Palazzo Mocenigo at San Stae
The palazzo was the residence from the 17th century of the San Stae branch of the Mocenigo family, one of the most important families of the Venetian patriciate, seven members of which became doges between 1414 and 1778.
It is a large building of gothic origin extensively rebuilt at the beginning of the 17th century, when it attained its present appearance.

The Museum
In 1945 Palazzo Mocenigo at San Stae was bequeathed to the city of Venice by Alvise Nicolò, the last descendant of the family, to be used "as a Gallery of Art, to supplement Museo Correr".
In 1985 the overall project of the Civic Museums designated Palazzo Mocenigo as the seat of the Museum and Study Centre of the History of Fabrics and Costumes: it contains the rich collections of ancient textiles and costumes mostly from the Correr, Guggenheim and Cini collections and the suppressed Centre of Palazzo Grassi.
Palazzo Mocenigo also contains a well-stocked library specialising in the history of fabrics, costumes and fashion.
The library is situated in the rooms on the first-floor piano nobile that have not conserved their original furnishings; the stocks of fabrics and costumes are situated on the first mezzanine and on the top floor. On the second mezzanine an area has been set aside for didactic and experimental activities.