!! COVID-19: All our Museums and Collections continue to be closed to support the effort to contain the spread of COVID-19. All public programs, events, and tours are canceled !!
THIS TOUR WILL GUIDE YOU UP THE SPECOLA TOWER TO DISCOVER THE ORIGINAL INSTRUMENTS USED BY ASTRONOMERS OF THE PAST.
The tower was built at the beginning of the 18th century to house the Specola, which was the astronomic observatory belonging to the Institute of Sciences. In the original rooms of the Specola, you will find the instruments that astronomers used for their observations and studies.
The objects on display belong to the original collection of the Institute of Science. During the visit, you will see fascinating rooms which host armillary spheres, terrestrial and celestial globes, pendulum clocks, nautical and topographical instruments, as well as telescopes from the 18th and 19th centuries. We suggest in particular that you do not miss the highlights of the collection:
- a sundial by Ercole Lelli (1741-1742), which was used until the middle of the 20th century to show the time to the people living in Bologna;
- a rare Moorish astrolabe (1280?);
- a rare big Chinese map by Matteo Ricci (1602);
- the so-called “tessellated telescopes” by Horn d’Arturo (1952), which are the forefathers of the modern large multi-mirror telescopes.
At the end of the tour, you will visit the observatory terrace and enjoy a wonderful view of the skyline of Bologna*.
You can visit the Specola Museum of Astronomy only with a guided tour, which is included in the price of the admission ticket. We offer guided tours in Italian and English. Each tour lasts one hour. Please arrive at the ticket office of the Museum (first floor) 10 minutes before the beginning of your tour.
Reservation is needed. Each visitor should fill in a form to book a guided tour.
CHOOSE A TIME AND BOOK YOUR OWN GUIDED TOUR
USEFUL INFORMATION FOR VISITORS
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 people with reduced or impaired mobility.
*In bad weather, for safety reasons, you are not allowed to visit the Specola terrace.