Palazzo Pepoli reopens as a meeting place for knowledge

From 30 November, a programme of initiatives for residents and visitors will include not only visits to the Bologna History Museum, but also guided tours, concerts, shows, a series of conferences and other events to enhance the city’s cultural offerings.

All is set for the reopening of Palazzo Pepoli. The inauguration ceremony is scheduled for Saturday 30 November at 12 pm, to be attended by Matteo Lepore, Mayor of Bologna, Patrizia Pasini, President of the Fondazione Cassa di Risparmio in Bologna, and Daniele Ravaglia, President of the Fondazione Bologna Welcome.

Palazzo Pepoli will return in a new guise, thanks to a collaboration between the Municipality of Bologna and the Fondazione Cassa di Risparmio in Bologna, which has offered this museum space to enrich the city’s cultural life, with the potential for further enhancements to the Morandi Museum in the future. In addition to the Bologna History Museum’s exhibition itinerary, which has been sponsored and developed by the Foundation over the years, it offers a unique cultural space dedicated to all facets of Bologna's history, which is very much alive and thriving in terms of present and future knowledge and know-how. A place where the memory of the past is not only preserved and disseminated, but also kept alive and vibrant through a comprehensive programme of initiatives for residents and visitors, developed in collaboration with various local organisations.

The reopening of the exhibition, which traces the history of Bologna from the Etruscan city of Felsina to the present day, not only complements the city’s museums, but also marks the beginning of a new joint cultural project with a well-structured format that will bring together speakers, visions and experiences at Palazzo Pepoli, a great testament to Bologna’s rich cultural heritage.

The history of the city will serve as an inspiration to reflect on the present and as a starting point for envisioning possible future scenarios for the city, through a series of conferences and meetings organised by Roberto Grandi. Furthermore, the city’s main organisations will be holding seminars, workshops, musical performances and in-depth studies on popular culture themes, as well as readings and talks, both in the magnificent Sala della Cultura on the first floor of the building and in the welcoming covered square on the ground floor. The events will be free to attend and will feature a pleasant refreshment area open to the public.

‘We are delighted to reopen this prestigious venue in the city with a whole new concept,’ said Matteo Lepore, Mayor of Bologna, and Patrizia Pasini, President of the Fondazione Cassa di Risparmio in Bologna. The Bologna History Museum will be enhanced with a new cultural offering, encompassing a variety of forms of expression. Over the next few months, Palazzo Pepoli will host a series of conferences, seminars, concerts, installations and events of all kinds, which will facilitate the gradual opening up of this space not only to citizens and visitors, but also to the city’s many cultural activities.’

The inauguration is scheduled for Saturday 30 November. The museum will open to the public at 12 pm with free admission all day long and, in the afternoon, visitors will also be able to take part in free guided tours scheduled at 3 pm and 4 pm (booking required on www.palazzopepoli.it, available from Tuesday 26 November). At 5 pm, in the Sala della Cultura, a conference will be held with the participation of Professor Franco Farinelli: Mesopolis - Bologna città di frontiera – Bologna frontier city (free admission - booking required on www.palazzopepoli.it, available from Tuesday 26 November), the first event in the series organised by Roberto Grandi.

Sunday 1 December, inaugural concert by the Philharmonic Orchestra of Bologna City Opera House, preceded by a guided tour of the museum, starting at 11 am (tickets available on www.palazzopepoli.it from Tuesday 26 November). Guided tours of the museum are available in the afternoon at 2 pm, 3 pm and 4 pm and are included in the price of the ticket (booking is recommended on: www.palazzopepoli.it). Then, at 5 pm, in Piazza Coperta, a conversation on the Bolognese dialect between Andrea Mingardi and Roberto Serra (free admission - booking required on www.palazzopepoli.it, available from Tuesday 26 November) will kick off a series of initiatives on popular culture.

The recent reorganisation of the museum centre in Palazzo Pepoli Vecchio has made it a leading cultural destination in Bologna, a must-see for tourists on account of its unique collections, which are inextricably linked to the city’s main attractions. For this reason, in order to provide tourists with the most comprehensive overview of the city’s cultural offerings, admission to the Bologna History Museum will be offered at a special rate, and will also include other tourist activities such as the Discover Bologna walking tour and a visit to the Clock Tower.

Palazzo Pepoli Vecchio has taken on a new role as a cultural centre, with dedicated online communication channels showcasing its various facets: in fact, the inauguration will coincide with the launch of the new website (www.palazzopepoli.it) and its Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn pages.

Opening hours

Palazzo Pepoli is open from Wednesday to Monday.

Open from 10 am to 7 pm on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays

Open from 11 am to 8 pm on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays

In December the bar will be open on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays