The Venetian Lagoon is famous for its prestigious glass but less known is its historic association with lace making, which is celebrated at the Museo del Merletto (Lace Museum) on the island of Burano. Lace making became a pastime for women on Burano in the 16th century, but took off as an industry locally when a lace-making school opened there in 1872.
Burano is the small island that lies around four miles from Venice and is accessible by a vaporetto motorboat, making even the journey to the museum a picturesque one.
The Museo del Merletto is located in the historic palace of Podestà of Torcello, which was home to the school until it closed in 1970. The extensive collection comprises some exquisite examples of the craft, delicate needlepoint, richly embroidered jackets, dresses and ceremonial robes, as well as elaborately decorated handkerchiefs, capes, gloves collars, caps and shawls. Old pattern books are packed with designs ranging from the geometric to the grotesque and floral arrangements to sporting motifs.
Visitors can see everything done with lace, from bobbins and pillows to tatting needles and braiding thread. The museum is a revelation because it recounts the story of an industry staffed largely by women, the association of lace with the aristocracy and the many forms lace patterns have taken over the centuries to reflect contemporary taste and fashion. The Museo del Merletto is open from Tuesday to Sunday between 10AM and 4.30PM.
It would be a convenient option to hire a car from other places in Italy to visit this lace museum in Burano. car-rental-italy has come up to facilitate all the tourists to provide them an easy, less pricy option to enjoy the vacation.