Venice, the situation in cultural venues. Damage at the Querini Stampalia, devastated the Acqua Alta Bookstore.

The first reports are beginning to arrive on the situation of cultural venues in Venice after the exceptional tide that hit the city on the night of November 12-13. At the civic museums, the ground floors of the buildings housing the various venues are all out of action, as happened to most buildings in Venice: the tide invaded cafeterias and bookshops causing some damage, but the press office confirms that there is no damage to the collections, nor have we received news of any works of art being damaged. The same at the Ducal Palace (also part of the civic museums): water entered the first floor but without causing any damage. The situation is slowly returning to normal: Museo Correr, Torre dell’Orologio, Museo del Vetro di Murano and Museo del Merletto di Burano are open today. Planned instead for tomorrow, Friday 15, is the reopening of the Doge’s Palace.

At Ca’ Pesaro, home of the International Gallery of Modern Art and also part of the civic museums, the situation is more serious: there was a short circuit that caused a fire start, which was promptly extinguished by firefighters. A landing connecting the ground floor and second floor had to be shored up, but there was no collapse as reported by some press organs. For Ca’ Pesaro as for the other museums (Ca’ Rezzonico and Museum of the Venetian Eighteenth Century, Museum of Palazzo Mocenigo, House of Carlo Goldoni, Palazzo Fortuny, Museum of Natural History) the reopening is set for Saturday 16. The cafeterias and bookshops will remain out of use for a few more days. At the moment, the use of elevators and consequently accessibility for people with disabilities is also limited. In addition, the opening of the exhibition Ca’ Pesaro 1919. Homage to Umberto Moggioli (1886 - 1919).

At the Venice Biennale, the Giardini and Arsenale reopen today: we asked if there was any damage, but the press office told us that they have not received any reports of damage to artworks, although the situation is critical as cleaning operations are still underway in several pavilions, since water has penetrated many buildings in the city that house national participations, bringing with it mud and debris. So if the situation at the Giardini and Arsenale has returned to normal, it is different for some of the pavilions located in the historic center: closed, at least for today, are the pavilions of Iran, Iraq, Syria and Bosnia-Herzegovina, while closed until a date to be determined are the pavilions of Pakistan, Cyprus, New Zealand and Iceland.

In contrast, theisland of San Servolo, where Venice International University, a branch of the Venice Academy of Fine Arts, the International College of Ca’ Foscari University of Venice, and the Franco and Franca Basaglia Foundation are based, was hard hit. The three docking docks to the island (which therefore remains almost isolated) were destroyed, thirty meters of the island’s perimeter wall collapsed, there is damage to doors and fixtures, much of which was torn off, and several trees were felled. Also out of commission is the electrical system in the island access area. At the moment, as with all other institutions, it is difficult to count the damage.

The situation is also critical at the Fondazione Querini Stampalia, which closed its doors yesterday and is closing again today: the entire ground floor of the Palazzo was flooded (water invaded the cafeteria, bookshop, auditorium and service spaces, and the elevators are out of use), and damage is being reported in the book deposits. The entire Scarpa area is also involved, so much so that the exhibition Luigi Pericles (1916-2001). Beyond the visible, housed in these very rooms and scheduled to close on November 24, is closed early. Damage is also reported to the ticket office and bookshop of the Peggy Guggenheim Collection, which remains closed to the public even today for security reasons and to cope with the emergency. There is no damage to works in the collection, however.

Finally, the situation in one of the symbolic places for reading lovers in Venice, the Acqua Alta Bookshop, was dramatic: the tide entered the premises of the celebrated bookshop, destroying hundreds of books.

Venice, the situation in cultural venues. Damage at the Querini Stampalia, devastated the Acqua Alta Bookstore.

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