The Machines of Leonardo da Vinci
Genius and Innovation.
The exhibition presents around thirty models, made of wood and other materials used during Leonardo’s time, following the principles and original drawings of the Renaissance genius.
The works were created by Giorgio Cegna, emeritus professor and holder of the first Chair of Decoration at the Academy of Fine Arts of Rome, together with students from Pusa University in Assisi.
The exhibition is coordinated by Francesca Bogliolo.
From 24 September 2026 to 17 January 2027, Palazzo Pallavicini in Bologna will host the exhibition Leonardo da Vinci’s Machines. Genius and Innovation, an immersive experience that takes visitors into the heart of the Renaissance, exploring the inventions and insights of one of its greatest figures.
The exhibition, coordinated by Francesca Bogliolo and organised by Pallavicini srl, founded by Chiara Campagnoli, Deborah Petroni and Rubens Fogacci, presents around thirty machines reconstructed in wood and other materials used during Leonardo’s time, faithfully recreated following Leonardo’s drawings and studies.
The models, produced by Giorgio Cegna, emeritus professor and holder of the first Chair of Decoration at the Academy of Fine Arts of Rome, together with students from Pusa University in Assisi, are the result of meticulous artistic work, research and historical reconstruction. The works have been verified and catalogued by Luca Pianesi, a museographer originally from the Marche region.
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Useful Information
Dates and opening hours
From 24/09/2026 to 17/01/2027, from Tuesday to Sunday
from 10:00 am to 7:30 pm (last admission at 6:30 pm)Special openings
- Sunday 4 October 2026 – Saint Petronius, Patron Saint of Bologna
- Sunday 1 November 2026 – All Saints’ Day
- Monday 2 November 2026 – Bridge holiday
- Monday 7 December 2026 – Bridge holiday
- Tuesday 8 December 2026 – Feast of the Immaculate Conception
- From 27 December 2026 to 17 January 2027, open every Monday as well
Special closures
- Friday 25 December 2026 – Christmas Day
- Saturday 26 December 2026 – St. Stephen’s Day
Ticket office:
- € 16 Full price
- € 14 Reduced price (from 14 years old up to under 18 years old, over 65s with ID document, students under 26 with student card, military personnel with ID card, tourist guides with ID card outside their professional, study or training activities, trainee journalists and freelance journalists registered with the Order of Journalists with ID card, assistants accompanying visitors with disabilities, ICOM members, Touring Club Italiano members, AICS Bologna members with membership card, State Property Agency employees with badge, subscribers to the Palazzo Pallavicini mailing list)
- € 13 Holders of a ticket for the other exhibition currently on display at Palazzo Pallavicini
- € 12 Bologna Welcome Card, Bologna Congressi and Card Cultura holders
- Family ticket consisting of 1 or 2 adults + children (from 6 years old up to under 14 years old) -> € 12 reduced adult ticket - € 8 reduced child ticket (free admission for children under 6 years old)
- € 12 University Friday (for all students upon presentation of a valid university enrolment card)
- € 12 Visitors with disabilities holding a disability certificate (car parking permits are not accepted), holders of a Disability Card (issued by INPS and in force according to the Official Gazette dated 23 December 2021)
- Free admission: children under 6 years old; tourist guides with ID card for professional, study or training purposes (upon accreditation request)
- € 12 Groups (min. 10 people – max. 25 people) **
- € 6 Schools (2 teachers free of charge for each class, free admission for H/104) **
**For groups and schools, booking is mandatory by writing to segreteria@palazzopallavicini.com.
- €18 Open ticket: includes admission at any time and on any date, including public holidays
Services
- Animals are allowed only in carriers, or it is possible to book a dog-sitting service through the website www.bauadvisor.it
- The coat check is unattended; please do not leave valuables
- Smoking and consuming food and beverages inside the exhibition area are strictly prohibited
Important information
Access for people with walking difficulties or wheelchair users (non-electric wheelchairs) is available exclusively via a Jolly Ramp D3000010 tracked stairlift supplied by TGR, with a maximum capacity of 140 kg (the weight is calculated as the combined weight of the person and wheelchair; the total weight must be provided by the visitor). The stairlift is required for two flights of stairs, for a total of 38 steps. The complete technical specifications can be downloaded and viewed at the following link: https://tgr.it/prodotto/jolly-ramp-montascale-mobile-a-cingoli/- Exhibition venue: Palazzo Pallavicini, Via San Felice 24, 40122 Bologna
- Exhibition title: Leonardo da Vinci’s Machines. Genius and Innovation
- Period: From 24 September 2026 to 17 January 2027
- Opening days: From Tuesday to Sunday, including public holidays (closed on Mondays)
- Opening hours: From 10:00 am to 7:30 pm (last admission at 6:30 pm)
Leonardo Office:
E-mail: info@palazzopallavicini.com; segreteria@palazzopallavicini.com
Tel.: +39 3514535469, from Tuesday to Saturday from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm and from 2:00 pm to 6:00 pmPress Office - CLP Public Relations
Ilenia Rubino | M. +39 333 2238560 | E. ilenia.rubino@clp1968.it
T. +39 02 36755700 | www.clp1968.it -
Press Release
The exhibition route set up in the frescoed rooms of Palazzo Pallavicini explores Leonardo’s genius through creations such as the bicycle, inspired by the famous 1493 drawing, the revolutionary parachute, the hang glider and the helicopter, which represent a true challenge to the force of gravity.
Pure mechanics takes shape through the continuous motion hammer, the wind gauge and the complex lifting systems, such as the pulley weights and the two-weight pulley. The exhibition also features essential devices in the history of modern engineering, including the writing scale, the gearbox, the piston and the jack.
Among the most significant works in the exhibition is the Porcupine, a monumental twelve-metre-long wooden installation inspired by Leonardo da Vinci’s sketches. Made using reclaimed wood from areas affected by conflicts, the work reinterprets an invention conceived for warfare, transforming it into a powerful symbol of hope.
Each piece reveals Leonardo’s ability to transform the observation of nature and the laws of physics into technical solutions of astonishing modernity. The craftsmanship behind the creation of the machines, which combines period materials — such as wood, rope and canvas — with strict adherence to Leonardo’s Codes, allows visitors to appreciate the models at the highest level of historical and scientific accuracy and to understand the laws of physics and Leonardo’s prophetic insights.
“This exhibition aims to break down the barriers between art and science, offering Bologna an event that combines visual wonder with historical rigour", the organisers state. "Being able to display these models at Palazzo Pallavicini, created through the excellence and expertise of the Scenography Laboratory of Pusa University in Assisi, represents a unique opportunity for the public to become familiar with one of the most brilliant minds of all time”.