Museo Ebraico di Bologna
Museum in the former ghetto area, with a multimedia route on the history of Jews in Bologna and Emilia-Romagna.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The Museo Ebraico di Bologna (MEB) was established in 1999 and is run by a non-profit foundation set up by the Comune di Bologna, the Comunità Ebraica di Bologna (Jewish Community of Bologna) and the Associazione Amici del Museo, with the support of the Regione Emilia-Romagna, the Provincia di Bologna and the regional Istituto per i Beni Artistici, Culturali e Naturali (Institute for Artistic, Cultural and Natural Heritage).
The museum is in Via Valdonica, in the heart of the old Jewish ghetto established in 1555. As well as presenting its own collections, it acts as a cultural centre that promotes the Jewish architectural, artistic, documentary and library heritage of the whole region.
The permanent section is interactive: multimedia tools and display systems allow visitors to follow the historical route at different levels of depth. The story also touches on places of Jewish presence in the city, such as the ghetto area, the synagogue in Via Gombruti, the Certosa cemetery, the 16th-century tombstones of the Museo civico medievale and the houses where Jews lived before the ghetto. Regional itineraries link Bologna with Ferrara, Cento, Lugo, Modena, Carpi, Reggio Emilia, Parma and Soragna. The museum also has a specialised library and a bookshop.
Highlights
- Interactive multimedia permanent route
- Former area of the Jewish ghetto of Bologna
- Jewish itineraries in Emilia-Romagna (Ferrara, Modena, Soragna)
- Specialised library and bookshop
- Audio guide in Italian and English
Permanent exhibition
- Sezione permanente del Museo Ebraico di Bologna – Interactive multimedia route on the history of the Jewish presence in Bologna and Emilia-Romagna.
- Founded
- 1999
- Operated by
- Fondazione Museo Ebraico di Bologna
- Director
- Ivan Orsini
- Visitors per year
- approx. 25,200
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €7 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | €5students, people over 65, holders of the Card Cultura Bologna, FAI members |
| Children & teens | freefree up to age 5 · Free admission for under-6s. |
| Visitors with disabilities | freecompanion free · Free admission for people with disabilities and one companion. |
A single ticket covers the permanent and the temporary section. Free admission for licensed tourist guides.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible: no information
- Elevator: no information
- Accessible restroom: no information
- Accessible parking: no information
- Service dogs welcome: no information
- Tactile models & exhibits: no information
- Sign language tours: no information
- Easy-to-read materials: no information
- Audio description: no information
The guided tour service is listed as accessible; for detailed information on accessibility, contact the museum.
Kids & families
| Kids’ admission | free up to age 5 |
|---|
The educational activities are aimed at school groups from primary and secondary schools; students and teachers who take part receive a 15% discount on the museum's books and gadgets.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Buses 11, 25, 27 and 30, and all lines stopping at Due Torri, Via Rizzoli or Piazza Maggiore.
From the station, follow Via Indipendenza to Piazza Maggiore, then Via Marsala to Piazza San Martino; follow the signs for the Museo Ebraico.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
- Museum shop
The museum bookshop and the specialised library (MEB Biblioteca), open for consultation and loan.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes · approx. 60 min |
|---|---|
| Audio guide | yes (IT, EN) |
| School programs | yes |
| Good to know | A one-hour guided tour in Italian and English, with a bilingual audio guide and admission to the permanent and temporary sections, can be booked online via Bologna Welcome. For schools, free educational activities are available (about 90 minutes, up to 25 people), including routes tailored to classes. |
