Imola, the city of fools - New spaces dedicated to the history of the city Osservanza asylum

On Saturday, March 28 2026, the LIMI – Laboratorio sulle Istituzioni Manicomiali Imolesi (Laboratory on the Imola Asylum Institutions) – was inaugurated at the presence of over 300 people, together with the exhibition by Valter Galavotti, "La città dei matti: immagini per non dimenticare" (“The city of the fools: images not to forget”).
The LIMI offers an immersive and contemporary experience. It guides the visitor through the history, voices, and places of Imola's asylum memory.
Following a participatory process, which involved hundreds of citizens between 2024 and 2025, LIMI offers an exhibition route. Through interactive installations, videos, sounds, and digital maps, it weaves together people's stories with the evolution of the institutions. A profound and human perspective emerges on a complex chapter of local history. From the narratives of the lives that passed through these places to the transformations of spaces and language, every element invites visitors to discover, reflect, and question.
LIMI is intended to represent an engaging experience, capable of speaking to the present and making memory a living tool for understanding the community.

The exhibition curated by Valter Galavotti, dedicated to the history of the Imola asylum, was inaugurated too. Thirty years after the closure of Osservanza asylum, happened in 1996, Professor Galavotti's work guides the visitor through an extensive and rigorous historical journey that spans centuries and documents the evolution of the perception of mental illness.
It aims to reconstruct the history of mental health from antiquity to the present day,
illustrating the places that, over time, have hosted, segregated, or treated people suffering from mental disorders. The images, some of which are previously unpublished, are the result of in-depth research conducted in recent years.
The Mayor of Imola, Marco Panieri, stated: "We are very proud of the work done. We had promised to return the Osservanza pavilions to the community, and we have done so, thanks to Next Generation EU resources and the redevelopment work followed by Con.Ami". "The opening of LIMI, coordinated by the Nuovo Circondario Imolese, represents an important opportunity to introduce everyone, both residents of Imola and non-residents, to an identifying feature of our history and to relaunch initiatives and moments of discussion on mental health issues". "Imola was a point of reference on these issues for years, and we want to return to being one in a phase where they are particularly current. Thanks go to Valter Galavotti for the passion and competence demonstrated and for making a high-quality exhibition available to the community".

Deputy Mayor Elisa Spada stated: "The opening of LIMI is the result of a collective effort initiated two years ago thanks to a participatory process funded by the Emilia-Romagna Region". "This is an important piece that, in connection with the Auditorium, the Theatre, and the Osservanza Park, will allow us not only to rediscover our past but also to activate initiatives and discussions of national importance on the present and future of mental health". "A heartfelt thank you to everyone who contributed to the realization of the project and to the ATI composed of Tragitti and Sea Coop, which will play a fundamental role in the management and programming of activities".