Sestiere Castello
Museo Storico Navale
Naval History Museum
Museum of Venice’s naval history, housed in the former Granary of the Serenissima Republic.
Arsenale (2-min walk)
www.munav.it
+39 041 575 4259
Standard admission is €10.
Additional resources
What makes it special
Explore 42 rooms filled with:
Historical vessels, gondolas, weaponry, uniforms, and an impressive collection of model ships and replicas.
Full-scale vessels
The former oar joinery of the adjacent Arsenale is now the Ships Pavilion, showcasing life-sized historic boats and gondolas.
Marine jewlery
The top floor showcases a wonderful collection of sea shells, snails and corals of every color, shape and size.
The last Bucintoro
You can also see a 1:10 scale model of the fourth and last ceremonial barge of the doges. Picture its real size, knowing it was powered by 168 oarsmen and required 40 additional sailors.
Your experience here
- Explore Venice’s naval power across centuries.
- Marvel at flawless ship replicas — and even some full-size originals.
- Step aboard an authentic Cold War submarine.
A submarine in Venice?
You bet!
Discover what life was like beneath the surface inside the exceptionally well-preserved 46m (150ft) Enrico Dandolo (S 513) submarine.
From stern to bow, engine room to torpedo chamber — this guided tour lets you see it all, plus includes entry to the museum.
Finish at the Arsenale
To truly grasp Venice’s naval power, don’t miss the historic shipyards.
The museum sits beside the complex, while the submarine is located within the still-active military section of the Arsenale.
What’s the story of the Bucintoro?
You saw a replica of the Doge’s ceremonial barge at the museum — much smaller than the original, but enough to show how extraordinary the vessel was: lavishly embellished in gold and manned by more than 200 sailors.
There were actually four versions of the ship, the first built in 1311, and the last (the one you saw at the museum) destroyed in 1798 on Napoleon’s orders to symbolize his conquest of Venice.
There’s still an ongoing debate about the origin of the name.
What to see nearby
These top spots are just a short walk from Naval History Museum:
5-10 min away
Chiesa della Pieta (Vivaldi Church)
5-10 min away
Riva degli Schiavoni
10-15 min away
San Zaccaria
10-15 min away
Arsenale
10-15 min away
San Giorgio Maggiore
10-15 min away
Bridge of Sighs
10-15 min away
Palazzo GrimaniMore like this
More spots highlighting Venice’s naval heritage:
More peaceful alternatives to Venice’s busy hotspots:
