Palazzo Grassi + Punta della Dogana Venice 2026: Pinault Collection — Tickets & Highlights
In brief: Palazzo Grassi and Punta della Dogana are the two exhibition venues of the Pinault Collection in Venice — the contemporary art collection of the French entrepreneur François Pinault (founder of Kering). Palazzo Grassi (a neoclassical 18th-century palazzo on the Grand Canal in the Sestiere San Marco) and Punta della Dogana (the former Dogana da Mar from the late 17th century at the tip of Dorsoduro, opposite St Mark’s Square) were both converted by the Japanese architect Tadao Ando — Palazzo Grassi in 2006, Punta della Dogana in 2009. Both venues show almost exclusively temporary exhibitions of contemporary art; check the current programme before visiting. Admission is currently around €20 (reduced approx. €15, ages 20–26 approx. €7, under 20 free). Open Wednesday to Monday 10:00–18:00 (last entry 17:00), closed Tuesdays and 25 December. Visit time 90–120 min per venue. Alongside the Peggy Guggenheim Collection, one of the most important places for contemporary art in Venice. Check prices and times in advance on palazzograssi.it.
Quick overview — the Pinault Collection at a glance
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Venues | Palazzo Grassi (San Marco) + Punta della Dogana (Dorsoduro) |
| Collection | Pinault Collection — contemporary art (temporary exhibitions) |
| Founder | François Pinault (b. 1936, founder of the Kering group: Gucci, Saint Laurent, Bottega Veneta) |
| Architect of the conversions | Tadao Ando (Palazzo Grassi 2006, Punta della Dogana 2009) |
| Artists in the collection’s orbit | incl. Damien Hirst, Maurizio Cattelan, Jeff Koons, Cindy Sherman, Takashi Murakami, Marlene Dumas, Pierre Huyghe (hanging changes per exhibition) |
| Admission | approx. €20 regular, reduced approx. €15, ages 20–26 approx. €7, under 20 free — varies by exhibition, check in advance |
| Opening hours | Wed–Mon 10:00–18:00 (last entry 17:00), closed Tuesdays |
| Visit duration | 90–120 min per venue |
| Vaporetto | San Samuele (line 2) for Palazzo Grassi, Salute (line 1) for Punta della Dogana |
| In the MUVE pass? | No — an independent private foundation |
Is the Pinault Collection worth it?
| If you … | Recommendation |
|---|---|
| … love contemporary art | Highly recommended — one of Venice’s great temporary-exhibition programmes alongside the Biennale |
| … appreciate Tadao Ando’s architecture | An important stop — above all Punta della Dogana with its central concrete interior |
| … only visit one venue | Punta della Dogana — architecturally striking, with lagoon views |
| … combine with the Peggy Guggenheim Collection | Ideal — Punta della Dogana and the Peggy Guggenheim are 5 min apart on foot |
| … only like Renaissance and Baroque painting | Skip — Pinault is exclusively contemporary, from about 1960 |
| … are travelling with children | Suitability depends heavily on the current exhibition — check the theme in advance |
| … only have half a day | Punta della Dogana alone — 90 min, compact and intense |
| … need to bridge an acqua alta day | Punta della Dogana sits right on the water and can be affected during stronger acqua alta — Palazzo Grassi is often easier to reach |
Who is François Pinault?
François Pinault (born 1936) is one of France’s wealthiest entrepreneurs — founder and long-time chairman of the Kering group (formerly PPR), which includes luxury brands such as Gucci, Saint Laurent, Bottega Veneta, Balenciaga and Alexander McQueen. He has collected contemporary art since the 1960s — today one of the world’s most extensive private collections with more than 10,000 works.
After a long search for a location, Venice became the main seat of his collection — in 2005 he bought Palazzo Grassi (previously owned by the Fiat family Agnelli), and in 2007 he received the exhibition mandate for the Punta della Dogana (city property, long-term lease). With Punta della Dogana he opened one of Venice’s great centres for contemporary art in 2009. In 2013 the Teatrino di Palazzo Grassi followed — a small theatre in the garden of Palazzo Grassi for talks and performances.
In France, Pinault is often compared with Bernard Arnault (LVMH) — both have built defining private museums over the past 20 years (Arnault: Fondation Louis Vuitton in Paris, plus the Bourse de Commerce in 2021). Pinault, however, deliberately moved the centre of his collection to Venice.
