On Tuesday June 2, the day Italy celebrated its Festa della Repubblica, the Peggy Guggenheim Collection opened its doors to the public with free admission from 10 am to 6 pm. Following the announcement about the opening, in just over 48 hours, 400 people booked their admission to visit the museum free of charge—the maximum number of daily admissions currently allowed. Once again, the museum reopened as a place for reflection, learning and dialogue. Timed ticketing allowed access to the museum in accordance with government regulations, all in the spirit of our museum’s hospitality.

Director Karole P. B. Vail and the museum staff personally welcomed visitors, happy and excited to once again welcome guests to Palazzo Venier dei Leoni. “I extend my thanks to our Venetian and Veneto visitors here today, for their enthusiasm and affection,” Vail commented. “This breath of energy and optimism are an excellent starting point to start over together. We need beauty and inspiration as we surround ourselves with art and culture. The economic difficulties are undeniable. The lost revenues from ticket sales, museum shops and special events in the last three months are substantial and amount to around 2 million euros. Now, we need to begin afresh. In order to ensure the economic sustainability of the museum, my staff and I shall be in the galleries ready to greet our visitors on the weekends. In times of crisis and change, art and culture are an inspiration that bring comfort. Hilla Rebay, an artist and the founding Director of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York, said that the contemplation of art allows us to change our behavior. Art can and must stimulate reflection, dialogue and exchange and the museum is the space of freedom where this can happen. Today we reopen and we are already in excellent company in the city. I would like to greet the cultural institutions, our neighbors that have recently reopened. The Gallerie dell’Accademia successfully opened a few days ago, as did the Querini Stampalia Foundation, while the Teatro la Fenice reopens today with visits to the Sale Apollinee. I would also like to wish good luck to the other local institutions as they prepare to reopen, the Musei Civici of Venice, the Pinault Foundation and the Cini Foundation. Venice, its residents, tourists and visitors need art and culture, freedom of thought and visions that inspire and allow for change.”

Through June, the museum will open to the public on Saturdays and Sundays from 10 am to 6 pm. Timed ticketing will allow access to the museum, online booking is recommended and available on the museum website. Visitors may purchase tickets at the entrance desk of the museum, although payment is restricted to credit or debit cards, and admission is based on availability. Members and visitors who are granted free entrance may reserve via email at prenotazioni@guggenheim-venice.it or by calling +39 041 2405440 (Mondays to Fridays, from 10 am to 3 pm). The request should include the day and preferred time of arrival and the museum will follow-up with a confirmation. The use of a facemask is mandatory for both visitors and museum staff, a social distance of at least 1 meter is also mandatory; visitors will follow a one-way itinerary; the museum spaces will undergo constant sanitizing; hand-sanitizer dispensers will be available in several locations in the museum; signage and museum personnel will enforce the rules. The Museum Shop located a few paces before the museum entrance will be open and will follow the rules described above, while the Museum Café will remain closed during this first phase. At this time, it is not possible to accept group bookings and guided tours, nor will it be possible to use audio guides. We invite visitors to consult guggenheim-venice.it for information regarding the museum’s new admission policies.

During the month of June, the museum will offer a 20% discount on renewals and new subscriptions at all levels of the “Amici” of the Peggy Guggenheim Collection. A gesture of gratitude to those who support us and whose commitment is especially meaningful as we reopen the museum.

We remind those arriving in Venice by car to check the special tariffs offered over the next few weeks by the Garage Comunale and the San Marco Garage in addition to the discounted tariffs for water taxis.