike stone and wood, fabric and thread don’t age terribly well, so a substantial amount of work is done to bring clothing and fabrics back to snuff. It’s a fascinating process, demanding ultimate patience.