Open Today: 10:00 am – 7:00 pm
Discover how to access Palazzo Peopoli
An engaging and interactive space waiting to be discovered, home to one of the city's oldest cultural treasures. The Casa dei Burattini Bolognesi (Bolognese Puppet House), created by the ‘Burattini a Bologna’ artists' collective, houses and promotes the traditional art of ‘wooden heads’ with the aim of passing it on to new generations. Between Portici, Commedia dell'Arte and Cinema, the rich exhibition includes historical puppets by the most renowned authors from the Bologna area and all the artistic materials from the Fondo Presini, used in the squares of Bologna until the early 2000s.
To offer visitors a complete overview of the work and commitment behind each performance, the atmosphere of a puppet-making workshop has been recreated, with the tools and stages of construction of the heads and hands carved from Swiss pine and then painted. The tailoring, the painting of the backdrops and the section of handwritten scripts. Here, it is also possible to “adopt” a puppet, following the custom of the Bolognese people who loved and felt a connection to the legendary wooden heads and collected them. In addition to the exhibition, the theatre hall is open from November to April with an authentic theatre season. “Burattini a Bologna Experience” is complemented by and interacts with some of the works in the museum, which can be appreciated during immersive guided tours.
Among the valuable items waiting to be discovered, the historic workbench that belonged to Demetrio Presini and was later sold to Riccardo Pazzaglia stands out. Pazzaglia continues to create new puppets in these very rooms. The puppet backdrops on display are paper ones produced between the 19th and 20th centuries by the set designers of the Teatro Comunale. One area is dedicated to “cinema puppets” from Charlie Chaplin to Totò, from “Uccellacci Uccellini” to Gino Cervi and Fernandel, and even a Dr Balanzone who starred with the Bertolucci brothers in the short film “Bologna”, which can still be viewed on the Istituto Luce YouTube channel. Twenty-seven historical puppets on the “Colonna di San Simeone” alone, and much more.
Open to all, the Museum Café is an inviting and accessible place to take a break or meet up in a relaxed atmosphere. With free entry, it invites visitors and locals alike to enjoy Palazzo Pepoli beyond the museum visit, making it a true meeting point in the heart of the city.
Through its events, performances, music, and workshops, the captivating Sala della Cultura stands at the very heart of Palazzo Pepoli’s cultural calendar.
As the symbolic core of Palazzo Pepoli, the Piazza Coperta is the main hub for all activities. Designed as a contemporary public square, it hosts events, exhibitions, performances, and moments of connection, deepening the relationship between the museum and the life of the city.