Presentation
The Specola Museum of Astronomy in Bologna is housed in the historic astronomical Tower built between 1712 and 1726 on the initiative of count Luigi Ferdinando Marsili (1658-1730). Situated above Palazzo Poggi, today the seat of the University of Bologna, the Tower was designed by Giuseppe Antonio Torri (1655-1713) and completed by Carlo Francesco Dotti (1670-1759). Inaugurated in 1727, the Specola remained the university’s only observatory until 1936, when the Loiano Observatory was built thanks to Guido Horn d’Arturo (1879-1967), director at the time. The Specola Tower continued to house the University of Bologna’s Institute of Astronomy and it was here that Horn built the first tessellated mirror in history. Since the 1990s, the Tower has been gradually transformed into a museum, which today is home to an extraordinary collection of scientific instruments that tell the story of the evolution of observation and knowledge of the cosmos and the Earth from the 13th to the 20th centuries. Today, the exhibition is spread over four floors and ends on the panoramic terrace, from where you can enjoy an impressive view of the city of Bologna.
INFORMATION AND SERVICES
Address
Via Zamboni, 33 - 40126 Bologna
Contacts
+39 051 2099610
Ticket Office
Further Information
Scientific Advisor Prof.ssa Marcella Brusa
Opening hours
Tuesday-Friday: 10am-4pm*
Saturdays, Sundays and bank holidays: 10am-6pm*
Closed on
Mondays (except public holidays), 1 January, 1 May, 15 August, 24 and 25 December
*A maximum of 15 people are allowed in the Museum at any one time. During opening hours, admission is at the beginning of each hour (minute 00), and the maximum duration of stay in the Museum is 60 minutes.
We recommend that you arrive at the ticket office at least 10 minutes before your chosen time. In case of delay, access is not guaranteed.
Reservations are strongly recommended.
Climbing the Tower requires considerable effort on the part of visitors, given that the staircase has 272 steps. Entry is therefore strongly discouraged for people suffering from heart conditions, vertigo and claustrophobia.
For safety reasons, access to the Tower is not permitted for people with reduced or impaired mobility.
In case of rain or snow, access to the panoramic terrace will not be permitted due to the risk of slipping. The tour will end on the seventh floor.
Tickets
Standard ticket 8€
Reduced-rate tickets 4€: young people aged 20 to 26; visitors over 65; groups (min 10 / max 15 participants); FAI card holders
Free admission: students of the University of Bologna; staff of the University of Bologna; groups of Winter/Summer School students organized or participated by University of Bologna; young people up to 19 years old; school teachers of all grade levels with card; visitors with disabilities and accompanying visitors; licensed journalists and tourist guides; ICOM card holders, ANMS card holders; Card Cultura holders; Associazione Almae Matris Alumni; Students of Accademia di Belle Arti di Bologna; Ukrainian citizens.
The admission ticket to the Specola Museum of Astronomy entitles you to free admission to the European Museum of Students – MEUS.
Further information
SERVICES FOR SPECIAL OPENINGS
100 € (fixed fee for max 2 hours) + staff costs
50 € for every extra hour
BABY PIT STOP
Dedicated breastfeeding areas donated by Club Soroptimist Bologna, in the framework of UNICEF programme "Insieme per l'allattamento".
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Toilets
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Bookshop
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Lift
We would like to inform our visitors that the Palazzo Poggi Museum, the European Students’ Museum, the Specola Museum and the University Library will be closed to the public on Wednesday 1 April 2026, due to a power cut caused by routine maintenance work. We apologise for any inconvenience caused.
Inserito il 23/03/2026