Visits to museums, exhibitions, lectures, etc.
October 13, 2026
The North Arsenal of Venice
Guided tour led by Prof. Pasquale Ventrice
On Tuesday, October 13, a guided tour of the North Arsenal was conducted by Professor Pasquale Ventrice. The tour took the form of a historical and technical analysis focused on “workplaces.”
The tour traced the evolution of the Arsenale complex, offering insight into how the Arsenale is not merely a historical monument, but a testament to a complex industrial transition: what we see today is actually the layering of changes and additions made over the centuries.
During the 19th century, with the advent of new technologies and materials, an ambitious project was launched to transform the Arsenale into a modern industrial zone dedicated to the production of iron military ships.
To accommodate this shift in production, the Arsenale’s layout was radically reorganized, including the installation of rails within the complex to facilitate the movement of heavy materials from one warehouse to another.
The value of the Venetian organizational model in the international context was emphasized; the technical and engineering knowledge acquired was the true cornerstone of shipbuilding at the time. The French, in particular, studied and replicated in France both the architectural structure of the workshops and the work organization typical of the Arsenale itself.
But local logistical problems ultimately brought about its demise as a center for large-scale shipbuilding.
In fact, the increasing cost of raw materials and the growing size of ships made it difficult to handle incoming and outgoing cargo. The whole operation became uneconomical, leading to the gradual abandonment of all industrial shipbuilding activities.
To wrap up this wonderful day—which was made even better by the beautiful sunshine in addition to Prof. Ventrice’s fascinating stories—we all had lunch together at the local cafeteria. The headphones, which were handed out to everyone to ensure better sound quality outdoors, came in very handy.
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31 May 20216
The breath of the vine
St. Michael’s Vineyard
To Flavio Franceschet, a visionary dreamer
On Sunday 31 May, a sensory performance took place at the San Michele vineyard to capture what nature produces in silence: The Breath of the Vine, curated by Nicola Lucchese and Omero Vanin.
In the first part, participants were guided to listen to the sounds, breaths, movements and silences of the soundscape around them, to understand that every ecosystem has its own soundtrack.
In the second part, the vineyard’s biological processes were detected by acoustic sensors attached to the vine leaves; by detecting micro-variations in bioelectrical signals, these sensors made the plant’s physiological activity audible and translated it into sound in real time.
A wind harp reproduced the vibrations generated by the wind, bringing the unpredictable melody of the environment into the vineyard.
The result was a unique acoustic ecosystem in which nature itself took on the role of composer.
The experience was deeply meaningful and moving, and for the participants, their perception of nature will certainly never be the same again, because biodiversity is not just about images, but also about sounds.
The event concluded with a convivial gathering, with Laguna wines in hand.
>> Here is an audio example of interacting with plants: <<
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February 22, 2026
“Bella la vita a Venezia”
Fondazione Querini Stampalia
On Sunday, February 22, 2026, a guided tour was given to the exhibition “Bella la vita a Venezia” (Life is Beautiful in Venice), was held at the Querini Stampalia Foundation in Venice..
The visit was an opportunity to see the entire collection of paintings by Gabriel Bella, the artist who captured life in Venice in the 18th century. The sixty-nine canvases are displayed alongside engravings and volumes from the Library’s historical collection.
Gabriel Bella’s paintings depict life in Venice: religious and civil celebrations, political council meetings in the Doge’s Palace, receptions for distinguished guests, the daily life of wealthy citizens and the less affluent social classes, regattas, street games and sports.
Together, they give us a vivid picture of the city, which would soon be overwhelmed by the French Revolution and the end of the Republic.
At the conclusion of the museum tour, we were also able to see interesting footage from the Historical Archives of the Istituto Luce, shot in Venice between 1929 and 1956, which brings back the vision of the city in contemporary times.
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