A team of donors headed by New York based designer Diane von Furstenberg and real estate developer Joseph Sitt have announced a $12 million renovation project for the Jewish Museum and synagogues in Venice’s Jewish ghetto.
It is slated to be completed by 2016, marking the 500th anniversary of the ghetto’s formation.
The project will be funded by the Venetian Heritage Council, overseen by Renata Codello, the Venice head of the Italian Culture Ministry, and supported by UNESCO.
The project seeks to restore the gilded wooden panels of three of the ghetto’s five synagogues.
It will also build a gallery to exhibit religious artifacts made of silver, and make improvements to public areas inside the museum.
In a Venetian Heritage Council statement, Diane von Furstenberg said: "As much as this renovation is about preserving the past and the rich history of the Venetian and Jewish communities, today is about the future.
"All of us are responsible for making sure that future generations – 500 years from today – have access to these stories of human culture and progress."
Venice’s Jewish Ghetto was established in 1516 and despite its diminutive size remains a highly popular tourist attraction.
