Specola Museum of Astronomy

Museums and Collections

University

From Thursday 1 February 2024, the Specola Museum and Tower will be closed to the public for major consolidation works. For more information visit the official website

The museum is housed in the astronomical tower of the 18th-century Istituto delle Scienze, a place of scientific experimentation founded by Luigi Ferdinando Marsili in 1711. It was built at Palazzo Poggi between 1712 and 1726 and was for many years home to the city's astronomical observatory. Divided into several rooms, including the Meridian Room, the Globe Room and the Turret Room, the Museum now offers a broad overview of the instruments that were used by astronomers in the past, such as armillary spheres (which reproduced the motion of the planets through a system of metal rings) or wooden telescopes for observing the sky, clocks, nautical and topographical instruments that were used for orientation. At the top of the tower there is a terrace with an extraordinary 360° panoramic view of the city of Bologna.

Map

Specola Museum of Astronomy

Via Zamboni 33
40126 Bologna

How to get there

Telephone: 0512099610
Email: sma.museizamboni33@unibo.it
Site/minisite/other: https://sma.unibo.it/en/the-university-museum-network/specola-museum-of-astronomy/specola-museum-of-astronomy

Entrance

Terrace with a panoramic view:

Full €5, Reduced €3

Guided tour of the museum + terrace with panoramic view:

Full €10 Reduced €8; €5

Interests

Art & Culture

Details

Accessibility

The climb up the Tower requires considerable physical effort: visitors should be aware that the staircase is made up of 272 steps. Admission is therefore not recommended for people suffering from heart conditions, dizziness and claustrophobia. For safety reasons, access to the Tower is not permitted to persons with reduced or impaired mobility.

Insights

In the event of rain, it will not be possible to access the terrace of the Specola Tower, but it will be possible to admire the view of the city from the top-floor room, which is surrounded by glass windows.

Timetables

Open from Tuesday to Sunday, with two access methods:

TERRACE WITH PANORAMIC VIEW
provides access only to the terrace located at the top of the tower, where it will be possible to see Bologna at 360°, even through panoramic binoculars

Tuesday - Friday: 11 a.m.; 11.45 a.m.; 1.30 p.m.; 2.15 p.m.

Saturday, Sunday and holidays: 12.00; 12.45; 15.15

GUIDED TOUR TO THE MUSEUM + TERRACE WITH PANORAMIC VIEW
will allow the public to discover the astronomical collections kept inside the Museum. The visit will end on the terrace located at the top of the tower, where it will be possible to see Bologna at 360°, even through panoramic binoculars.

Tuesday - Friday: 3 p.m.

Saturday, Sunday and public holidays: 10.30 a.m.; 4 p.m.

Closed on working Mondays, 1 January, 1 May, 15 August, 24 and 25 December

Opening hours and bookings on the website