The Museum of 18th Century is set in one of the most beautiful palaces on the Grand Canal in Venice, Ca’ Rezzonico.

The Rezzonico family were rich landowners who became part of the new aristocracy. They were not Venetian, but thanks to their extraordinary wealth, they could buy the nobility title. They lived in this splendid dwelling, which was completed by the architect Giorgio Massari in 1756. The palace has been the site of the Museum of the 18th Century since 1936. This is where you can admire the splendours of that age, looking at the masterpieces by Tiepolo, Guardi, Longhi, Rosalba Carriera, Giambattista Pazzetta and Canaletto, as well as its original furniture, elegant staircases and large rooms and above all, the beautiful ballroom.

Since the 1500s, and in particular in the 1700s, the ridotti became extremely fashionable in Venice. A ridotto was a private place to go in the evening until late at night to enjoy the company of a few intimate friends, play games, organize interesting events and entertain oneself. Otherwise known as a “casino,” the ridotto offered the opportunity to develop a particularly elegant taste in furniture and interior decoration, with frescoes and stuccos, using delicate tones.