Burano Lace Museum

The Burano Lace Museum occupies a former palace on the island of Burano in Venice and displays valuable lace pieces alongside the tools craftspeople once used. The collection shows examples from different time periods and documents how this specialized textile art developed and changed over the years.

The building served as the central lace school from 1872 until 1970, where generations of craftspeople learned and perfected the fundamentals of their trade. This school was crucial in keeping the lace-making tradition alive on the island and passing it forward to younger artisans.

The island earned its name from a Venetian word connected to fire, and it has been home to lace makers for hundreds of years. Walking through the colorful houses, visitors encounter rooms where older craftspeople still teach younger people the traditional needle skills passed down through families.

The museum operates on most days and has stairs as well as accessible entrance areas for visitors with limited mobility. Plan to spend about one to two hours looking at the display and examining the detailed pieces on view.

The collection features lace with patterns so fine that they require close examination or magnification to appreciate fully, revealing why hand production took months and demanded expert skill. The level of detail shows how laborintensive even a single piece could be.

Location: Venice

Inception: 1978

Official opening: 1981

Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible

Operator: Comune

Opening Hours: Tuesday-Sunday 10:00-16:00

Phone: +39041730034

Email: paola.chiapperino@comune.venezia.it

Website: http://museomerletto.visitmuve.it/en

GPS coordinates: 45.48473,12.41872

Latest update: December 14, 2025 13:06