La musealizzazione delle collezioni storiche del Museo Geologico di Bologna: Giovanni Capellini e la Tribuna Aldrovandiana

Abstract

The essay traces the history of the Tribuna Aldrovandiana once housed in the Geological Museum of Bolo- gna, a significant phase in the process of musealization of Ulisse Aldrovandi’s collections. Inaugurated in 1881 during the Second International Geological Congress, the Tribuna was conceived by Giovanni Capellini as an exhibition space for geological and paleontological specimens belonging to the celebrated naturalist. Modeled on the Tribuna di Galileo in Florence, it was designed both as part of the museum’s exhibition layout and as a commemorative monument to Italian scientific heritage. By reviving the memory of a distinguished past and emphasizing its material legacy, the Tribuna sought to elevate the international standing of Italian geology while contributing to the shaping of a national scientific and cultural identity, in which the University of Bologna played a leading role.