Museo di Torcello

Murano, Burano & the Northern Islands


Occupying two buildings across the square from the Basilica di Santa Maria Assunta, this museum is dedicated to Torcello’s venerable history. The main building, the 13th-century Palazzo del Consiglio, displays mainly religious art recovered from the island's many long-lost churches. The annexe focuses on ancient archaeological treasures, many of which were discovered in the abandoned Roman city of Altinum (Altino) on the mainland. The collection includes tiny Egyptian figurines, Etruscan bronzes, Greek pottery and some lovely Roman cameos.

Look out for the lively 1st-century Greek marble head of a baby, lips parted as though about to utter his first word.