Burano Lace Museum: Hours, Prices and Visit Tickets

There is a magical thread that weaves the threads of Burano’s history going all the way back to its birth and the seafaring nature of its inhabitants: the thread of lace!

Lace is more than just a craft; it is an art that is also a symbol of identity, tradition and culture.

Burano’s own economy has been interwoven with the fortunes of lace, which over the centuries has also become a symbol of women’s identity and valuable contribution to the island’s human and intellectual development.

It is in the spirit of Burano’s gratitude that the island was provided with a museum dedicated precisely to lace where you can still admire the master lace makers at work.

Read the article to find out everything you need to know to plan your visit: hours and ticket costs for the Burano museum.

Halt! Did you know that there are tickets that can be purchased online that give you lots of benefits? If you book your priority ticket in advance you will be entitled to skip the queue and can count on discounts and offers! Don’t wait, weave your story with that of Italy’s most artistic yarn too!

What to see at the Burano Lace Museum

Lace Museum entrance | ID 308353820 @ Shawn Williams | Dreamstime.com

Inside the Museum you will be able to observe a most valuable collection: think that more than two hundred pieces of lace are housed here!

Their value is truly priceless, considering the historicity of the specimens and the mastery of the techniques with which they are executed.

Through them, the history of Buranello lace and the school that once stood right where the museum is now located is told .

The lace exhibits, in fact, date back as far as the 16th century, but inside the museum there is more since the history of lace is told in full.

The rooms that can be visited, in fact, also contain various documents and works of art pertaining to the precious historical workmanship of Burano and the peculiar techniques of the master lace makers.

It would be nice, however, to observe a person practicing those techniques live, wouldn’t it? Well, Burano will be able to satisfy you!

At the museum, in fact, you can watch master lacemakers at work who will explain and show you how they make fine lace.

If you wish, at the end of the visit you can also buy authentic works produced just as they were centuries ago, of course correlated with a certificate of authenticity.

Brief history of Venetian lace and the school of Burano

Lace typically sold as souvenirs in Burano | ID 48065853 @ Znm | Dreamstime.com

There are some legends that tell of love stories at the origin of the birth of Burano lace.

One of them, for example, tells of a young man who, out of love , resisted even the song of mermaids.

Their queen, pleasantly amazed, decided to pay homage to the boy’s bride with a veil woven with sea foam.

The other women of the island, envious of such a beautiful veil, began to try to imitate it by starting the precious craft.

In fact, the origin of the fortune of this art is to be found in the seafaring nature of the place: the buranelli were skilled fishermen capable of building their own nets.

Lace as an art spread following the spread of the fashion of adorning clothing in 16th-century Venice and later throughout Europe.

Burano became the home of lace and well lent its artifacts were a symbol of prestige and wealth: the entire old continent coveted the island’s lace!

In the 15th century the first school was established at the behest of Dogaressa Dandola Malipiero, and in the following century that of Dogaressa Morosina Morosini was born.

All over the lagoon women began to produce lace: in hospices, convents, orphanages, and families. Piecework made the island flourish, and the role of women became vitally important.

After a period of crisis related to the collapse of the Venetian Republic, the Burano School of Lace was born in 1872 with the intention of reviving the craft.

The last surviving old master lace-maker was charged with instructing a young teacher and handing down to her all the secrets of Burano’s typical art.

The craft had thus survived decline, and more and more pupils began to arrive at the school until a new generation of master lacemakers now knew the techniques of the first generations to perfection.

Right where the school once stood, once closed, the Lace Museum arose and is one of Burano’s main attractions.

Established in 1981, it was created thanks to a project coordinated by the public agencies of Venice in collaboration with the Adriana Marcello Foundation.

Within it, splendid historical exhibitions were immediately organized with the aim of popularizing local crafts.

In addition, perhaps even more importantly, training courses were held to pass on techniques now more than five centuries old!

Hours, prices, tickets and reductions

Little lace store in Burano | ID 114110851 @ Tatjanaanikeeva2011 | Dreamstime.com

Wondering where exactly the museum is located? It’s really easy to get to, and once you get off the vaporetto , all you have to do is head south to the opposite side of the island.

Its address is Piazza Baldassarre Galuppi, 187, and you can visit it every day with the exception of Mondays when it is closed.

To plan your visit, pay attention to the hours: the museum remains open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. However, from May 1 to September 30 on Fridays and Saturdays the closing time is extended until 5 p.m.

Attention Museum closing operations begin about 20 minutes before the indicated time, so don’t wait until the last minute to enter.

In fact, entry is only allowed up to a maximum of half an hour before closing, however, it is recommended that you carve out some extra time to visit the entire museum.

Remember the importance of booking in advance! In fact, if you buy your admission ticket online, you will be entitled to priority admission and can get discounts and benefits. Its price is 5.50 euros.

Do you want an example? If you wish to visit both Murano and Burano , you could combine admission to both the lace and glass museums by getting a super advantageous price!

Before you buy, remember that there are some reductions and exemptions: for example, residents of the municipality of Venice, children up to 5 years of age, disabled people with accompanying persons, and tour guides or teachers while accompanying groups and school groups do not pay.

Frequently asked questions

Conclusions

Here we come to the end of this article on the historical craftsmanship of the island of Burano: the art of lace making.

I have told you the history of Buranello lace and the legends related to the birth of this centuries-old craft.

We found out together how the Burano Lace Museum came into being, and then I provided you with some useful information such as opening hours or the cost of admission tickets.

In addition, we saw together what you should expect from the museum’s halls: from historical artifacts, to documents pertaining to working techniques, to the room with the master lace makers at work!

To conclude, I have answered the most frequently asked questions visitors have about Buranello lace, but should you have any other curiosities to satisfy , do not hesitate to leave a comment below!

A centuries-old art made of techniques and secrets handed down from generation to generation to the present day: a craft that moves its magic thread weaving present, past and future!