Peggy Guggenheim Collection Venice 2026: Collection, Tickets & Tips
In brief: The Peggy Guggenheim Collection in the Palazzo Venier dei Leoni on the Grand Canal shows one of the most important collections of 20th-century modern art in Italy. The exhibition rooms and sculpture garden hold works by Pollock, Picasso, Ernst, Magritte, Brâncuși, Calder, Mondrian, Dalí, Miró, Klee and Kandinsky. Regular admission is currently around €18 (Wednesday to Monday 10:00–18:00, closed Tuesdays and 25 December, ticket desk until 17:00). The visit takes 60–90 minutes depending on pace and pairs well with the Accademia (3 minutes on foot) as a second half-day in Dorsoduro — a modern counterpart to the Renaissance houses. Check prices and times in advance on guggenheim-venice.it.
Is the Peggy Guggenheim Collection worth it?
| If you … | Recommendation |
|---|---|
| … love modern and contemporary art | Clear recommendation — plan 90 min and take the audio guide |
| … want a counterpoint after the Accademia + Doge’s Palace | A good afternoon contrast, more compact and easier to take in |
| … only have half a day for art | Peggy + sculpture garden + café — 2 hours including a break |
| … are travelling with children (10+) | Works better than the Accademia — Calder mobiles, the Marini horseman in the garden, visual variety |
| … are only after classical painting | Skip — go straight to the Accademia or Doge’s Palace |
| … want a photo highlight | Marini’s sculpture “Angel of the City” on the Grand Canal terrace — one of Venice’s most iconic shots |
| … travel in Carnival weeks or in summer | Pre-book online, guaranteed time slot |
| … need to bridge an acqua alta day | Usually easy to reach — Dorsoduro lies higher; check in advance during strong high water |
What is the Peggy Guggenheim Collection?
The Peggy Guggenheim Collection is the private art collection of the American patron Peggy Guggenheim (1898–1979), today one of the branches of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation of New York. It shows a concentrated holding of important works of the European and American avant-garde from the 1910s to the 1960s — Cubism, Surrealism, Futurism, Abstract Expressionism.
Peggy Guggenheim was the daughter of Benjamin Guggenheim, who died on the Titanic in 1912, and heiress to a considerable family fortune. Instead of investing it conventionally, she went to Paris in 1921, met James Joyce and Marcel Duchamp, and began collecting in the early 1930s. In 1938 she opened her first gallery, “Guggenheim Jeune”, in London, and in 1942 the famous “Art of This Century” in New York — one of the first US galleries to show Jackson Pollock, Mark Rothko and Robert Motherwell. Peggy Guggenheim thus played an important role in the early promotion of Abstract Expressionism, above all through this gallery and her support of Jackson Pollock.
In 1949 she acquired the Palazzo Venier dei Leoni in Venice, moved in and opened her collection to the public for half of each year. She lived here with her dogs until her death in 1979. In her will she left the palazzo and collection to the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation, which opened the house as a year-round public museum in 1980.
Palazzo Venier dei Leoni — the unusual building
Architect Lorenzo Boschetti began the palazzo in 1748–49 for the noble Venier family — the plan was a typical grand Venetian palazzo of several storeys. Essentially only the ground floor was built before the family ran out of money. Hence the unofficial nickname “Palazzo Nonfinito” (the unfinished one). That incompleteness is today’s advantage: instead of a multi-storey townhouse you get a broad, low building of unusual horizontality on the Grand Canal — and above all a large roof terrace above the entrance hall that serves as a sculpture garden.
In the early 20th century the eccentric Italian aristocrat Luisa Casati lived here for a time, around whom countless anecdotes revolve. In 1949 Peggy Guggenheim acquired the palazzo and made it her home, exhibition space and eventual museum.
The collection — highlights
The collection comprises a concentrated holding of important modern works, supplemented by gifts and long-term loans. The most important artists include the following — the specific hanging can change due to loans, restorations and special exhibitions; check the current presentation on site.
Cubism + Futurism
Pablo Picasso — “On the Beach” (1937), one of the late-Cubist beach scenes with soft biomorphic forms, and “Le Poète” (1911) from the high phase of Analytical Cubism. Alongside them Georges Braque and Juan Gris. From Italian Futurism comes Umberto Boccioni’s “Dynamism of a Speeding Horse + Houses” — a key work of dynamic dissolution. Gino Severini is also represented.
Surrealism
Peggy Guggenheim was married to the German Surrealist Max Ernst from 1941 to 1946 — accordingly his works are densely represented: “The Antipope” (1942), “The Attirement of the Bride”, “The Kiss”. René Magritte is represented with a work from his famous “Empire of Light” group — one of the day-night inversions of which he painted several versions. Salvador Dalí is present with “Birth of Liquid Desires”, Joan Miró with “Seated Woman II”, Yves Tanguy with dreamlike landscapes, and Leonora Carrington and Dorothea Tanning (Ernst’s later wife) with works of their own.
