Peggy Guggenheim Collection Venice: Tickets, Hours & Visit Guide (2026)
How to visit the Peggy Guggenheim Collection — ticket prices, what to see, and why this is the best modern art museum in Venice. Updated April 2026.
Peggy Guggenheim lived in Palazzo Venier dei Leoni — an unfinished 18th-century palace on the Grand Canal — from 1949 until her death in 1979. She filled it with the art she'd been collecting since the 1930s. Picasso, Pollock, Dalí, Ernst (she was married to him), Magritte, Brancusi, and Giacometti. The collection stayed in the palace. So did her dogs — she's buried in the sculpture garden alongside them.
The result is something rare: a world-class modern art collection in a domestic setting. The rooms are the size of living spaces, not galleries. You stand closer to a Pollock here than in any major museum.
How much are tickets?
Adults: €16. Students (under 26): €9. Seniors (65+): €9. Children under 10: free.
No general free day, though discounts occasionally appear during Venice events. The museum participates in some city passes, including the Venice Museum Pass — check before your visit.
Online booking is recommended but not essential. Queues rarely exceed 15 minutes except during Biennale openings.
Opening hours
Every day except Tuesday: 10:00-18:00 (last entry 17:30).
Closed every Tuesday, plus December 25.
The museum is busiest between 11:00 and 14:00. Arrive at opening or after 15:00 for a calmer visit. During the Biennale (May-November), midweek mornings are quietest.
What to see
The ground floor holds the core of the collection. Cubism, early Abstraction, and Surrealism in rooms sized for a palazzo, not a museum.
Look for Picasso's On the Beach (1937) — a simplified nude that shows how far he'd moved from his classical period. Braque's The Clarinet nearby demonstrates what Cubism was doing at the same time.
The Surrealist room includes Dalí, Magritte, and Max Ernst. Peggy was married to Ernst during the 1940s. His works here are personal, not just curatorial choices.
Jackson Pollock's room is the centrepiece. Peggy was among the first collectors to support Pollock — she gave him a monthly stipend and his first solo show. The drip paintings here feel immediate at this scale and distance.
The Nasher Sculpture Garden behind the palazzo holds works by Giacometti, Henry Moore, and others. Peggy's grave is here, marked by a simple stone. Her beloved Lhasa Apsos are buried nearby.
The Grand Canal terrace features Marino Marini's Angel of the City — a bronze horseman facing the canal with a famously explicit posture. Peggy reportedly tilted the figure's appendage upward when the Patriarch of Venice passed by on his boat. The story may be apocryphal. The sculpture is real.
Tips most sites won't tell you
This museum is best on a sunny day. The palazzo has terraces and a garden. The light through the canal-side windows affects how the paintings look. Overcast days work fine, but sunlight transforms the ground floor.
Combine with the Gallerie dell'Accademia. They're a 5-minute walk apart on the Dorsoduro side. Accademia for Venetian Old Masters (Titian, Bellini, Veronese), Guggenheim for 20th century — it makes a satisfying half-day pairing.
During the Biennale, the Guggenheim often hosts special exhibitions alongside its permanent collection. Check the website for what's on. The combination of Biennale contemporary art and the Guggenheim's modern collection is a strong full-day programme.
The café overlooks the sculpture garden. Decent coffee, reasonable prices for Venice. Good for a mid-visit break.
The bookshop is well-curated. The Peggy Guggenheim catalogues and artist monographs are better priced here than in most Venice shops.
Where to book
Our take: Buy from the official site when possible — queues are manageable most of the year. During Biennale (May-November), GYG's Peggy Guggenheim + Art Mile guided tour adds context an audio guide can't.
- Address
- Palazzo Venier dei Leoni, Dorsoduro 701, 30123 Venice
- Hours
- Wed–Mon: 10:00–18:00 (last entry 17:30)
- Closed
- Tuesdays · December 25
- Standard ticket
- €16 · Students/seniors: €9 · Under 10: free
- Book at
- guggenheim-venice.it · GetYourGuide (free cancellation)
- Getting there
- Vaporetto line 1 or 2 to Accademia (5-min walk)
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Nearby
- Gallerie dell'Accademia (5 min) · Punta della Dogana (10 min)
Frequently asked questions
How much are Peggy Guggenheim Collection tickets?
Adults pay €16. Students (under 26 with valid ID) and seniors (65+) pay €9. Children under 10 enter free. There's no free day, but the museum occasionally offers discounts during Venice events.
How long do you need at the Peggy Guggenheim Collection?
Most visitors spend 1.5 to 2 hours. The collection is compact — about 300 works in a manageable space. The sculpture garden and Grand Canal terrace add time if you linger.
What art is in the Peggy Guggenheim Collection?
Cubism, Surrealism, and Abstract Expressionism. Key artists: Picasso, Pollock, Dalí, Magritte, Mondrian, Kandinsky, Ernst, Brancusi, and Giacometti. The collection reflects Peggy Guggenheim's personal taste and relationships with the artists.
Is the Peggy Guggenheim Collection open on Tuesdays?
No. The museum is closed every Tuesday. It's open every other day of the week, 10:00-18:00.
The Guggenheim pairs with the Doge's Palace for a day covering Venice from political power to modern art. During the Venice Biennale 2026, combine both for the strongest contemporary art day in Venice.
Last verified: April 2026