Museo Correr (Correr Museum), Venice

This museum showcases Venetian art and history, featuring a notable collection of sculptures by Antonio Canova and significant paintings by renowned local artists such as Giovanni Bellini and Vittore Carpaccio (including the latter's famous painting of Venetian courtesans). Among its attractions are the nine lavishly adorned Imperial Rooms, once used by the Empress of Austria, and several rooms that vividly depict the city's proud naval history through descriptive paintings and numerous maritime artifacts, including cannons from ships and surprisingly large iron mast-top navigation lights.

Additionally, the museum presents intriguing curiosities like the extravagantly high-soled shoes worn by 16th-century Venetian ladies (who relied on servants for assistance) and houses a notable collection of antique gems. It serves as the primary repository for Venetian drawings and prints, although access to these treasures is limited to special arrangements or special exhibitions.

The exhibition rooms of the Correr Museum seamlessly lead into the Archaeological Museum ("Museo Archeologico"), which hosts the Grimani collection-a significant assemblage of Greek and Roman art from the 16th and 17th centuries. Despite the transfer of numerous objects to Paris and Vienna during the Napoleonic and Austrian occupations, the collection remains impressive. Visitors can also explore the Stanza del Sansovino, the only accessible part of the Marciana National Library ("Biblioteca Nazionale Marciana"), providing a glimpse into Venetian literary history.