In this guide
💡 The Short Version: The 20th International Architecture Exhibition runs from 8 May to 21 November 2027 at the Giardini and the Arsenale, open 10:00 to 18:00 and closed on Mondays. It is curated by Wang Shu and Lu Wenyu. Tickets and guided tours are sold online only, at labiennale.org. Art and Architecture alternate, and 2027 is Architecture. The Venice Film Festival is a separate event in early September. Or book a tour: the city highlights walking tourad is from €24, and the official Doge’s Palace ticketad is €35.
The dates
| Detail | 2027 |
|---|---|
| Exhibition | The 20th International Architecture Exhibition |
| Dates | 8 May to 21 November 2027 |
| Pre-opening | 6 and 7 May 2027 |
| Venues | The Giardini and the Arsenale |
| Hours | 10:00 to 18:00 |
| Closed | Mondays |
| Curators | Wang Shu and Lu Wenyu |
| Title | Do Architecture — For the Possibility of Coexistence Facing a Real Reality |
The Biennale di Venezia alternates its Art and Architecture exhibitions. The 61st Art Biennale, In Minor Keys, runs until 22 November 2026, and the Architecture exhibition takes the same venues in 2027.
The curators
Wang Shu and Lu Wenyu founded Amateur Architecture Studio in 1997. They set up the Architecture Department at the China Academy of Art in 2003 and its School of Architecture in 2007, where Wang Shu was the first Dean and Lu Wenyu is the Director of the Sustainable Construction Center. The Biennale’s board appointed them on the recommendation of its president, Pietrangelo Buttafuoco.
Tickets
The Biennale sells tickets and guided tours on labiennale.org, online only.
- Closed Mondays. The Accademia and Ca’ Pesaro are shut on Mondays too, so a Monday in Venice is for the Doge’s Palace, the Correr, Ca’ Rezzonico and the churches. See best museums in Venice.
- Guided tours are sold online only, through the same site.
- Services at the venues: both the Giardini and the Arsenale have a bar, restaurant, bookshop and info point.
Getting there
The Giardini and the Arsenale are in Castello, east of St Mark’s Square. Vaporetto line 1 stops at Arsenale and Giardini Biennale, and lines 4.1, 4.2 and 5.1 call at Giardini Biennale. Venice public transport has the fares: a 75-minute ticket is €9.50 and a 24-hour ticket €25.
The Porta Magna, the land gate of the Arsenale. Photo: Abxbay, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0.
Around the Biennale
- Ca’ d’Oro is closed, and the regional museums authority expects it to reopen in spring 2027. See best museums in Venice.
- The Venice Film Festival is held in early September, on the Lido. Best time to visit Venice covers the month.
What to see
- The Giardini, the first venue.
- The Arsenale, the Republic’s former shipyards, the second.
- A full day: both venues close at 18:00 and the Biennale is shut on Mondays, so plan the day for another weekday.
Viale Trento in the Giardini della Biennale. Photo: Armin Kleiner, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.
What to skip: a Monday visit, when both venues are closed.
What to book before you go to Venice has the closed days for every sight, and Venice in one or two days and 3 days in Venice show where a Biennale day fits. To stay in Castello, near the venues, see where to stay in Venice.
Common questions
When is the Venice Biennale in 2027?
The 20th International Architecture Exhibition runs from 8 May to 21 November 2027, with a pre-opening on 6 and 7 May. 2027 is the Architecture year; the Art Biennale is held in the other years, and the 2026 edition runs to 22 November 2026.
Where is the Venice Architecture Biennale held?
At the Giardini and the Arsenale, both in Castello. The vaporetto stops are Giardini Biennale and Arsenale, on line 1.
What are the Biennale's opening hours?
10:00 to 18:00, closed on Mondays.
How do I buy Biennale tickets?
Online, at labiennale.org. The Biennale says ticket sales and guided tours are online only, so there is no need to queue to buy.
Who is curating the 2027 Architecture Biennale?
Wang Shu and Lu Wenyu, the architects and educators who founded Amateur Architecture Studio in 1997. The title is "Do Architecture — For the Possibility of Coexistence Facing a Real Reality".
When is the Venice Film Festival in 2027?
The Venice Film Festival is held in early September. It is a separate event from the Biennale's Architecture exhibition.