The two venues in detail
Palazzo Grassi (Sestiere San Marco)
Palazzo Grassi was built in the mid-18th century to designs by the architect Giorgio Massari for the wealthy Grassi family on the Grand Canal — one of the Republic’s later great palazzi, neoclassical in character with a three-part façade and restrained ornament. Ownership changed several times in the 19th century; in 1984 the Fiat family Agnelli bought it and converted it into an exhibition space.
In 2005 Agnelli sold the palazzo to Pinault. Tadao Ando was commissioned for the subsequent conversion — his concept was minimally invasive: the neoclassical exterior remained untouched; inside he removed some later partition walls and created a multi-storey, light-filled exhibition space with clean concrete walls in the atrium and wooden floors in the main rooms.
- Exhibition space: approx. 4,700 m²
- Entrance: Campo San Samuele 3231
- Vaporetto: San Samuele (line 2), 2 min on foot
- Opening as a Pinault venue: 2006 with the exhibition “Where Are We Going?”
Punta della Dogana (Sestiere Dorsoduro)
Punta della Dogana (the customs point) lies at the tip of Dorsoduro — the easternmost point, where the Grand Canal and the Giudecca Canal flow into the Bacino di San Marco. Directly opposite lies St Mark’s Square. Today’s Dogana da Mar structure dates from the late 17th century. On the golden sphere at its tip stands a statue of Fortuna — one of the best-known marks of the Venice skyline.
After the end of the Republic in 1797 the Dogana lost its original purpose and was used variously, or only partially, for a long time. In 2007 Pinault received the long-term lease from the city — in return for a commitment to restore the building and open it as a museum. Tadao Ando was commissioned with the conversion, completed in 2009.
Ando’s intervention here was far more radical than at Palazzo Grassi: he hollowed out the triangular interior and created a central, almost sacral concrete space with concentric supporting walls and a multi-storey gallery. The original brick walls and timber ceilings remain visible, in contrast to the modern concrete. Architecturally one of the most important examples of contemporary adaptive reuse in Italy.
- Exhibition space: approx. 5,000 m²
- Entrance: Dorsoduro 2, at the tip, right by the Salute vaporetto pier
- Vaporetto: Salute (line 1), 1 min on foot
- Opening: 2009 with the exhibition “Mapping the Studio”
Teatrino di Palazzo Grassi
In 2013 Pinault additionally opened the Teatrino — a small theatre designed by Tadao Ando in the garden of Palazzo Grassi. It serves as a venue for talks, film screenings, performances and concerts accompanying the exhibitions. Admission to events is usually separate — programme online at pinaultcollection.com.
Temporary exhibitions — what does Pinault show?
Unlike fixed museums with permanent displays, Palazzo Grassi and Punta della Dogana show temporary exhibitions from the Pinault Collection. Typical run per exhibition: 6–18 months, often synchronised with the Venice Biennale. One venue usually shows solo presentations of individual artists, the other thematic group exhibitions. Since almost only temporary shows are on view, always check the current programme before visiting.
Programme 2026: for 2026 the official Pinault site lists, among others, exhibitions and programmes on Lorna Simpson (Punta della Dogana, from 29 March 2026), Michael Armitage, Amar Kanwar and Paulo Nazareth. Check current run times and the exact programme on palazzograssi.it or pinaultcollection.com before your visit.
Important exhibitions of recent years (for context):
- “Where Are We Going?” (Palazzo Grassi 2006): opening exhibition with more than 200 works from the collection
- “Mapping the Studio” (Punta della Dogana 2009): opening of the Punta della Dogana, monumental works incl. Bruce Nauman, Jeff Koons, Rachel Whiteread
- “Damien Hirst — Treasures from the Wreck of the Unbelievable” (2017): an elaborate two-venue show that made Pinault an international talking point
- “Marlene Dumas — open-end” (Palazzo Grassi 2022): solo retrospective of the South African painter
- “Pierre Huyghe — Liminal” (Punta della Dogana 2024): immersive installation
Tickets and admission 2026
Current prices and ticket types depend on the exhibition — the following values are a guide (as of spring 2026) and should be checked on the official site palazzograssi.it before your visit. The Pinault Collection is an independent private foundation — not in the MUVE pass and not in the Chorus Pass.
| Ticket | Price (approx.) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Regular (adults) | approx. €20 | Access to the exhibition rooms |
| Reduced | approx. €15 | With ID |
| Ages 20–26 | approx. €7 | With ID |
| Under 20 | free | according to current information |
| Audio guide | included in admission | multilingual, incl. English (via app) |
| Combined/both venues | varies by exhibition | Check availability and validity on palazzograssi.it |
Note: ticket types, combination options and prices vary by exhibition — above all for prominent solo shows or Biennale synchronisation. The official Pinault Collection information on palazzograssi.it is authoritative.
