Peggy Guggenheim Collection

Overview

The Peggy Guggenheim Collection is one of Europe's premier modern art museums, housed in the Palazzo Venier dei Leoni on the Grand Canal — Guggenheim's home until her death in 1979.

Highlights

• Sculpture Garden: Works by Giacometti, Henry Moore, and others overlooking the Grand Canal.
• Marino Marini's Angel of the City: The irreverent equestrian sculpture on the canal-facing terrace, its rider's arms outstretched.
• Pollock, Picasso, Dalí: Major works from Guggenheim's personal collection spanning Cubism, Surrealism, and Abstract Expressionism.

History

Peggy Guggenheim bought the unfinished 18th-century palazzo in 1949 and filled it with her extraordinary art collection. She lived here for 30 years, becoming a fixture of Venice's cultural scene. The museum opened in 1980.

Visitor Tips

• Wednesday Evenings: Extended hours on Wednesdays during summer.
• Garden Café: The museum café in the sculpture garden is a lovely rest stop.
• Duration: 1–1.5 hours.