Review: Museo del Merletto

Zoom out. What’s this place all about?
Housed in a building that was once home to the island's lacemaking school, Museo del Merletto offers an intimate look at the history of Burano's most famous craft. With lacemakers demo-ing during visiting hours, it's a tourist destination for sure, but it's worth it for those interested in the island's past.

What will we find in the collection here?
The collection, arranged chronologically, starts from the origins of lace in the 16th century and continues through the present today, with glamorous Renaissance examples laid out for careful inspection in tiered cases. Explanatory videos, historic paintings, and ephemera from the archives provide context.

What did you make of the crowd?
It can get crowded during peak summer tourist season, and you'll likely have to share the space with a few slow-moving tour groups or families with kids who don't really want to be there. But overall it's relatively quiet, and the nature of lace as the subject matter generally brings people with an air of pensive curiosity about them.

On the practical tip, how were the facilities?
The museum is pretty small and easily navigable. There's an elevator, and the building is fully wheelchair accessible.

What are the tours like?
Guided tours last two hours and include and an up-close visit with lacemakers working on intricate designs. There's no audioguide, but a short video playing on a loop near the entrance gives you a pretty solid intro.

Gift shop: obligatory, inspiring—or skip it?
You don't need a traditional gift shop here because, the entire island of Burano is basically a Lace Museum gift shop. Take some time to browse the boutiques along the nearby waterfront, but keep an eye out for the made-in-China stuff—if the price feels too good to be true it, probably is.

Any advice for the time- or attention-challenged?
Skip the guided tour and you can cover the history of lace making in an hour.