Venice , Italy ( CNN ) -- Public transport in Venice is like an endless sightseeing tour , and not only for the amount of tourists on the central vaporetto routes . The waterfront architecture is truly spectacular , from Palladian churches to private palazzos . And now during the Biennale contemporary artworks and installations are scattered around the city . Venturing along the waterways leads to some unmissable exhibitions , where art and architecture blend into a beautiful dialogue . Baroque influence . Close to the Rialto market on the Canal Grande , an 18th century palazzo is home to Fondazione Prada , where all three floors are open to the public for the first time . During the Biennale it 's hosting a show curated by Germano Celant , one of the leading figures of the 1960s anti-formal art movement Arte Povera . Celant has filled the rooms with a theatrical show . From 16th century musical instruments , clocks and mechanical curiosities to modern installation pieces involving performers , Art or Sound explores both formal and conceptual ideas relating to music . You can witness the craft of historic pieces as well as works by key avant-garde artists from Celant 's previous collaborations , such as John Cage , Nam June Paik , Michelangelo Pistoletto and Jannis Kounellis . Their radical rethinking of art and the abstract condition of sound resonates throughout the exhibition . The unique Venetian Baroque interiors add another level of interest to the show . It 's both raw and historical - unlike any other contemporary art space in the world - with ornaments , carvings and rich details . The Prada Foundation has a contract as a patron to rescue the building and bring the original frescoes and rare , fine materials back to life , `` without trying to modify it through characterless facelifts '' , Celant explains . Modernity takes over . On the other side of the water , after the Rialto Bridge , there is the Fondaco Marcello , an exhibition space in a 15th century arms storehouse by the water front . Here the Biennale theme of Modernity extends into a scientific narrative , looking at possible ways of existence on the Antarctic continent , a subject in total contrast to the surrounding architectural heritage in Venice . The Antarctic Pavilion , curated by Nadim Samman makes you think of lifestyle and tourism , as well as the ecological and political questions posed by those extreme conditions on the margins of civilization . Further down towards San Marco Square , a giant composition of 1,179 stainless steel bikes has been neatly stacked on the canal side courtyard garden of the Palazzo Cavalli-Franchetti near the Accademia bridge . This art installation , titled `` Forever '' by Ai Weiwei is part of the exhibition Genius Loci , brought to Venice by the Lisson Gallery . The show continues inside the 16th century palace building with sculptures and installations by international artists including Tony Cragg , Lee Ufan , Julian Opie and Joana Vasconcelos . Contemporary public art . The rest is slightly more modest in scale than Ai Weiwei 's installation , but still spectacular examples of ideas addressed in contemporary public works . There is a sense of play with architecture and space , exploring the parallels between the two disciplines , such as Anish Kapoor 's work which deals with our spatial perceptions . This exhibition suggests that genius loci 'the special spirit ' can be found in the urban space through artworks , materials and forms ; a departure from the modernist obsession with functionality . A short hop on a vaporetto takes you across the lagoon from San Marco to the island of San Giorgio Maggiore , which has become a site for displaying large public installations . This year a geometric sculpture entitled `` The Sky Over Nine Columns '' dominates the waterfront square next to Palladio 's famous church . Its surfaces are covered with golden glass mosaics , beautifully reflecting the Venetian sun . The piece by Heinz Mack , who represented Germany at the Arts Biennale in 1970 , was commissioned by the Cini Foundation . Mack is known for monumental installations : `` My sculptures are objects of light in space '' Mack said . Behind the church , an exquisitely crafted pavilion has been erected in the garden of the Stanze del Vetro glass museum . The aquarium-like Glass Tea House Mondrian is designed by Japanese artist Hiroshi Sugimoto , best known for his minimalistic photography . Sugimoto 's pavilion is the first in a series of commissions , supported by the Cini Foundation , which follows the model of the Serpentine Pavilion in London . Installed inside a cedar wood fenced garden , the glass pavilion will also be the setting for a traditional tea ceremony , a performance which exemplifies the delicacy in Japanese culture . All these shows run parallel to the Architecture Biennale , overseen by Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas this year . Even if you do n't have time to visit the Giardini and the national pavilions , these events outside the main programme are some fantastic cultural offerings , adding another level of meaning to visiting a city with such rich heritage . Venice Architecture Biennale 2014 : 7.6 - 23.11.2014 . © 2012 Grand Tour Magazine . All rights reserved .
London comes alive as the the Cini Foundation takes over the city . If you do n't have time to visit the Biennale or national pavilions , check out the fantastic events outside the main programme . Ai Weiwei and Anish Kapoor are among artists exhibiting across Venice .