Archiginnasio Palace and Anatomical Theater

We had such a nice tour with Mikayla! This is a gem of a building and should not be missed if visiting Bologna, and was our favorite and most beautiful place we’ve seen. Learning about the destruction of this building during the wars and reconstruction, history of the university and its most famous students with their discoveries, and getting explanations of all of the rooms, monuments, and other fascinating tidbits was incredible. Our tour guide had a degree in archaeology and was supremely knowledgeable, funny, and made the building even more charming. Highly highly recommend!

Amazing place！the corridor is so beautiful! Better to buy ticket online

It's amazing. That's where medicine has started to be real science. While place is decorated with individual doctor's shields.

The Palazzo dell’Archiginnasio is one of Bologna’s most fascinating historical sites, and a true celebration of learning. Once the main building of the University of Bologna (the oldest university in the Western world), it’s steeped in scholarly legacy. Walking its arcaded halls, lined with hundreds of colorful family crests, feels like stepping into a living archive of academic history. The real highlight for me was the Teatro Anatomico; an ornate wooden room built in the 17th century for anatomy lectures. It’s both beautiful and eerie, with carved figures of famous physicians watching over the marble dissection table in the center. The detail is stunning, from the coffered ceiling to the “spellati,” flayed human figures carved with unnerving precision. It’s a place where art, science, and curiosity collide. Whether you're into medicine, architecture, or just the unexpected corners of history, this spot offers an unforgettable glimpse into how knowledge was once pursued and performed. Quiet, atmospheric, and intellectually rich.

The first university in history. An incredible history. Yearbooks of students and student clubs from the past are on the walls.

The most amazing building in Bologna, housing one of the oldest universities in the world, and the anatomical theatre is fascinating! This is a must see when in Bologna.

The building itself is very cool and interesting. However, I paid for the guided tour and partly wished that I had just done the audio guide. The guide’s English wasn’t great (not to her own fault), it looked like she was being assessed which maybe added to the nerves but it felt rushed, not that informative, and just generally not that good… I hope the organisation considers the readiness of guides/offers specific free ones for training

Today we visited the museum and had a very disappointing experience. Tickets could not be purchased directly at the counter, even though staff were present, and we were forced to buy them online on the spot, which makes no sense. Since we did not want a guided tour, we asked an employee for help choosing the correct tickets. Unfortunately, he gave us incorrect information, which led us to buy the wrong tickets. At the entrance, we were then denied access. Despite the mistake being caused by their own staff, they refused to issue a refund, and their only solution was for us to buy new tickets. The staff were unprofessional, rude, and had poor English skills. Because of this experience, I would not recommend this museum to anyone.