Best museums in Bologna

One of the best things to do in Bologna is to visit the various museums found throughout the city. You have to take into account that the historic center of this town is the second largest in Italy and this means that cultural institutions abound in every corner of the capital of the Emilia-Romagna region.

So to make it easier for you to decide which museums you would like to visit on a trip to Bologna I have compiled the best of them all so you can narrow down your choices favorably. This will make the logistics and organization of your time much more pleasant when you have to visit most of these sites.

It is important to understand that in Italy there are two types of museums. The main ones are in Rome, which is logical, since it is the capital of the country and the most visited city of all. Those in other cities of the territory are known as provincial museums and if we focus on this category, the Pinacoteca Nazionale di Bologna stands out as one of the best in Italy.

This museum through its 30 rooms houses the academy of fine arts of the city and also the superintendence in charge of preserving the cultural heritage of the region. In fact most of the collections available are focused on the art of the Emilia-Romagna region. Especially what was developed in a wide historical period that goes from the 13th century to the beginning of the 19th century.

Among the works that can be highlighted from the collection of the National Gallery of Bologna is the work Saint Cecilia painted by Raphael who was one of the great representatives of the Italian Renaissance. The Portrait of a Lady by Guido Reni is another of the treasures of the place. In addition, its location in the heart of the university city makes it a very convenient stop when you decide to participate in one of the best tours of Bologna.

Details of interest:

• Location: Via delle Belle Arti, 56, 40126 Bologna BO, Italy.
• Price: tickets cost about €2 for people between 18 and 25 years old while the regular rate for seniors is about €6 per person.
• Hours: this museum is open from Tuesday to Sunday at different times. Tuesdays and Wednesdays are open from nine in the morning until two in the afternoon. From Thursday to Sunday they are open from 10:00 am to 7:00 pm. However, the hours change during the summer season.

This museum opened in 1998 consists of an exhibition that seeks to recount the history of the Ducati company, a manufacturer of Italian luxury motorcycles, all from 4 different perspectives. One of the exhibits is focused on talking about the facts, the people and the technological innovations that shaped the company's success.

Another tries to delve a little deeper into the origins of the family behind Ducati as a brand. There is also an exhibit geared toward the history of racing motorcycles and the significant influence this company has had on the industry. Finally, there is also an exhibit geared towards the history of Ducati as a leading brand in racing around the world.

You should know that the museum is located inside the Ducati factory itself and the whole thing is located in the west end of Bologna. So visiting this museum is a very exciting experience for true motorcycling fans and even if you are not one of them you will most likely be left wanting to participate in some of the best excursions from Bologna that involve these beautiful motorcycles in some way.

Details of interest:

• Location: via Antonio Cavalieri Ducati, 3, 40132 Bologna BO, Italy.
• Price: museum fees vary depending on whether you want a guided tour or if you also want to get access to the Ducati factory. Prices range from conventional tickets of 15 euros to special tickets that go up to 35 euros.
• Hours: the museum is open every day of the week except Wednesdays from nine in the morning until six in the evening. However, it is possible that the opening hours may change slightly during the summer tourist season.

Many people agree that the Zoological Museum of Bologna is one of the great surprises of tourism in the city. It is an institution very close to the Teatro Comunale of Bologna and the Pinacoteca Nazionale. It is dedicated to the study of zoology as a natural science.

The collection as such consists of a large number of animals in taxidermy among which are seals, rhinoceroses, penguins, ostriches and all kinds of species from most corners of the planet. At the same time it stands out for the fact that it can be visited in its entirety in a relatively short time and also for the free entrance fees.

Its strategic location in the heart of the university city allows you to visit other attractions on the same day. Another activity you could do the day you decide to visit the zoology museum are the best gastronomic tours in Bologna. Especially for the fact that you would already be saving money on the entrance fee of this attraction.

Details of interest:

• Location: Via Francesco Selmi, 3, 40126 Bologna BO, Italy.
• Price: admission is free for all persons regardless of age.
• Hours: this museum is open every day of the week except Tuesdays and Saturdays from nine A.M. to one in the afternoon. On Sundays there are exceptions, since the hours are extended until six in the afternoon. Summer hours tend to change slightly.

The Museo della Especolla is one of the most interesting museums in Bologna and it is an institution located in the astronomical tower built at the beginning of the 18th century in the Palazzo Poggi. Today it belongs to the astronomy department of the University of Bologna and by visiting it you will not only enjoy important details of the history of universal astronomy, but you will also have one of the most privileged views of the panorama of the center of Bologna.

You have to know that the visits are guided and the biggest drawback may be to climb all the steps that lead you to the observation deck at the top of the tower. Either way, a visit here is one of the best things to do in Bologna during the fall knowing that the influx of tourists drops significantly and you won't have as much waiting time.

Details of interest:

• Location: Via Zamboni, 33 - 40126 Bologna.
• Price: admission to the museum costs 5 euros and depending on the time of year you are likely to get more or less guided tours in both Italian and English. These are organized by students of the University of Bologna.
• Hours: the museum is open from Tuesday to Sunday with opening hours that vary according to the season of the year.

The Museum of Modern Art of B ologna is one of the most interesting museums dedicated to this period of plastic art in Italy. It is known by its acronym, MAMbo, which is its insignia before other renowned art institutions such as the MOMA or the Tate.

