L'Aquila Capital of Culture 2026: program and monuments to visit

Overview

L'Aquila hosts a wide-ranging program for 2026 that highlights monuments, historic palaces and cultural venues across the city. The schedule includes exhibitions, installations, screenings and school-focused events, many taking place in prominent monumental sites open to the public.

Main events

• Ai Weiwei: Aftershock – Palazzo Ardinghelli / MAXXI L’Aquila, Piazza Santa Maria Paganica 15. Period: 29/04/2026 - 06/09/2026. A site-specific exhibition in a restored historic building used as an exhibition venue.
• Italiani da Oscar: screening of “E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial” – Multisala Movieplex, Via Leonardo da Vinci 7. Date: 30/04/2026 (21:00). A cinema screening included in the city's cultural program.
• RELazioni. Visual arts and sculptures in the architectural and landscape spaces – Palazzo OMNI (Former Asilo), Viale Duca degli Abruzzi. Period: 01/05/2026 - 30/06/2026. Exhibition that dialogues with historical architecture.
• Dantedì (school initiative) – Streaming by the Film Institute “La Lanterna Magica” with a lecture by Martina Orlando. Date: 25/03/2026. Content aimed at secondary schools, streamed on the organiser’s YouTube channel.

Practical information

Check opening times and access details with each venue before attending. Some events take place in monumental spaces and historic squares, where guided tours or themed routes may be available. School activities can be offered live-streamed or on-site depending on the organisers’ schedule.

Why visit

The program pairs contemporary projects with opportunities to experience L'Aquila’s monumental heritage, creating occasions to explore restored historic sites through exhibitions, screenings and cultural initiatives.