Abstract Expressionism
Here lies a focus of the collection’s art-historical importance. In 1943 Peggy had given Jackson Pollock an early major commission — the “Mural” for her New York apartment, which today hangs in Iowa. In Venice you see Pollock’s “Alchemy” (1947), “The Moon-Woman” (1942) and “Two”, from the key phase in which he moved from Surrealist symbolism to drip painting. Mark Rothko, William Baziotes and Clyfford Still also belong to the collection.
Sculpture — Brâncuși, Calder, Marini
Constantin Brâncuși’s “Maiastra” and “Bird in Space” (bronze) are among the great icons of the collection. Alexander Calder is represented with several mobiles — a large mobile hangs right by the entrance. Marino Marini created the famous “Angel of the City” in 1948, a bronze figure of a horseman with outstretched arms. Several anecdotes surround the sculpture; what is certain above all is its iconic position on the Grand Canal terrace facing Santa Maria della Salute — one of the most photographed Venice motifs.
Further pillars
Wassily Kandinsky (“Landscape with Red Spots, No. 2”, 1913) — early abstraction in full colour intensity. Paul Klee with small-format works from the Bauhaus years. Piet Mondrian — “Composition with Red”. Marc Chagall with Russian-Jewish genre scenes. Joseph Cornell with his surreal box sculptures. Plus works by Leonor Fini, Maria Helena Vieira da Silva and other women artists whom Peggy collected systematically.
The sculpture garden and Peggy’s grave
Behind the palazzo, on the side facing away from the Grand Canal, lies the Nasher Sculpture Garden — named after the patron couple Patsy and Raymond Nasher, who funded it in 1995. Here stand works by Henry Moore, Constantin Brâncuși, Marino Marini, Alberto Giacometti, Yoko Ono and others.
In a quiet corner of the garden is Peggy Guggenheim’s grave — a plain marble slab with her name and dates. Next to it, each with its own small plaque, the graves of her Lhasa Apso dogs, who lived with her in the palazzo (“Beloved Babies”). One of the most touching corners of any Venice museum — plain, personal, not staged at all.
From the garden the route leads back through the café (with a Grand Canal view) and the shop to the exit.
Tickets 2026: prices and options
Current prices can vary by season and special exhibition — the following values are a guide (as of spring 2026) and should be checked on the official site guggenheim-venice.it before your visit. Important: the Peggy Guggenheim Collection is not included in the municipal MUVE Museum Pass, nor in the St Mark’s City Pass — it is an independent private foundation.
| Ticket | Price (approx.) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Standard ticket (adults) | approx. €18 | Full route + sculpture garden |
| Reduced ticket (students under 26, seniors over 65) | approx. €16 | Carry ID |
| Family ticket (2 adults + up to 2 children 11–18) | approx. €36 | At the desk |
| Children 11–18 (individually) | approx. €10 | – |
| Children under 10 | free | – |
| Audio guide | approx. €7 extra | multilingual incl. English |
| Skip-the-line online (third party) | from approx. €21–28 | Guaranteed time slot |
Notes: unlike the Accademia, the Peggy Guggenheim Collection has no state free-Sunday scheme — admission is charged year-round. Temporary exhibitions can be included in the ticket or require a surcharge depending on the programme. Online tickets can help in peak travel periods; third parties are often somewhat more expensive but sometimes offer flexible cancellation or combined options.
Compare Peggy Guggenheim tickets online
Opening hours and the best time to visit
| Day | Opening hours | Last entry |
|---|---|---|
| Wednesday – Monday | 10:00 – 18:00 | Ticket desk until 17:00 |
| Tuesday | closed | – |
| 25 December | closed | – |
As of spring 2026. Special arrangements during the Biennale or major temporary exhibitions are possible — check guggenheim-venice.it before your visit.
Best time of day
- First window (10:00–11:30): quiet, good light for the small-format Klee and Kandinsky pictures.
- Midday (12:00–14:30): full tour groups, often a wait at the entrance.
- Late afternoon (15:30–17:00): weekend peak, can get busy. In summer, though, pleasant on the Marini terrace as the sun moves west.
- Weekdays vs weekend: Wednesday and Thursday are the quietest days. Sunday and Monday often bring day tourists.
- Beware Tuesday: closed — visit the Accademia instead (open Tuesdays).
Best season
- Shoulder season (mid-March – mid-May): the best conditions, mild weather for the sculpture garden, quiet rooms. Clear recommendation.
- Biennale year (May–November in even years): Peggy is a fixed stop for art travellers — correspondingly busier.
