Venice Archaeological Museum

[cruisemom42]

I'll be spending a couple of days pre-cruise in Venice next June, and I'm starting to look at options. Has anyone been to the Venice Archaeological Museum? Sounds like they have some very nice Roman and Greek pieces there.

[ab0si]

It is a mish-mash for Greek, Roman, Egyptian, Assyrian, and heaven knows what else which started as a private collection and was donated to The Serene Republic in the 16th (I think) century -- stuff has been added since then, of course. This makes it one of the oldest museums anywhere.

 

Since it is in San Marco, it is easy enough to get to. It is not in 1st or even 6th place on my List of Things to See in Venice, but some of the (particularly some of the Greek pieces) are worth seeing.

[cruisemom42]

Hmmm....well, sounds convenient anyway. I was looking through one of my Rome history books and seems that they have excellent busts of Pompey, Trajan, and Caligula there that I know I want to see....

[CintiPam]

Hi, Cynthia, since you wrote that you did not much enjoy your recent visit to the National Museum of Rome, and we spent almost five hours there last month, until our eyeballs were freezing up from the overwhelming riches, I hesitate to post my opinion. OK, just kidding!:D

 

Seriously, we have not yet visited the Venice Archeological Museum so I truly am sidetracking your question/hijacking your thread, but I am hanging my hat on your statement that you are "starting to look at options":

 

Perhaps not at all your interest, but on our last visit to Venice, we had a marvelous day-trip to Padua, where we visited, among other things, the Scrovegni Chapel, which was built in the ruins of a Roman ampitheater. Any interest in Giotto? The museum right next door has some Roman and Etruscan finds.

 

Also, the Jewish Museum's tour of Venice's Jewish ghetto was very interesting if you have not yet done that.

[cruisemom42]

Hi, Cynthia, since you wrote that you did not much enjoy your recent visit to the National Museum of Rome, and we spent almost five hours there last month, until our eyeballs were freezing up from the overwhelming riches, I hesitate to post my opinion. OK, just kidding!:D

 

Seriously, we have not yet visited the Venice Archeological Museum so I truly am sidetracking your question/hijacking your thread, but I am hanging my hat on your statement that you are "starting to look at options":

 

Perhaps not at all your interest, but on our last visit to Venice, we had a marvelous day-trip to Padua, where we visited, among other things, the Scrovegni Chapel, which was built in the ruins of a Roman ampitheater. Any interest in Giotto? The museum right next door has some Roman and Etruscan finds.

 

Also, the Jewish Museum's tour of Venice's Jewish ghetto was very interesting if you have not yet done that.

 

Thanks for the suggestions.

 

Well....perhaps I was having an off day when I visited the Terme alla Massima, or was expecting too much. Or maybe the fact that several of the main rooms were closed when I was there (with no clear routing and no chance to see what was closed off...) contributed to my bad review! I certainly did enjoy the statue of Augustus as pontifex maximus, busts of the emperors (at least those I was able to locate) and the "house of Livia" frescoes.... Many of the mosaics were also closed off. :(

[CintiPam]

Thanks for the suggestions.

 

Well....perhaps I was having an off day when I visited the Terme alla Massima, or was expecting too much. Or maybe the fact that several of the main rooms were closed when I was there (with no clear routing and no chance to see what was closed off...) contributed to my bad review! I certainly did enjoy the statue of Augustus as pontifex maximus, busts of the emperors (at least those I was able to locate) and the "house of Livia" frescoes.... Many of the mosaics were also closed off. :(

 

Nothing was closed off during our visit last month, but the statue of Augustus was out on loan! (I remembered your mentioning it in your review, so I was whiny for a bit thereafter.)