Museum for the Memory of Ustica, Bologna
The Museum for the Memory of Ustica (Museo per la Memoria di Ustica) is a tribute to the victims of the DC-9 aircraft crash near the island of Ustica in the Tyrrhenian Sea. It is a museum with emotion – it’s gloomy and depressive, and impressive and amazing at the same time. This place will make it worth your while, but only if you came ready to experience it. After all, it makes you think about life and death, recalling those terrible events.
Tragedy
The catastrophe occurred on June 27, 1980. The plane of the Italian company Itavia flew from Bologna to Palermo – just a usual flight. There were 77 passengers and 4 crew members on board. The pilot stopped communicating 51 minutes after the take-off. Two fighters were sent right away to explore the area of the IH870 flight, 25 km from the island of Ustica. Due to poor visibility, no one was found. All of those who were on board, namely, 81 people, were killed during the crash.
The investigation began immediately and lasted until 2015. The versions about a malfunction, pilot's mistakes and collisions with another aircraft were rejected. Until now, the cause of the fall is still unknown. Two possible versions include the bombing inside and being accidentally fired at by a NATO missile. Whatever that was, in 2013 the court ruled that the state should provide financial compensation to the families of the deceased.
History of the museum
The museum was created thanks to the initiative and assistance of the Association of Relatives of Victims of the Tragedy. On June 27, 1993, the Mayor of Bologna, Walter Vitali launched an initiative to return the wreckage of the plane to the city. Exclusively scrupulous work of firefighters made it possible to deliver about 2000 parts of DC-9 to Bologna on June 25, 2006. The Parisian artist Christian Boltansky was put in charge of the museum creation project. After painstaking work, the museum was opened on the 27th anniversary of the disaster, June 27, 2007. Since March 22, 2015, the museum has been free to enter.
Museum’s collection
The museum is located in the former warehouse of the Bologna transport consortium of ATC. The permanent exhibition housed in a spacious hangar includes the remains of the DC-9 aircraft. They are the central part and heart of the entire exhibition. 81 dim bulbs are hung on the ceiling, they blink in sync with the human breath. 81 black mirrors are installed inside the place as well that are faintly reflecting visitors. This is a visual reminder of the number of victims. 81 speakers are set behind the mirrors. A soft whisper of many voices is coming from them, adding even gloomier feeling to the memorial. Nine large black boxes are placed around the plane. Personal belongings of the deceased can be found inside: shoes, clothes, pipes, glasses, and fins. The visitor won’t be able to see them, however: the items are listed by the museum's designer.
How to get
The museum is located in the north of Bologna, in the industrial area of Bolognina, on Via di Saliceto, 3/22. The central station of Bologna and Industrial Heritage Museum are located nearby. The closest bus stops are Ca 'Dei Fiori (buses 27, 62) and Cignani (bus 25).
Opening hours: depends on the season.
- June 27 from 10:00 to 00:00.
- From July to September: from 17:00 to 20:00, from Friday to Sunday.
- From October to June: from Thursday to Friday – 09:00–13:00, from Saturday to Sunday – 10:00–18:30.
Admission: free. Contact number for inquiries: (+39) 051 377680.
