Museum itinerary

The Monumental Halls of the Biblioteca Nazionale Marciana form an integral part of the museum circuit in St Mark’s Square and provide access to the historic rooms of the former Sansovino Library. This section provides information on visiting arrangements, opening hours, ticket types, and useful guidance for planning your visit, in coordination with the National Archaeological Museum of Venice and the other museums in the St Mark’s area.

Construction of the building intended to house Cardinal Bessarion’s book collection—destined to become the public library of the Venetian Republic and to accommodate the offices of the Procurators of St Mark—began in 1537 under the direction of Jacopo Sansovino (Florence, 1486 – Venice, 1570).