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Bologna, the place

Science you can join in Bologna

Three regular ways in: a night in September when research institutes open their doors, a national day of open universities in March, and monthly guided tours of the university's museums.

Sources checked26 October 2026
Reading time2 min
Polish versionKonferencje i wydarzenia →

In a nutshell

You do not need a conference badge to meet science in Bologna. Several times a year the university and the research institutes open their doors to everyone – with talks, labs and guided visits – and the university museums run guided tours every month.

Below are the regular occasions we could confirm from official sources, with the time of year they usually take place. Exact dates are announced by the organisers each year.

Sources: [1] [3] [5]

European Researchers' Night

European Researchers' Night takes place every year across Europe, typically on the last Friday of September. In Bologna it is organised by the Society consortium, coordinated by the National Research Council (CNR) together with the University of Bologna, CINECA, INAF, INFN, INGV and the University of Ferrara.

Sources: [1] [2]

Università Svelate

Università Svelate (“Universities unveiled”) is a national initiative promoted by the Conference of Italian University Rectors (CRUI) to show what universities contribute to the country's cultural and social life. It is the National Day of Universities and takes place every year around 20 March. The University of Bologna's museums have taken part, for example with free guided visits.

Sources: [3] [4]

Museum guided tours

The University of Bologna Museum System (SMA) publishes a monthly programme of guided tours for adults and families across its museums and collections. See Science Travel for the museums themselves.

Sources: [5] [6]

Looking for a conference?

Scientific meetings in Bologna are announced by the institutions that host them, so there is no single calendar. The best places to look are the events pages of the University of Bologna, the CNR research area (which has its own conference centre on the Via Gobetti campus), INAF, INFN, CINECA and ECMWF – all linked from Institutes & Facilities.

Sources: [7]

Sources

  1. Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions – European Researchers' Night: takes place every year, typically on the last Friday of September
  2. Researchers' Night Bologna 2024 – press release (Consorzio Society)
  3. University of Florence – Università Svelate returns: the National Day of Universities promoted by CRUI (2025, second edition)
  4. SMA – SMA per Università svelate (2026)
  5. SMA – Guided tours for adults and families (monthly programme, example: September 2026)
  6. University of Bologna Museum System (SMA) – The museums
  7. CNR – Welcome to the CNR Bologna Research Area (institutes, library, conference centre)

Sources checked on 26 October 2026. Official documents are linked, not republished.