Fri 4th September 2026
|Company
|Borgo Panigale, Bologna, September 4th 2026 – In the
year of Ducati's Centenary, the bond between the motorcycle manufacturer and
Bologna finds a new expression through a project that, for an entire month,
brings the company's identity to some of the city's most prestigious and iconic
locations.
From September 4th to October 5th, Salaborsa,
Palazzo Pepoli, Galleria Cavour 1959, Palazzo Boncompagni and the Renato
Dall'Ara Stadium become the stages of a multifaceted journey that
transforms Bologna into a vast exhibition space dedicated to Ducati.
Five exceptional venues showcase five different souls of the company through
photographic exhibitions, archive materials, artworks, historic models, unique
motorcycles and contemporary creations.
From the factory to historical memory, from design to art
and sport, the project captures the rich essence of a story that began
in Bologna in 1926 and which has continued uninterrupted to the present day.
It highlights the brand's most authentic identity, extending beyond motorcycles
to encompass everything that has contributed to its value over the past
century: Italian expertise and innovation, the love for beauty and
creativity, the passion for racing and sporting achievement, and an unbreakable
connection with the territory where its excellence was born and developed.
The initiative was officially presented today, Friday 4th
September, during a press conference held at Palazzo d'Accursio, attended by Claudio
Domenicali, Ducati CEO; Patrizia Cianetti, Ducati Marketing and
Communications Director; Matteo Lepore, Mayor of Bologna; and Irene
Priolo, Regional Minister for Environment, Territorial Planning, Mobility
and Transport, and Infrastructure of Emilia-Romagna.
“Ducati is part of Bologna's history, and being able to
tell the story of our first hundred years through some of its most iconic
locations is a privilege that not only makes us proud but also demonstrates the
role we play within the city and its community,” said Claudio
Domenicali, Ducati CEO. “It is also a clear representation of what
Ducati is today: a company deeply rooted in its home territory and capable of
bringing prestige, excellence and uniqueness to the world from Bologna.”
Matteo Lepore, Mayor of Bologna: “Ducati is one of
the great stories that Bologna has built and brought to the world. For a
hundred years, this company has represented talent, hard work, the ability to
innovate, and that unique combination of technology, design and passion that is
deeply rooted in our land. We are proud that for its Centenary, Ducati has
chosen to showcase its history through some of Bologna's iconic locations,
transforming the city for a month into a journey dedicated to its history and
identity. It's a way to celebrate an international excellence that continues to
grow here, in the area where it was born, and that contributes to making
Bologna recognizable around the world.”
The shared narrative also extends to other locations in the
city. Throughout the month of September, Ducati will be present in several
businesses associated with Confcommercio Ascom - including hotels, bistros, and
shops in the historic centre - which will contribute to “colouring Bologna red”
for the Centenary. The Bologna Welcome spaces overlooking Piazza Maggiore will
also be part of this shared narrative.
On October 4th, the journey will conclude in Borgo Panigale:
on the day dedicated to Bologna's patron saint, the Ducati Museum will open its
doors to the public, welcoming the people of Bologna to the place that
preserves the brand's history and identity.
Five exceptional locations to tell Ducati's souls
Salaborsa
At the centre of the Salaborsa exhibition is the Superleggera
V4 Centenario, along with its mechanical platform. Produced in just 500
numbered units, it is the most extreme road motorcycle ever: a concentration of
cutting-edge technology for the ultimate blend of power, lightness and
performance. One of the pinnacles of Ducati expertise.
The Superleggera V4 Centenario is surrounded by Giovanni De
Sandre's photographic narrative, created inside the Ducati factory. His shots
capture the most human aspect of the factory, made up of the people, knowledge
and skills that translate into manufacturing excellence every day. On the one
hand, the most advanced result of this work; on the other, the people who make
it possible and who bring the dreams of thousands of Ducatisti around the world
to life.
Palazzo Pepoli - Museum of the History of Bologna
Palazzo Pepoli, home to the Museum of the History of
Bologna, hosts an exhibition that intertwines the history of the motorcycle
manufacturer with that of the city through people, events, places and objects
connected to the area, including historical photos and videos, testimonies,
stories and archival documents.
Galleria Cavour 1959
Galleria Cavour 1959 takes visitors on a journey through
Ducati design, from the creative process to the development of the shape, all
the way to the birth of the motorcycle. The exhibition, "Design: The
Icon Takes Shape," delves into the heart of this journey, illustrating
how an idea gradually transforms into reality: from the first sketch to the
final motorcycle.
Palazzo Boncompagni
Palazzo Boncompagni hosts several models from the Collezione
100, a project created to celebrate the liveries that have marked key moments
in Ducati's history. Ten contemporary motorcycles interact with the models that
inspired them, connecting different eras through colours, shapes and graphic
details.
Enriching the narrative are reproductions of works by
Maestro Ugo Nespolo, one of the most important Italian artists of the late 20th
century, who has dedicated a series of unique and original illustrations to the
Collezione 100. With his unmistakable visual language, Nespolo has
reinterpreted the ten models and their respective historic motorcycles in a
colourful and dynamic narrative that breaks down and reassembles the lines of
the motorcycles to maximize the strength and beauty of each individual livery,
making the Palazzo Boncompagni exhibition even more prestigious.
Renato Dall'Ara Stadium
The Dall'Ara Stadium welcomes Ducati's racing spirit. In the
heart of Bologna's sporting passion, two Bologna FC matches - Bologna-Sassuolo
on September 6th and Bologna-Turin on September 19th - will feature some of
Ducati's most high-performance motorcycles, starting with the Desmosedici GP
and the Panigale V4 R, protagonists in the MotoGP and WorldSBK championships,
respectively.
Alongside the racing bikes, a prominent place is reserved
for two of Ducati's most extreme expressions: the Superleggera V4 Centenario
and the Superleggera V4 Centenario Tricolore, produced in 500 and 100 units,
respectively. Two limited-edition collector's masterpieces.
Galleria Cavour 1959 | September 4th – October 5th
Mon: Closed
Tue - Fri: 4:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Sat - Sun: 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM / 4:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Free admission, no reservation required
Palazzo Pepoli - Museum of the History of Bologna |
September 9th – October 5th
Mon, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat, Sun: 10:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Tue: Closed
Free admission, no reservation required
Salaborsa | September 7th – October 3rd
Mon: 2:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Tue - Fri: 9:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Sat: 9:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Sun: Closed
Free admission, no reservation required
Renato Dall'Ara Stadium
September 6th - 6:00 PM: Bologna - Sassuolo
September 19th - 3:00 PM: Bologna - Torino
Access during the matches
Palazzo Boncompagni | September 4th - October 5th
Mon: Closed
Tue - Thu: 3:30 PM - 6:30 PM
Fri - Sun: 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM / 3:30 PM - 7:30 PM
Palazzo + Collezione 100 exhibition: €10
Collezione 100 exhibition only: €5
Free: people with disabilities, children up to 10 years old,
journalists
*Special closures:
September 18th, 22nd, 23rd and 24th.
