The Venice Biennale art exhibition is coming to an end after having received a record number of visitors. 

The world’s most important presentation of contemporary art, alongside the documenta in Kassel, had recorded more than 800,000 admissions by Saturday, one day before it is due to close. 

According to organizers, another 22,000 people bought tickets for the preview days in April. 

The number of visitors was up 35% compared to the last Biennale in 2019. The exhibition is usually every two years, but was pushed back by one year to 2022 due to the pandemic. 

The majority of visitors to the Biennale came from abroad (59%). About 30% of tickets went to young people and students.

For the central exhibition by New York-based curator Cecilia Alemani, 213 artists from 58 countries were invited and more than 1,500 works were exhibited. 

Alemani placed a clear emphasis on works by female artists. 

In addition, 80 countries presented themselves with national pavilions on the Biennale grounds as well as at various locations in the lagoon city. ©dpa