Plan your visit

The entrance is free for:
– visitors under the age of 18;
– disabled citizens and one accompanying person;
– teachers and students of undergraduate, graduate or postgraduate degree programs and doctoral programs of the faculties of architecture, preservation of cultural heritage, science of education or letters and philosophy with an archaeological or historical-artistic focus in the member states of the European Union by showing suitable document;
– teachers and students enrolled in the academies of fine arts or corresponding institutes of the European Union by showing suitable document;
– interpreters and tour guides of the European Union;
– journalists by exhibiting suitable document;
– I.C.O.M. members (International Council of Museums).

Also free for owners of Bologna Welcome Card and Card Cultura and members of the Società di Santa Cecilia. Friends of the Pinacoteca di Bologna.

Check here for reduced admission fees to cultural sites.

In Pinacoteca you can also use the Carta della cultura giovani and the Carta del merito. 

No special open days are currently scheduled.

PINACOTECA NAZIONALE DI BOLOGNA

How to reach us
The Pinacoteca Nazionale di Bologna is located on Via Belle Arti 56

By car
Via Belle Arti is located in a restricted traffic zone, the nearest point that a car without a Limited Traffic Zone (ZTL) permit can reach is Via Irnerio. The nearest pay car parks are on Via Irnerio; other pay car parks are on Piazza VIII Agosto and near the Bus Station.

By bus
From the railway station: bus no. 32 direction Porta San Mamolo, 36 direction Bellaria (Porta San Donato stop)
From the bus station: bus no. 36 direction Bellaria, 37 direction Bombicci (Porta San Donato stop)
From Piazza Maggiore: bus no. 20 direction Pilastro (Porta San Donato stop)
From Fiera [Trade Fair]: bus no. 28 direction Indipendenza San Pietro (Porta San Donato stop)
 
On Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays (“T-days”) buses are subject to route variations. For further information, please consult the Tper.

On foot
15 minutes’ walk from the railway station, bus station and Piazza Maggiore
10 minutes from the Due Torri [Two Towers]
12 minutes from Palazzo Pepoli Campogrande.


PALAZZO PEPOLI CAMPOGRANDE

How to reach us
Palazzo Pepoli Campogrande is located on Via Castiglione 7.

By car
Via Castiglione is located in a restricted traffic zone, the nearest points that can be reached by a car without a Limited Traffic Zone (ZTL) permit are the main avenues, Via Irnerio and Piazza Otto Agosto. The nearest pay car parks are the Ex Staveco car park in Viale Panzacchi and the Piazza VIII Agosto car park.

By bus
From the railway station: bus no. 25 direction Due Madonne (Rizzoli stop)
From the bus station: bus no. 11 towards Corelli/Ponticella (Rizzoli or Piazza Minghetti stop) and bus no. 27 towards Genova/P.le Atleti Azzurri (Rizzoli stop)
From Fiera [Trade Fair]: bus no. 28 direction Indipendenza San Pietro (bus stop Indipendenza San Pietro)

On Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays (“T-days”) buses are subject to route variations. For further information, please consult the Tper.

On foot
20 minutes’ walk from the railway station and bus station
5 minutes from Piazza Maggiore
2 minutes from the Due Torri [Two Towers]
12 minutes from the Pinacoteca Nazionale di Bologna.

To make your time spent visiting our collections more enjoyable, we invite you to read and respect a few simple rules.

Organising your visit

Before your visit, we recommend that you purchase your ticket online, to avoid queuing at the ticket office. Those in possession of the ticket purchased online can skip the queue at the ticket office and go directly to the reception desk on the ground floor.
The ticket only allows one access to the Pinacoteca and is not reusable; within three months of the date of issue it also allows access to Palazzo Pepoli Campogrande.
Throughout the tour, staff are authorised to ask for the ticket, which must therefore be kept for the duration of the visit.

The list of works on temporary loan from other institutions for exhibition events, temporarily absent for maintenance or restoration work or for other reasons, can be found on this page.