- Late season (mid-September – November): occasional acqua alta from October, the sculpture garden can be wet.
- High season (June – August): online pre-booking makes sense. The garden is very pleasant in the later afternoon.
- Winter (December – February, except Carnival): very quiet, few visitors. The garden is cool but walkable.
Getting to the Peggy Guggenheim Collection
The address is Dorsoduro 701–704, 30123 Venezia. The entrance is not directly on the Grand Canal but on Calle San Cristoforo, a narrow lane behind the palazzo. Arriving by vaporetto you land either at Accademia (3 min on foot) or at Salute (5 min westwards along the Punta della Dogana).
| Line | Stop | Walk |
|---|---|---|
| Line 1 (slow Grand Canal line) | Accademia | 3 min eastwards (towards the Salute) |
| Line 2 (express) | Accademia | 3 min eastwards |
| Line 1 (slow Grand Canal line) | Salute | 5 min westwards along the Dogana |
| Lines 5.1, 5.2 (ring line) | Zattere | 10 min northwards via Calle San Cristoforo |
From Marco Polo Airport: with the Alilaguna water bus (blue line) to Salute or San Marco — Vallaresso, then vaporetto or on foot. By bus to Piazzale Roma + vaporetto line 1 to Accademia or Salute — roughly the same journey, but cheaper.
Combining with a museum before: most travellers come straight from the Accademia (same sestiere, 3 minutes on foot via Calle Nuova Sant’Agnese). Coming from San Marco, take vaporetto line 2 to Salute and walk westwards.
The Peggy Guggenheim during acqua alta
Dorsoduro lies comparatively high in Venice — during typical acqua alta events the Peggy Guggenheim Collection usually remains easy to reach, and the exhibition rooms are above the waterline. Nevertheless, during stronger acqua alta, routes through Dorsoduro, vaporetto access, the entrance on Calle San Cristoforo or the sculpture garden (at the level of the Grand Canal waterline) can be affected or temporarily closed. Check current museum and transport information before your visit, above all between October and March — for instance on our acqua alta page with live tide levels.
If you need to bridge a high-water half day, a sensible combination is the Accademia (morning) and the Peggy Guggenheim (afternoon) — both in Dorsoduro, 3 minutes apart on foot.
With children, and accessibility
With children
The Peggy Guggenheim works better for children than the Accademia or the Doge’s Palace — the collection is smaller (60–90 min is enough), the works are colourful and visually direct, and the sculpture garden allows free movement after the indoor section.
- The Calder mobile in the entrance hall — it turns, has lively colours and fascinates children immediately.
- The Marini horseman in the garden — the striking bronze figure of a rider with outstretched arms by the water.
- Peggy’s dog graves — small plaques next to the main grave. Most children stop here of their own accord.
- Sculpture garden — plenty of places to sit and short breathers.
- Family activities — seasonal workshops and children’s tours, above all at weekends. Check the official site in advance.
Accessibility
The Peggy Guggenheim Collection offers accessibility programmes and is comparatively easy to access for many visitors with limited mobility — the collection is largely on one level (ground-floor palazzo + garden). Because of historic thresholds, the garden step and possible operational changes, check the current accessibility information directly on the official site or with the booking office before your visit.
Combining the Peggy Guggenheim — what fits into one day?
The Peggy Guggenheim Collection’s strength is its Dorsoduro location with the other top museums within walking distance. Three sensible day plans:
- “Dorsoduro classics day”: Accademia in the morning (9:00–12:00), lunch break e.g. at Pasticceria Tonolo or on the Zattere. Peggy Guggenheim in the afternoon (13:30–16:00). Optionally Punta della Dogana in the late afternoon (5 min westwards on foot).
- “Classics + moderns”: morning Doge’s Palace + Correr (San Marco), lunch break, afternoon across the Accademia bridge to the Peggy Guggenheim. Brings classical and modern art into one day.
- “Contemporary art day”: Peggy Guggenheim in the morning + Punta della Dogana and Palazzo Grassi (Pinault collection) in the afternoon. For travellers who only want modern and contemporary art.
Guided tours — Dorsoduro, modern art
A guided tour is less essential at the Peggy Guggenheim than at the Accademia, because the collection is smaller and the works need less explanation — the audio guide works well. If you would still like a tour or a Dorsoduro art walk (Peggy + Accademia or Peggy + Punta della Dogana), check daily availability at our affiliate partner GetYourGuide:
Frequently asked questions about the Peggy Guggenheim Collection
How long does a visit to the Peggy Guggenheim Collection take?
Depending on pace and interest, 60–90 minutes for the collection itself, plus 15–30 minutes for the sculpture garden and café. Altogether about 1.5–2 hours. Much more compact than the Accademia or Doge’s Palace — fits well as a second half-day in Dorsoduro.
