The Complex of St Colombano, built in the 7th century, includes a Church built around 616 AD on Roman foundations. Next to it is the Chapel of the Madonna dell'Orazione (1917) and the Oratory, with the “Glorius Race” (Gloriosa gara) frescoed by pupils of the Carracci.
Purchased in 2005 and restored by the Fondazione Cassa di Risparmio in Bologna, it revealed a medieval crypt, a 13th-century tomb and a 13th-century fresco attributed to Giunta Pisano. Reopened in 2010, it houses the Tagliavini Collection of antique musical instruments, unique in value and function, started in 1969 by Maestro Luigi Ferdinando Tagliavini with a 16th-century spinet and Giusti's harpsichord from 1679. The collection includes rare instruments such as Beatrice Cenci's spinet and a transpositor harpsichord by Mattia De Gand. There is also the rich Oscar Mischiati Library, with around fifteen thousand items on music and organ art.
The San Colombano Museum. Tagliavini Collection is part of the Genus Bononiae museum pole.
Map
San Colombano. Collezione Tagliavini
Via Parigi 5
40121 Bologna
Telephone: +39 055 29 89 818
Site/minisite/other: https://genusbononiae.it/en/palazzi/san-colombano/
Entrance
| Full price | € 7,00 |
| Reduced | € 5,00 |
Tickets can be purchased online or at the ticket office.
Info call center: +39 055 2989818 – email
Free admission
- holders of the Bologna Welcome Card
- holders of the Card Cultura
For information about discounts and free entry, visit the website.
Interests
- Art & Culture
- Music & Exhibition
Details
Accessibility
Accessibility is at the heart of the renewal thanks to the “Patrimonio Sonoro No Limits” project, funded by the Ministry of Culture and the PNRR. New explanatory panels, tactile maps, an interactive app, and 3D models of instruments will allow all visitors, including the blind, visually impaired and hard of hearing, to explore the museum in an innovative way. An important novelty is the augmented keyboard, which allows the reproduction of the sounds of historical instruments.
Hearing Disabilities
Access does not present particular problems for the hard of hearing.
Independent orientation requires the use of a visual aid.
The museum route follows a thematic criterion, not chronological, but based on the type of instruments on display.
Educational activities fall within the Genus Bononiae offer and consist of guided tours with and for schools, sensory and practical workshops, excursions, summer activities and show-visits for different age groups.
Wi-Fi is open and free but accessed via a time-limited code.
In addition to temporary exhibitions, the museum organizes a rich calendar of musical events throughout the year.
Motor Disabilities and Movement Difficulties
Before the entrance door, there is a 7 cm step and immediately after the ticket office to access the collection there are another two 17 cm steps.
A bell is provided at a height of 150 cm to be rung to be admitted through a secondary entrance equipped with a wooden platform.
The complex is equipped with an elevator, but its limited size does not make it accessible to everyone.
Access to the crypt is only possible via a staircase of 13 steps.
For more information visit the site.
Services
- Audio guides
- Guided tours
- Teaching workshops
Please visit the website for more information.
Timetables
| Monday | Closed |
| Tuesday | Closed |
| Wednesday | 11 am - 6 pm |
| Thursday | 11 am - 6 pm |
| Friday | 11 am - 6 pm |
| Saturday | 11 am - 6 pm |
| Sunday | 11 am - 6 pm |
Holidays
Special opening from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on:
31 March, 1 April, 25 April, 1 May, 2 June.
Summer closure
The Church and the Collection will be closed from 4 to 31 August 2025.
