To honor the historical significance of fishing in the Venetian Lagoon, I developed a museum and aquarium in the 16th century-built Galeazze, the abandoned twin warehouses located in the Venetian Arsenale. This adaptive reuse endeavor is dubbed Il Pescario di Venezia (Pesca + Acquario = Pescario). The first floor, or “Fishing Zone,” includes ten floor-to-ceiling tanks consisting of both edible and non-edible marine organisms, currently inhabiting the Venetian Lagoon. There are also seven interactive catch-and-release “fish farms,” as well as a timeline of the history of fishing in Venice. The museum consists of exhibitions and artifacts reflective of periods spanning from 421 CE to present day. The second floor is named the “Feeding Zone.” This is where customers can dine and indulge in traditional Venetian seafood specialties. Lastly, the third floor features a grand stadium for viewing live tuna and other large edible fish feedings. Live entertainment, and an interactive water table with miniature fishing-related vessels built in the Arsenale, are also incorporated.
