The collection spans 20 rooms of the historic palace and includes a hands-on perfume exhibit, plus examples of original clothing and accessories from as far back as the 1600s. Their delicate fabrics and intricate embroidery are testimony to the wealth of Venice’s noble class during the city’s salad days. Don’t miss: The perfume ingredients from across the globe, displayed in glass jars that you can open and sniff.

This 17th-century palazzo on the Grand Canal was designed by Venice’s greatest baroque architect, Baldassare Longhena. The intricate marble façade, ceremonial staircase, and grand ballroom show the lavish life of Venetian aristocrats at the time. Today, the palace houses the Museum of 18th-Century Venice, and its collection of gilded furniture, decorative objects, and paintings by some of Venice’s most important artists—Tintoretto, Canaletto, and Tiepolo—rivals the splendor of the environment.

The contemporary art collection of French billionaire Francois Pinault is split between Palazzo Grassi and Punta Dogana. Enter through the 2-story, column-lined atrium to marvel at the frescoed grand staircase and ceiling, fully restored to their previous glory. Here, you can peruse the revolving exhibitions of contemporary painting, sculpture, photography, and more by world-class artists like Damien Hirst, Luc Tuymans, and Urs Fischer.

It’s hard to say which is more dazzling, the splendid Ca d'Oro (also known as the “Golden Palace,” for the gold leaf that once decorated its facade) or the exuberant works by Venetian masters housed inside. One of the oldest and most magnificent palaces along the Grand Canal, this 15th-century gem houses a collection of tapestries, paintings, and sculptures—many plundered by Napoleon from the surrounding region and later reclaimed by the city of Venice—await.

Another Longhena-designed masterpiece, the massive Ca’ Pesaro lords over the Grand Canal as a timeless monument to the Pesaro family, owners of one of the most impressive art collections in Venice. Today, the palace houses two excellent museums that most tourists overlook. Visit the International Gallery of Modern Art to admire works by modern Italian and international artists. Then, head upstairs to the Museum of Oriental Art to marvel at the vast collection of Edo-era art and artifacts.

The Pesaro family was so wealthy, that they owned two amazing palaces in Venice: Ca’ Pesaro and what is now known as Palazzo Fortuny. Purchased by Spanish artist and designer Mariano Fortuny and donated to the city in 1956, the Fortuny Museum showcases Fortuny’s wide-ranging passions for photography, painting, set design, and textiles. It is home to everything from his original photos and paintings to fabrics, wall hangings, and lamps; the exhibition halls also host contemporary art shows.

The former residence of the influential Grimani family—this stately palace was restored just over a decade ago and today is a fabulous example of 16th-century Venetian architecture and decor. Today, you can admire frescoes by Giovanni da Udine in the Chamber of Callisto, fragments of Giorgione’s Four Elements fresco in the dining hall, and classical sculpture, antique bronzes, paintings, tapestries, and furnishings arranged to evoke the ornate style of Venetian palaces in the 1500s.