National Archaeological Museum of Venice, Templum Award for the restoration of the Agrippa Courtyard

The project, created by Barman Architects – an architectural firm based in Venice founded by Roberta Bartolone and Giulio Mangano – is thus celebrated as a virtuous and high-profile intervention, capable of combining the rigor of philological restoration with the innovation of contemporary museography, confirming the centrality of the Museum in the Italian cultural panorama and returning to citizens and the international public a monumental space of extraordinary historical value.

Officially reopened to the public on 6 May 2025, the Agrippa Courtyard is the historic entrance to the National Archaeological Museum of Venice in Piazzetta San Marco commissioned by its founder, Carlo Anti, between 1924 and 1926; the addition of this new entrance, which joins the one still active from the Correr Museum, has made it possible to restore the original visit route. The intervention involved the restoration of the historic entrance of the archaeological museum, the reorganization of the sculptures distributed in the courtyard designed and created by Vincenzo Scamozzi and the reorganization of the space dedicated to reception and ticket office.

For safety and flow management needs, a filter element was introduced capable of defining a clear separation between the external public space of Piazza San Marco and the internal environments intended for the museum function. The new passage is configured as a contemporary architectural insertion, conceived to establish a dialogue between different architectural languages, distant in time and to strengthen their mutual legibility with a design approach based on the introduction of a reversible volumetric element, designed with respect for the historical context and the principles of conservation.

The Templum award given to the Cortile dell’Agrippa project is among the 20 awards, one for each region, which best represent the best Italian experiences of contemporary architecture, urban regeneration, sustainability, valorisation of historical heritage and design innovation. The motivation explains: “The award is awarded for the ability to establish a balanced dialogue between contemporary architecture and monumental historical heritage. Particularly relevant are the restoration of the original access to the Procuratie Nuove, the valorisation of Scamozzi’s Renaissance spaces and the insertion of a contemporary reversible compass, conceived as a light and recognizable element. The intervention represents a virtuous example of restoration and contemporary museography, capable of connecting memory, accessibility and new cultural experience”.

The restoration of the Agrippa Courtyard marks an important step in the process of reorganization and valorisation of the archaeological heritage of Venice, which finds new synergy within the National Archaeological Museums of Venice and the Lagoon – Palazzo Grimani Museum, National Archaeological Museum of Venice, Altino Archaeological Park and the future National Archaeological Museum of the Venice Lagoon. The integration of the four museums aims to amplify the city’s cultural offering, offering visitors a complete and detailed vision of its history and the history of the lagoon.