Is the Peggy Guggenheim included in the MUVE Museum Pass?
No. The collection is a private foundation (Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation) and not part of the municipal MUVE pass, nor of the St Mark’s City Pass. Tickets are only available individually via the official site guggenheim-venice.it or via third parties such as GetYourGuide.
On which day is the Peggy Guggenheim closed?
All day Tuesday — the only regular closing day. Also on 25 December. If you want to visit museums in Dorsoduro on a Tuesday, switch to the Accademia (open Tuesdays, closed Mondays). Ca’ Rezzonico is also closed on Tuesdays.
Is skip-the-line worth it at the Peggy Guggenheim?
In high season (June–August, Carnival weeks, Easter) and at weekends it can pay off — the entrance queue can grow at peak times. In the shoulder seasons and on weekdays it is usually unnecessary. During the Biennale (May–November in even years) pre-booking is recommended. A fixed time saving cannot be guaranteed.
Which works should I not miss?
Four frequently named must-sees: Picasso’s “On the Beach” (1937, late Cubist), Pollock’s “Alchemy” (1947, drip-painting phase), Magritte’s work from the “Empire of Light” group (day-night inversion) and Marini’s “Angel of the City” (1948, the horseman on the Grand Canal terrace). Plus Brâncuși’s “Bird in Space” and the sculpture garden with Peggy’s grave. The specific hanging can change — check the current presentation on site.
Who was Peggy Guggenheim?
Peggy Guggenheim (1898–1979) was an American art patron and collector. Daughter of Benjamin Guggenheim, who died on the Titanic in 1912, and niece of Solomon R. Guggenheim, founder of the New York museum of the same name. Peggy lived in Europe from 1921, ran a gallery in London in 1938–39 and the gallery “Art of This Century” in New York in 1942–47. In 1949 she acquired the Palazzo Venier dei Leoni in Venice and lived there until her death in 1979. She played an important role in the early promotion of Abstract Expressionism, above all through her New York gallery and her support of Jackson Pollock.
What is the sculpture garden?
The Nasher Sculpture Garden (named after the patrons Patsy and Raymond Nasher) lies behind the Palazzo Venier dei Leoni on the side facing away from the Grand Canal. It holds works by Henry Moore, Brâncuși, Marino Marini, Giacometti, Yoko Ono and others. In a quiet corner is Peggy Guggenheim’s grave along with the small plaques of her dogs — one of the most personal corners of any Venice museum.
Is there an audio guide in English?
Yes, the official audio guide is available in English — about €7 extra at the entrance. Worth it, because some works need context (such as the Surrealist connections and Peggy’s personal history with Max Ernst and Pollock).
Is the Peggy Guggenheim accessible during acqua alta?
During typical acqua alta events, usually yes. Dorsoduro lies higher than San Marco and the collection is mostly on the ground floor of a slightly raised palazzo. During stronger acqua alta, routes, the entrance or the sculpture garden (at waterline level) can temporarily be affected or closed; check current information on the museum website or on our acqua alta page with live tide levels before your visit.
Can I visit the Peggy Guggenheim with children?
Yes, it works well. The collection is smaller and visually more direct than the Accademia or the Doge’s Palace. Calder mobiles, the Marini horseman and the sculpture garden offer enough variety for children from 8–10. Plan a maximum of 90 minutes, then a café break or a switch to Punta della Dogana (5 min westwards).
How do I best combine the Peggy Guggenheim?
Best combination: Accademia in the morning + Peggy Guggenheim in the afternoon. Both in Dorsoduro, 3 minutes apart on foot. Note the closing days — the Accademia is closed Mondays, Peggy is closed Tuesdays. To pack more in: add Punta della Dogana (5 min on foot).
How do I get to the Peggy Guggenheim Collection?
Vaporetto line 1 and line 2 stop at Accademia (3 min on foot eastwards via Calle Nuova Sant’Agnese) or at Salute (5 min westwards along the Punta della Dogana). From Santa Lucia station about 25 min on foot via the Accademia bridge. From Marco Polo Airport directly with Alilaguna to San Marco — Vallaresso or Salute.
Related topics
- Art in Venice — Titian, Tintoretto, Veronese, Palladio, Bellini
- Museums in Venice — overview and passes
- Gallerie dell’Accademia — Venetian painting next door
- Doge’s Palace — history and architecture
- Palazzo Grassi + Punta della Dogana — the Pinault collection
- Ca’ Rezzonico — the Settecento in Dorsoduro
- Ca’ d’Oro — Venetian Gothic on the Grand Canal
- Venice sights — the 12 most important places
- Acqua alta — live tide levels and accessibility
- Getting to Venice + vaporetto