Santa Maria della Vita: renewed and enriched for visitors

With effect from 23 December, Santa Maria della Vita will be offering visitors a substantially enhanced museum experience. The new layout will provide a unified narrative, beginning in the Sanctuary and continuing to the Oratory, and will combine art, history and spirituality. This transformation has been made possible by the collaboration between the Fondazione Cassa di Risparmio in Bologna and Opera Laboratori, as part of the Genus Bononiae cultural project.

The new museum layout embraces all facets of the complex, from the renowned "scream of stone" of Niccolò dell'Arca's terracotta masterpiece, Lamentation over the Dead Christ, housed in the church, to the monumental sculptural group The Transit of the Virgin by Alfonso Lombardi, preserved in the Oratory. This latter work is now enhanced by a modern exhibition design that allows visitors to closely observe the sculptures and their intense interplay of gazes.

The Oratory's exhibition room also host a permanent collection of artworks from the Art and History Collections of Fondazione Carisbo, featuring masterpieces by artists such as Guercino, Guido Reni, Elisabetta Sirani, Giuseppe Maria Crespi, and the Gandolfi brothers. Notable highlights include The Jewel of the Sun King, which is now on permanent display, and Lucrezia Romana by Guido Reni, which will return to Santa Maria della Vita after being loaned to the Pinacoteca Nazionale di Bologna for the exhibition dedicated to the artist.

Finally, a multimedia room has been installed to augment the visitor experience by narrating the history of the complex through images, projections, and an immersive storytelling approach that brings Niccolò dell'Arca's voice to life.

This new journey invites reflection on the historical and spiritual significance of the site, preparing to welcome pilgrims and visitors in 2025, the Jubilee Year, with a cultural offering that blends tradition and innovation. Santa Maria della Vita reaffirms its role as a key destination for rediscovering Bologna's heritage, fostering a vibrant dialogue between past and present.

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