The Museum is located in Campo Marconi, just a stone’s throw from the historic center. The museum building stands above the old walls of the Franciscan friars’ convent, built in 1314. During the war between Venice and Genoa, in 1379, the monastery was severely damaged and was rebuilt in 1434. It was deconsecrated in 1806 and used for various purposes.
The Museum consists of three floors: the ground floor houses archaeological findings dating from the Bronze Age to the 6th century A.D. Some educational panels illustrate the evolution of the coastline to the north and south of Chioggia from the Bronze Age up to 1740. Reconstructive models and photographic panels show the oldest finds. These come from the excavation carried out in the 1980s at the Corte Cavanella site. The structures discovered consist of shore reinforcements and piling systems. At the back of the room there is an area dedicated to amphorae found in the sea in front of Chioggia, dating between the 1st century B.C. and the 3rd century A.D. The exhibition route continues with the medieval section dedicated to the finds discovered by the archaeological group “Fossa Clodia” at the site of the tower of Bebe. The exhibited finds range from lead-glazed dogal pottery, coins, to clothing accessories.
The first floor is dedicated to Cristoforo Sabbadino, a famous engineer in the service of the Serenissima Republic of Venice who lived in the 16th century, contains finds from the 12th century to the 18th century and also the city’s historical archive where documents dating back to 1246 are kept, from the time of the first medieval statutes, illuminated parchment codices, and mariegole (registries). On the right side of the room two large prints drawn by Cristoforo Sabbadino in 1557 can be seen: a map of Chioggia and a hydraulic project. On the left are bronze grain measures from 1332 engraved with the oldest city coat of arms.
The top floor is dedicated to local shipbuilding and seafaring and was set up thanks to generous donations. This room houses artifacts ranging from 1700 to the present day. Tools used for cutting the wood necessary for the construction of local boats are on display. In the center of this section, some reconstructive models are visible illustrating in detail the different stages of construction of the “Bragozzo”, a typical local boat of the 19th century that due to its innovative peculiarity replaced all previous boat models. In the second section, sails, nets, cork and glass floats for the nets are visible and, hanging on the walls, the only examples of the “Penelo”, the famous locally produced weathervane that was placed at the top of the boat’s main mast. A showcase exhibits the famous Chioggia terracotta pipes dating between the mid-18th century and 1950. Several dioramas can be seen: one related to the “squero”, the shipyard where boats were built, three related to the different fishing methods in the lagoon.
The central wing houses a collection of canvases by local artists from the late 19th and early 20th centuries, but also two panels dated one 1381, the other 1436, and a fresco from the first half of the 15th century. The paintings are divided into three sections: urban life, daily scenes, and religious life.
Information on the Civic Museum of the Southern Lagoon “San Francesco fuori le mura”
Campo Marconi, 1
30015 Chioggia (Venice)
0415500911
museo@chioggia.org
https://www.chioggia.org
Source: MIBACT
