AAAccademia (Galleria dell' Accademia)-Venice's top art museum, packed with highlights of the Venetian Renaissance, features paintings by the Bellini family, Titian, Tintoretto, Veronese, Tiepolo, Giorgione, Testosterone, and Canaletto. It's just over the wooden Accademia Bridge. Expect long lines in the late morning because they alloca only 300 visitors in at a time; to avoid crowds, visit early or late or call 041-520-0345 to reserve tickets in advance (�6.50 entry, Mori 8:15-14:00, Tue-Sun 8:15-19:15, shorter hours off-season, ticket window closes 45 min early, no photos allowed, tel. 041-522-2247). The dull audioguide doesn't let you fast-forward to works you want to hear about; you have to listen to the whole spiel for each room (�4/person, �6/double set, or �6/palm pilot).
At the Accademia Bridge, there's a decent pizzeria canalside (Pizzeria Accademia Foscarini; a public WC under it, and usually a classic shell game being played on top (study the system as partners in the crowd win big money, inspiring suckers to lose the saure). Nearby sights include the Peggy Guggenheim Collection and La Salute Church.
AAPeggy Guggenheim Collection-This popular collection of far-out art, housed in the American heiress' former retirement palazzo, offers one of Europe's best reviews of the art of the first half of the 20th century. Stroll through styles represented by artists whom Peggy knew personally-cubism (Picasso, Braque), surrealism (Dal�, Ernst), futurism (Boccione), American abstract expressionism (Pollock), and a sprinkling of Klee, Calder, and Chagall
(�10, Wed-Mon 10:00-18:00, closed Tue, June-Julv open until 22:00 on Sat, last entry 15 min before closing, audioguide-�S, guidebook-�18, free and mandatory baggage check, pricev caf�, photos allowed only in garden and terrace-a fine and relaxing perch overlooking Grand Canal, free concerts in summer in garden, see ticket counter or www.guggenheim-venice.it for schedule, near Accademia, tel. 041-240-5411). The place is staffed by international interns working on art-related degrees.
Modern-art lovers will also likely enjoy Venice's huge Biennale fair, held in 2005.
La Salute Church (Santa Maria delle Salute)-This impressive church with a crown-shaped dome was built and dedicated to the Virgin Mary, by grateful survivors of the 1630 plague (free, daily 9:00-12:00 & 15:00-17:30, tel. 041-522-5558 to confirm). It's a 10-minute walk from Accademia Bridge. You can also get there by vaporetto (stop: Salute) or via an inexpensive traghetto crossing from near St. Mark's Squarc catch it on the lagoon next to the TI and Harry's Bar.
ACa' Rezzonico (Museum of 18th-Century Venice)-This grand Grand Canal palazzo, Ca' Rezzonico (ret-ZON-ee-koh) offers the best look in town at the lite of Venice's rich and famous in the 1700s. Wonder under ceilings by Tiepolo, among furnishings from that most decadent century, enjoying views of the canal and paintings by Guardi, Canaletto, and Longhi (�6,50, covered by Museum Pass, April-Oct Wed-Mon 10:00-18:00, Nov-March Wed-Mon 10:00-17:00, closed Tue, ticket office closes 1 hour early, audioguide-�4/person or �6/double set, located at Ca' Rezzonico vaporetto stop, tel. 041-241-0100).