The University Museum Network offers themed guided tours of the museums and collections of the University of Bologna. Visiting the various facilities, you can learn about plants, herbariums, maps and globes, anatomical wax models, animal skeletons, rare stones, and ancient fossils, retracing the path that man has taken in the discovery of science.
Guided tours are by reservation only and cost €6 per participant (excluding children aged 0 to 6 for activities not specifically dedicated to this age group and unless otherwise indicated), in addition to the museum admission ticket for venues that charge an entrance fee: Museum of Palazzo Poggi, Specola Museum of Astronomy, European Museum of Students - MEUS, Geological Collection "Giovanni Capellini Museum".
The calendar of activities is updated monthly
MUSEUM OF PALAZZO POGGI
GUIDED TOUR OF THE MUSEUM OF PALAZZO POGGI | AGES 6-99
A fascinating stroll through the eighteenth-century laboratories of the Institute of Sciences and Arts of Bologna: let us introduce you to our collections of anatomical waxworks and obstetrics clay models, maps and terrestrial globes, ship models, electrical physics instruments and the “theater of nature” by Ulisse Aldrovandi, the father of modern Natural History.
LOCATION: Museum of Palazzo Poggi
TYPE: guided tour for adults and families with children aged 6 and up
MAXIMUM NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS: 20
DATES:
- 5 July 2026, 4.00 p.m.
- 12 July 2026, 4.00 p.m
- 19 July 2026, 4.00 p.m
- 26 July 2026, 4.00 p.m
- 2 August 2026, 4.00 p.m.
- 9 August 2026, 4.00 p.m.
- 16 August 2026, 4.00 p.m.
- 23 August 2026, 4.00 p.m.
- 30 August 2026, 4.00 p.m.
SPECOLA MUSEUM OF ASTRONOMY
GUIDED TOUR OF THE SPECOLA MUSEUM | AGES 6-99
Following a comprehensive two-year renovation, the University of Bologna's Specola Museum reopens to the public with a completely redesigned visitor itinerary. This guided tour will take you through the four floors of the historic astronomical tower—built atop Palazzo Poggi in 1727 - culminating at the top of its iconic spiral staircase. From the rooftop terrace, you will experience a breathtaking 360 - degree panoramic view.
LOCATION: Specola Museum of Astronomy
TYPE: guided tour for adults and families with children aged 6 and up
MAXIMUM NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS: 15
DATES:
- 20 June 2026, 10.00 a.m.
- 27 June 2026, 10.00 a.m.
- 4 July 2026, 10.00 a.m.
- 11 July 2026, 10.00 a.m.
- 18 July 2026, 10.00 a.m.
- 25 July 2026, 10.00 a.m.
- 1 August 2026, 10.00 a.m.
- 8 August 2026, 10.00 a.m.
- 22 August 2026, 10.00 a.m.
- 29 August 2026, 10.00 a.m.
GEOLOGICAL COLLECTION "GIOVANNI CAPELLINI MUSEUM"
GUIDED TOUR OF THE GEOLOGICAL COLLECTION | AGES 6-99
Young and old, assemble! Join us inside the galleries of the “Museo Giovanni Capellini” Geology Collection to explore our rich fossil collections together. From the first rocks to appear on Earth, through the age of the dinosaurs, we will journey to the last ice ages, on a journey between past and present, exploring the evolution of the Earth and the evolution of life on Earth.
LOCATION: Geological Collection "Giovanni Capellini Museum"
TYPE: guided tour for adults and families with children aged 6 and up
MAXIMUM NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS: 15
DATES:
- 12 July 2026, 10.30 a.m.
- 2 August 2026, 10.30 a.m.
- 16 August 2026, 10.30 a.m.
"LUIGI CATTANEO" ANATOMICAL WAX COLLECTION
GUIDED TOUR OF WAX ANATOMICAL COLLECTION "LUIGI CATTANEO" | AGES 8-99
Did you know that Bologna is famous worldwide for its School of Anatomical Wax figures? In Bologna, where medicine has been studied for centuries, the study of anatomy could not be absent: the wax works of the "Luigi Cattaneo" Collection of Anatomical Waxes represent a unique example in the world of art and science. Great artists put their skills to the service of science to give us exceptional works. But how was research conducted in past centuries? Why can we admire the wax models kept here today? How were diseases addressed in the past? What were the vaccines like and how were they received, which are now at the center of our attention? A journey that unfolds between works of normal human anatomy and pathological human anatomy, up to studies related to human behavior and the human mind. Wax models, real specimens, and particular preservation techniques will be at the center of the visit.
LOCATION: "Luigi Cattaneo" Anatomical Wax Collection
TYPE: guided tour for adults and families with children aged 8 and up
MAXIMUM NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS: 15
DATES:
- 20 June 2026, 11.00 a.m.
- 27 June 2026, 11.00 a.m.
- 4 July 2026, 10.30 a.m.
- 19 July2026, 10.30 a.m.
- 1 August 2026, 10.30 a.m.
- 22 August 2026, 10.30 a.m.
BOTANIC GARDEN AND HERBARIUM
GUIDED TOUR OF THE BOTANICAL GARDEN AND HERBARIUM | AGES 12-99
Following a historical introduction to the Botanical Garden and Herbarium, we will visit various sectors, focusing on seasonal aspects. We will then visit the Herbarium of the University of Bologna, usually closed to the public, which houses unique collections of immense historical and scientific value. Among the 16th-century collections, the majestic herbarium of Ulisse Aldrovandi stands out; he was an important Bolognese naturalist and founder of Bologna’s first Botanical Garden (1568). The visit continues with a discovery of the impressive 19th-century collection of Antonio Bertoloni, the most influential Italian botanist of his time.
LOCATION: Botanic Garden and Herbarium
TYPE: guided tour for adults and families with children aged 12 and up
MAXIMUM NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS: 10
DATES:
- 18 July 2026, 10.30 a.m.
- 8 August 2026, 10.30 a.m.
- 16 August 2026, 10.30 a.m.
The activities are carried out in collaboration with Le Macchine Celibi Società Cooperativa.