The Historic Naval Museum (Museo Storico Navale della Marina Militare) – the most important one of its kind in Italy – is owned by the Italian Navy and is devoted to Venice’s seafaring history.

In addition to the main building, whose exhibition spaces span across 42 rooms and five floors, the ‘Padiglione delle Navi’ (Ships Pavilion) – located in the Arsenale’s old ‘Oars Workshop’ – is also a part of the museum. The latter was built in the mid-16th century as a workshop to build and store oars, and has been housing an impressive collection of historical vessels since 1980. Is a visitable extension of the main museum’s headquarters.