Natural History Museum Venice (Fontego dei Turchi): Dinosaurs, Aquarium & Tickets 2026
In brief: The Museo di Storia Naturale di Venezia Giancarlo Ligabue is Venice’s natural history museum and part of the municipal MUVE network. It sits in the Fontego dei Turchi, one of the oldest surviving palace buildings on the Grand Canal (Veneto-Byzantine, 13th century), in the Sestiere Santa Croce. Its crowd-pullers include the dinosaur and fossil finds of the Ligabue expeditions — among them a mounted Ouranosaurus and Sarcosuchus finds and reconstructions — as well as the Tegnùe aquarium and the historic cabinet-of-curiosities rooms. Admission is currently about €15 according to Venezia Unica (reduced €7.50); the museum belongs to the MUVE network and is also sold as a single ticket — check pass/combined-ticket validity in advance. For families with children, one of the city’s most rewarding museums.
Is the natural history museum worth it for your trip?
| If you … | Assessment |
|---|---|
| … are travelling with children (5–14) | A clear recommendation — dinosaurs, aquarium, whale skeleton, plenty to discover |
| … need to bridge a rainy or acqua alta day | Well suited — a compact indoor programme, 1.5–2 hours |
| … are interested in the lagoon and its ecology | A very good fit — the Tegnùe aquarium and lagoon section |
| … only have one day in Venice | Probably not — St Mark’s Square, the Doge’s Palace and the Accademia take priority |
| … want to see the Fontego dei Turchi as a building | The palace alone justifies the stop — one of the oldest façades on the Grand Canal |
The Fontego dei Turchi: the building is part of the exhibition
The museum sits in one of Venice’s oldest surviving secular buildings. The Fontego dei Turchi (also Fondaco dei Turchi) was built in the 13th century as a Veneto-Byzantine trading palace with its characteristic long arcaded front and corner towers — a building type that survives almost nowhere else. From 1621 to 1838 it served as the trading post and residence of Ottoman merchants (hence “dei Turchi”). By the 19th century the building had badly decayed and was controversially restored; today’s façade is therefore partly reconstruction. The palace has housed the natural history museum since 1923.
In practical terms: even the view of the long waterfront from the vaporetto is worth it. The San Stae stop (line 1) is two minutes’ walk away, so the visit combines well with a Grand Canal ride.
What you see in the museum
- Ouranosaurus nigeriensis — a mounted dinosaur skeleton about 7 metres long from the Lower Cretaceous, connected with a Sahara expedition (Niger) by the Venetian researcher Giancarlo Ligabue. The museum’s most crowd-pleasing room.
- Sarcosuchus imperator — skull and reconstruction of a very large Cretaceous crocodile (estimates up to around 11 metres long), also from the orbit of the Ligabue expeditions.
- The Tegnùe aquarium — living tanks devoted to the tegnùe, rocky underwater areas of the northern Adriatic considered special habitats for numerous marine species.
- The cabinet-of-curiosities rooms — historic collections in 19th-century style: shells, insects, taxidermy, a whale skeleton under the ceiling.
- The “Forms of Life” and “Collecting to Understand” sections — didactic areas on evolution and the history of scientific collecting.
Opening hours and tickets 2026
| Period | Opening hours | Last entry |
|---|---|---|
| 1 June – 30 September (Tue–Sun) | 10:00 – 18:00 | 17:00 |
| 1 October – 31 May (Tue–Sun) | 9:00 – 17:00 | 16:00 |
| Monday | closed | – |
| 25 December + 1 January | closed | – |
Admission: currently about €15 (adults) according to Venezia Unica, reduced about €7.50 (incl. students, seniors, children/teenagers). Children under 6 usually free. The natural history museum belongs to the MUVE network and is also sold as a single ticket; whether it is included in your specific Museum Pass, family pass or combined ticket should be checked directly on VisitMUVE or Venezia Unica before buying. Tickets at the desk or in advance online via the official channels (CoopCulture/Venezia Unica).
Getting there, acqua alta and accessibility
Address: Santa Croce 1730, on the Grand Canal. Nearest vaporetto stop: San Stae (line 1), about 2 minutes on foot. From Santa Lucia station or Piazzale Roma it is about 12–15 minutes on foot through Santa Croce. The museum is thus well placed for anyone arriving by train and looking for a first, child-friendly programme item.
Acqua alta: the museum is a good bad-weather programme. During acqua alta, however, routes, vaporetto access or the entrance areas on the Grand Canal can be affected. Above all between October and March, check current tide and museum information — for instance on our acqua alta page with live tide levels.
Accessibility: the museum is generally considered accessible; individual historic areas, lifts or routes can still have restrictions. Visitors with limited mobility should check current accessibility information on VisitMUVE or CoopCulture in advance.
Tours and tickets
Suitable family-friendly Venice tours, Santa Croce/San Polo walks and Grand Canal rides (with a view of the Fontego dei Turchi) are available from our affiliate partner GetYourGuide:
Frequently asked questions about the natural history museum
Is the Museo di Storia Naturale included in the Museum Pass?
The natural history museum belongs to the MUVE network but is also sold as a single ticket. Whether it is included in your specific Museum Pass, family pass or combined ticket can differ by ticket type and booking route and should be checked directly on VisitMUVE or Venezia Unica before buying. Regular admission is currently about €15 (reduced €7.50).
Is the museum worth it with children?
Yes, it is one of Venice’s most child-friendly museums. The big dinosaur skeleton, the giant crocodile, the living lagoon aquarium and the whale skeleton under the ceiling appeal directly to children from about five. The circuit takes around 1.5 hours with children and also works as a bad-weather programme.
How long should I allow?
For the complete circuit through all rooms including the aquarium and the cabinet of curiosities, allow 1.5 to 2 hours. If you only want the dinosaur rooms and the aquarium, one hour is enough.
Can I combine the visit with other sights?
Yes. The museum sits in Santa Croce near the station and the San Stae vaporetto stop. It combines well with a ride on the Grand Canal, a walk through Santa Croce and San Polo, or with the nearby Ca’ Pesaro (modern art).
Is the museum accessible?
The museum is generally considered accessible; individual historic areas, lifts or routes can still have restrictions. During acqua alta the entrance area directly on the Grand Canal can also be affected. Visitors with limited mobility should check current accessibility information on VisitMUVE or CoopCulture in advance; current levels on our acqua alta page.