Museo della Storia di Bologna - Palazzo Pepoli

Palazzo Pepoli houses Bologna's city-history museum, presenting the city's development from Etruscan Felsina to the modern period within a medieval palace.

Why it matters

Unlike collections organized by art form or period, the museum tells the story of Bologna as a city. Its setting, Palazzo Pepoli, was built in 1344 as a fortress and residence for the family that ruled medieval Bologna. The museum connects the palace's civic history with the city's archaeological, political and cultural development.

What to notice

The medieval courtyard is covered by the glass-and-steel Torre del Tempo, designed by Mario Bellini. Displays interpret Etruscan Felsina, Roman Bononia, the university Middle Ages and later periods through objects, projections and scenography. The palace also houses a collection related to Bolognese puppetry and spaces for cultural interpretation.

Context and history

Taddeo Pepoli commissioned the palace in 1344. It later passed to the Church and the Collegio Gregoriano before returning to the Pepoli family; subsequent uses included storage and printing. The Fondazione Cassa di Risparmio in Bologna acquired the building in 2003 and commissioned its restoration and museum design from Mario Bellini. The museum opened in 2012 and is now part of Bologna's civic cultural landscape.