Venice Biennale

Electa has been running the bookshops at the Venice Biennale since 1991. In 1989 they promoted the construction of the Bookshop Pavilion designed by the British architect James Stirling. From 1991 to 2009 the Stirling Pavilion was home to one of the best-stocked museum bookshops in Italy, specialising in contemporary art and architecture. A one of a kind place with a huge variety of books and collectibles.

In later years a second bookshop was opened in the Corderie dell’Arsenale building.

In 2004 Electa was appointed to manage the Film Festival bookshops, with the event’s official merchandising, plus books on cinematography and cinema icons.

In 2009 the Biennale moved the bookshop to the newly-renovated Italian Pavilion, in the Giardini, which was renamed the Central Pavilion. The new bookshop was staged by artist Rirkrit Tiravanija and inaugurated during the 53rd Biennale d’Arte. Every year Electa transforms the gardens into a bookshop stocked exclusively with books for teenagers and children for the International Kid’s Carnival, organised by the Biennale.

Electa currently runs six bookshops at the Venice Biennale: the bookshop at the Biennale’s administrative headquarters at Ca’ Giustinian, which is open all year round; the two main bookshops, which open for the international art and architecture exhibitions: one at the Giardini, also open during the Carnival, another at the entrance of the Corderie dell’Arsenale and another small bookshop near the Ponte dei Pensieri; two other bookshops open for the Film Festival.