Opening hours and the best time to visit
| Day | Opening hours | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Wednesday – Monday | 10:00–18:00 | Last entry 17:00 |
| Tuesday | closed | Note — the Peggy Guggenheim Collection is also closed on Tuesdays |
| 25 December | closed | — |
As of spring 2026; the venues are generally open only during exhibition periods. Check exhibition dates, special openings and current closing days on palazzograssi.it before your visit.
Best time of day
- Morning (10:00–12:00): quiet, good light, no crowds.
- Midday (12:00–15:00): moderate crowds.
- Late afternoon (15:30–17:00): often quiet again, soft light in the Punta della Dogana atrium.
- Beware Tuesday: closed.
- Season: very busy on Biennale weekends (May–November in even years), online pre-booking recommended.
Getting to the Pinault venues
Palazzo Grassi
- Address: Campo San Samuele 3231, San Marco, 30124 Venezia
- Vaporetto: San Samuele (line 2 — Grand Canal express), 2 min on foot
- Alternative vaporetto: Sant’Angelo (line 1, 5 min on foot)
- On foot: from St Mark’s Square about 15 min westwards
Punta della Dogana
- Address: Dorsoduro 2, 30123 Venezia
- Vaporetto: Salute (line 1, slow Grand Canal line), 1 min on foot
- Alternative: from St Mark’s Square by traghetto across the Grand Canal — an atmospheric approach
- On foot: 1 min from Salute, 12 min from the Accademia bridge
Between the two venues
- On foot: 15–18 min — from Palazzo Grassi across the Accademia bridge to Dorsoduro, then Punta della Dogana
- By vaporetto: San Samuele (line 2) → Accademia → line 1 or on foot to Salute
The Pinault Collection during acqua alta
Palazzo Grassi does not sit on the exposed lagoon tip but set back on Campo San Samuele, and during typical acqua alta events it is often easier to reach than Punta della Dogana. Punta della Dogana sits right on the water; during stronger acqua alta the forecourt, the Salute vaporetto pier or the entrance areas can be affected. How much your visit is affected depends on the level, wind, air pressure and short-term museum decisions. Check current Pinault Collection information and tide levels before your visit — for instance on our acqua alta page with live tide levels.
With children, and accessibility
With children
Suitability for children depends heavily on the current exhibition. Contemporary art varies greatly from show to show — some exhibitions are visually very accessible, others deal with difficult or adult themes. Check the exhibition theme online before visiting (palazzograssi.it); for strongly adult content, the Peggy Guggenheim Collection (more accessible) or the Accademia (classical Renaissance) is often the better choice.
- Punta della Dogana — the concrete atrium: the architectural effect of the space impresses teenagers too
- Audio-guide app: usually with shorter explanatory texts, well suited to teenagers
- Tip: a maximum of 90 min per venue with teenagers, and not both venues on the same day
Accessibility
Both venues offer accessibility services and have been modernised for museum use. Because of the historic fabric, changing exhibition architecture, lifts, walkways and possible acqua alta conditions, visitors with limited mobility should check the current accessibility information on the official Pinault site in advance.
Combining the Pinault Collection — day plans
- “Pinault day”: Palazzo Grassi in the morning (10:00–12:00), lunch break on Campo San Samuele. Punta della Dogana in the afternoon (13:30–16:00). In the evening a walk along the Zattere with the sunset over Dorsoduro.
- “Contemporary Dorsoduro”: in the morning the Peggy Guggenheim Collection for modern art of the first half of the 20th century, lunch break. In the afternoon Punta della Dogana for contemporary art. The two venues are 5 min apart on foot — the ideal comparison.
- “Architecture day”: morning Punta della Dogana focusing on the Tadao Ando architecture. Afternoon Querini Stampalia (Carlo Scarpa’s interventions in a Renaissance palazzo).
Guided tours — Pinault, Dorsoduro, architecture
Guided tours of the Pinault Collection are often worthwhile — contemporary art is hard to unlock without context, and the temporary-exhibition concept means every visit brings a different selection from the collection. Suitable Pinault, Dorsoduro and architecture/Tadao Ando tours are available from our affiliate partner GetYourGuide:
Frequently asked questions about the Pinault Collection
What is the difference between Palazzo Grassi and Punta della Dogana?
