Akatsuki studies slow-spinning Venus, and launched with the IKAROS solar sail.
Venus Express probed the Venusian atmosphere.
Magellan mapped the planet and plunged through its clouds.
Vega 1 and Vega 2 dropped landers before moving on to Halley’s comet.
Pioneer Venus 1 dropped probes in 1978.
Mariner 10 flew by in 1974.
Venera 7 was first to land softly. More Venera spacecraft followed in the 70s and early 80s.