Backpacks, bags, umbrellas and other bulky objects must be deposited at the cloakroom before entering the exhibition spaces. Deposit is free of charge.

Visitors under the age of 12 must be accompanied. 

Animals are not permitted, with the exception of guide dogs for the blind and service dogs for assisting the disabled (which must wear the appropriate harness and be kept on a leash).

Rules of conduct within the museum

While inside the museum rooms it is forbidden to:
- to stand and sit on the access and escape routes and on any other passage used as an emergency exit;
- touch works of art or approach with objects that could damage them;
- damage or tamper with structures, infrastructures and services in any way;
- behave in such a way that could cause dangerous situations, endanger the safety of persons and works of art or be contrary to public order;
- engage in aggressive acts towards control staff;
- deface walls;
- run in the halls;
- walk barefoot and bare-chested in the museum spaces;
- introduce liquids except for so-called LAGs (liquids, aerosols and gels) for medical purposes or special dietary regimes, including baby food;
- consume food and drink;
- smoke (the ban also includes electronic cigarettes);
- talk on the telephone;
- bring in knives, metal tools of various kinds and any type of firearm and/or dangerous material; it is also forbidden to bring in armed visitors, even if they have a legal arms permit
- to introduce drones and similar devices

During the visit it is necessary to
- wear clothing appropriate to the museum environment (it is considered inappropriate to visit the museum in a swim suit, in excessively skimpy clothes, in ceremonial or wedding attire, or wearing historical costumes and disguises)
- respect the general indications on museum signs and what is indicated by the museum staff;
- maintain a moderate tone of voice so as not to disturb other visitors;
- switch off or mute mobile phones.

It is permitted to take photographs or video recordings of the works (with the exception of those on display in temporary exhibitions) for personal and study use, provided that no flash, additional lights, selfie sticks, tripods or professional equipment of any kind is used. For other uses, special authorisation must be requested and a concession fee paid, if applicable (further information on this page).

Drawing and taking notes with a pencil or digital devices is permitted, while the use of paints, easels, lecterns and other bulky supports or equipment is not.

Supervisory staff, identifiable by their badges, are available to visitors for information about the collections and services offered by the museum. The staff is responsible for the safety of the exhibits and people. Visitors are therefore required to follow the instructions given by the security staff, who are authorised to intervene if necessary and also to remove those whose behaviour endangers the safety of the works of art or disturbs other visitors.

In the event of a large crowd, in order to protect the safety of the works on display and visitors, the staff may temporarily close certain rooms or restrict entrances in order to avoid crowds. In some exhibition spaces, entry may be restricted.

For access to the Pinacoteca Nazionale di Bologna, for groups of 8 to 25 people, booking is compulsory using the App PinboBookingWithout a reservation, access will not be possible.

Reservations are not required for groups under 8. The number of participants is not required to be entered at the reservation stage, which, however, may not exceed 25.

In the case of groups of more than 8 (including guide or attendant), tour guides and attendants providing information during the visit must be equipped with a whisper system (microphone and earphones).

Reservations can be made up to two months in advance of the visit date.

On free admission days, groups can enter without reservations by purchasing tickets at the museum: tickets for free admission days cannot be purchased online. Groups will have access within the capacity limits provided.

Groups should arrive at the museum 10 minutes before the booked time. Punctuality is required: in case of delays, entry may be delayed until the next available time.

Those in possession of a ticket purchased online can skip the queue at the ticket office and go directly to the reception desk on the ground floor.

Reservations do not grant preferential access to the ticket office.

No invoice or cumulative tickets will be issued.

During the visit, groups must stick together, follow the guide or accompanying person and behave appropriately; the tone of voice must be such that it does not disturb other visitors.

It is forbidden to use laser pointers to indicate works.

Only guides licensed in accordance with current regulations are permitted to exercise the profession of tourist guide.

At the Pinacoteca Nazionale di Bologna there is a bookshop - tourist info point run by Fondazione Bologna Welcome.

Opening hours
From Tuesday to Sunday and public holidays: 10am – 7pm
Closed Mondays