Among the museum's collection, a large number of works by both local and foreign artists stand out. However, it should be noted that there is a very important tour of the history of Italian art from the post-war period to the present day that is continually being developed.

The museum's temporary exhibitions are also often just as significant as its permanent collection and its location at the northern end of the central city center makes Boloniaseanexcellent resource for reaching this area of the city.

Details of interest:

• Location: Via Don Giovanni Minzoni, 14, 40121
• Price: visitors between eighteen and twenty-five years old pay five euros while full admission for the rest of the people costs about six euros approximately.
• Hours: the museum is open from Tuesday to Sunday from 2:00 pm to 7:00 or 8:00 pm. Although there is the exception of weekends when it is open from 10 A.M.

The Civic Medieval Museum of Bologna is an institution that is dedicated to exploring the history of the Middle Ages period and how it influenced the building of this city. As well as the flourishing of many other Italian towns that would later grow to be the cities of today in the renaissance.

There are several rooms in the museum's collection and some are focused on the history of Bologna, others on Italian medieval history as a whole and there are others that focus specifically on the history and founding of the museum. You also have to know that visiting this museum is one of the best things to do in the summer in Bologna for the fact that it is not as crowded as others and at the same time it is a safe escape from the high temperatures that define this time of the year.

Details of interest:

• Location: Palazzo Ghisilardi Fava, Via Manzoni, 4, 40121 Bologna BO, Italy.
• Price: general admission tickets cost approximately six euros while people between 18 and 25 years old pay two euros as is the case in other similar attractions in the city.
• Hours: the museum is usually open every day of the week except Mondays. On weekends it is open until seven in the evening while on other days it closes at 2 in the afternoon.

This museum located on the western edge of Bologna is an institution dedicated to contemporary art as well as technology, artistic experimentation and photography. The home of this art gallery is a true architectural gem in its own right and throughout the year special exhibitions and talks are often held at this site, as it is one of the most contemporary and modernist environments in the city.

It is an excellent idea to visit if you consider yourself a fan of art as well as the connection that is happening today within any aspect of creativity. You have to know that it is a private institution and at the same time it belongs to a cultural and philanthropic foundation that promotes the art of youth.

Details of interest:

• Location: Via Speranza, 42, 40133 Bologna BO, Italy.
• Price: the entrance to this site is completely free throughout the year and most commonly it is also kept this way for the biennial that is organized with a different theme year after year.
• Hours: this art gallery opens its doors every day of the week except Mondays from 10:00 am to 7:00 pm. The opening hours are usually the same throughout the year, even in summer.

This palace located at the southern end of Bologna's central core is a Renaissance-style building dating back to the 16th century. Today it is one of the best places to explore the architectural legacy of the city along with its history.

The palace itself as such has a large collection of frescoes that have been accumulated inside throughout its existence and through its art you can appreciate different periods such as Gothic and Baroque.

Visiting it is one of the best things to do in Bologna during the spring because of its strategic location that brings you considerably closer to one of the many public parks in the south of the city. In fact when you access some of the palace's exhibitions you can enjoy a tour of its beautiful gardens.

Details of interest:

• Location: Via Saragozza, 28, 40123 Bologna BO, Italy.
• Price: the prices to enter this palace always depend on the temporary art exhibitions that are taking place.
• Hours: visiting the palace depends directly on the art exhibitions that are taking place there. However, there is not a single month of the year when there is not a cultural event at this site.

This museum belongs to the group of the best automobile museums in Bologna and is dedicated to exploring the history behind the manufacture of the famous automobile house Lamborghini. On display are everything from the first tractors to today's most famous luxury cars. At the same time, the history behind the success of this famous car brand is explored thanks to the perseverance of its founder.

You have to know that the museum as such is not located within the city of Bologna, but it is in a small village located a couple of kilometers north towards the city of Ferrara. However, in a short bus ride or Taxi ride you will be there in less than 25 minutes.

Details of interest:

• Location: Strada provinciale 4 Galliera Sud, 319, 40050 Casette di Funo BO, Italy.
• Price: the price of conventional tickets is about €15 per person while the reduced ticket for children up to 14 years is about €10. Guided tours have to meet the conditions of a minimum group of 30 people and cost about 23 euros for each participant.
• Opening hours: this museum is open from Tuesday to Saturday from 10 am to six pm. You have to know that between one and two in the afternoon there is a small closure and that means that you will not be able to find yourself inside.

This is perhaps one of the most curious and at the same time most interesting museums in Bologna. It is a place dedicated to exhibiting pieces and objects from a plane that crashed in an unsolved accident in 1980.

For many people it is one of the great treasures of the city because of the interesting approach they give to a real tragedy that at the time strongly shocked this community. At the same time its strategic location in the center of the Bolognina makes it an excellent plan to enjoy before participating in the best things to do in Bologna at night.

And the fact is that this neighborhood is the favorite party area for university students as well as for the alternative community of the city.

Details of interest:

• Location: Via di Saliceto, 3/22, 40128 Bologna BO, Italy.
• Price: perhaps one of the most interesting aspects of this museum is that admission is completely free for all visitors.
• Hours: the museum is open from Thursday to Sunday at different times. On Thursdays and Fridays it opens at 9:30 in the morning until 1:30 in the afternoon. Saturdays and Sundays are open from 10 A.M. to 6 P.M.