Both belong to the Pinault Collection and show contemporary art from the same collection. Palazzo Grassi (San Marco) is a neoclassical 18th-century palazzo with rather smaller rooms and wooden floors — suited to solo shows. Punta della Dogana (Dorsoduro) is a triangular former customs building from the late 17th century with Tadao Ando’s expansive concrete atrium — suited to thematic group exhibitions with large formats. The two venues usually run in parallel.
Who is François Pinault?
A French entrepreneur, born 1936, founder and long-time chairman of the Kering group (Gucci, Saint Laurent, Bottega Veneta, Balenciaga). One of the world’s most extensive private collections of contemporary art (more than 10,000 works). He moved the main seat of his collection to Venice.
Are Palazzo Grassi and Punta della Dogana in the MUVE Museum Pass?
No, neither. Both belong to the Pinault Collection, an independent private foundation — not in the municipal MUVE pass and not in the Chorus Pass. Check tickets and combination options per exhibition on palazzograssi.it.
How much is admission?
According to current official guidance about €20 regular, reduced approx. €15, ages 20–26 approx. €7; visitors under 20 currently enter free. Ticket types, combination options and validity depend on the exhibition — the official information on palazzograssi.it is authoritative.
On which day is the Pinault Collection closed?
Tuesday — both venues fully closed, as well as 25 December. Note: the Peggy Guggenheim Collection is also closed on Tuesdays, which makes a Dorsoduro tour difficult on that day. Visit the Accademia, Ca’ Rezzonico or the Frari instead. The venues are also generally open only during exhibition periods — check dates in advance.
Which architect converted the venues?
Tadao Ando — the Japanese architect, Pritzker Prize winner 1995, world-famous for his concrete architecture. Palazzo Grassi 2006 (minimally invasive, neoclassical exterior unchanged, concrete in the atrium), Punta della Dogana 2009 (far more radical, a central concrete space with concentric supporting walls). Both venues are architectural sights in their own right.
What is on show there?
Temporary exhibitions from the Pinault Collection — contemporary art from about 1960 onwards. Typical run 6–18 months, often synchronised with the Venice Biennale. For 2026 the official site lists programmes on Lorna Simpson, Michael Armitage, Amar Kanwar and Paulo Nazareth, among others. Artists in the collection’s orbit include Damien Hirst, Maurizio Cattelan, Jeff Koons, Cindy Sherman, Takashi Murakami, Marlene Dumas and Pierre Huyghe — the specific hanging changes. Current programme on palazzograssi.it.
Is skip-the-line worth it?
Sensible in high season and on Biennale weekends (May–November in even years) — above all for prominent solo exhibitions. In the shoulder seasons usually unnecessary. Online pre-booking adds certainty about your entry time.
How do I combine Pinault with the Peggy Guggenheim?
Ideal as a “contemporary day” in Dorsoduro: the Peggy Guggenheim in the morning (modern art of the first half of the 20th century — Picasso, Pollock, Ernst, Magritte). Lunch break. Punta della Dogana in the afternoon (contemporary art). The two venues are 5 min apart on foot — a direct comparison of the two private collections.
Is Pinault accessible during acqua alta?
Palazzo Grassi sits set back and is often easier to reach during typical events. Punta della Dogana sits right on the lagoon tip; during stronger acqua alta the forecourt and the Salute vaporetto pier can be affected, and in very high events a temporary closure is possible. How much your visit is affected depends on the level, wind and short-term museum decisions — check current Pinault information and tide levels before your travel day.
Can I visit the Pinault Collection with children?
Suitability depends heavily on the current exhibition. Some shows are visually very accessible, others deal with difficult or adult themes. Check the exhibition theme online before visiting. For strongly adult content, the Peggy Guggenheim Collection (more accessible) or the Accademia is the better choice.
Related topics
- Architecture in Venice — Tadao Ando’s 2006/2009 interventions in historic palazzi
- Art in Venice — Titian, Tintoretto, Veronese, Palladio, Bellini
- Museums in Venice — overview and passes
- Peggy Guggenheim Collection — modern art next door
- Gallerie dell’Accademia — Venetian painting
- Ca’ Rezzonico — the Settecento in Dorsoduro
- Ca’ d’Oro — Venetian Gothic on the Grand Canal
- Santa Maria della Salute — right next door
- Venice sights — the 12 most important places
- Acqua alta — live tide levels and accessibility
- Getting to Venice + vaporetto