The end of a Kassel summer traditionally includes the Museum Night in September, which will now take place for the 18th time. On 2 and 3 September, a popular and versatile cultural format returns after the documenta break and two years of alternative formats due to the pandemic. Around 50 museums, galleries and cultural institutions will open their doors with a joint Museum Night ticket. An atmospheric setting with light, music and culinary delights will accompany the programme of the institutions.
Fig. above: Kassel Museum Night, Fridericianum, Photo: Anja Köhne
“The Museum Night impressively shows how great our cultural landscape in Kassel is. I am delighted that the event can take place again this year and very much welcome the fact that the focus this time is on cultural participation, especially through multilingualism. This is an important sign in our diverse and international city of culture,” says Lord Mayor Dr. Schoeller, summarising the theme of Museum Night 2023., Fridericianum, Photo: Anja Köhne
Ticket also valid for Sunday for the first time
“We are delighted that the Kassel Museum Night is back in its classic form and with it the special flair of this nocturnal event. Since the extended opening hours of the ‘Kassel Week of Museums’ met with a great response, this year’s Museums Night also offers more time for cultural enjoyment. The MuseumsnachtTicket is not only valid into the night, but also on the following Sunday for all participating museums and cultural venues,” adds the head of the cultural office Carola Metz.
This year, the major Kassel museums and all their buildings are once again taking part. Hessen Kassel Heritage opens Schloss Wilhelmshöhe, the Neue Galerie, the Hessisches Landesmuseum and the Marmorbad. Dr. Martina Lüdicke from the Regional History and Everyday Culture Collection at the Hessen State Museum explains: “Hessen Kassel Heritage is very keen to offer a cultural programme for everyone on Museum Night. That’s why we focus on different areas of interest in the individual houses and offer guided tours in a variety of languages.” Dr Aymen Hamdouni, Diversity Manager at Hessen Kassel Heritage, explains: “In addition, we offer guided tours with people who lead us through the exhibition in their mother tongue and thus provide a completely new view of our museums. We hope to get as many people as possible excited about museums who have not yet discovered them.
With its focus on multilingualism, the Museum Night takes into account the cultural diversity of the city and the international origin of many people. This year’s programme therefore includes many multilingual offerings – from English to Turkish, Polish and Persian.
Huguenot House and Karlskirche join as new locations
The Kassel Museum Night also offers a lot of new things: the Huguenot House is taking part for the first time. In its fifth year, under the organisation of Silvia and Lutz Freyer, it is showing the exhibition “Amber Room” and, due to the lack of lighting, will allow visitors to take torch tours until midnight on Saturday. As another cultural venue in the city centre, the Karlskirche enriches the programme this year. With its carillon, the glockenspiel, the church has a special feature that can only be found in a few cities in Germany. To complement the exhibition on “Bells from all over the world”, musicians have been invited to play concerts for the public on the forecourt during the evening.
Palais Bellevue celebrates opening after renovations
On the day of the Museum Night, a new cultural venue celebrates its opening: Palais Bellevue is once again open to visitors after its renovation. The municipal cultural centre with a focus on music and literature will in future house the Spohr Museum, the Literaturhaus Nordhessen and the Brückner Kühner Foundation. The Spohr Museum and the Brückner Kühner Foundation will organise the programme for the Museum Night at Palais Bellevue. On the ground floor, visitors will be able to experience an expansive audio installation by the sound artist Clara Oppel; on two floors, the Spohr Museum has set up its new permanent exhibition dedicated to the life and work of the composer, violinist and conductor Louis Spohr, which also makes Kassel’s musical history tangible.
Children and family programme
There will also be a colourful programme for children. Between 5 and 8 pm, hands-on activities and family tours promise fun and information for children of different ages. “The family-friendly special exhibitions ‘Filmreif’ in the Stadtmuseum and ‘Elefanten’ in the Naturkundemuseum invite people of all ages to discover. In addition, an extensive children’s programme – be it, for example, ‘Mr. Müller and his Guitar’ in the City Museum – or the many outdoor hands-on activities around the Natural History Museum – offers a variety of entertainment especially for our younger guests,” says Prof. Dr. Kai Füldner, Director of the City Museums, introducing this year’s Museum Night programme.
To take home, there is a new edition of the museum game “MonumentMal!?:”, which was developed for the “Kassel Week of Museums” 2021. The players embark on a journey through nine Kassel museums, answer exciting questions and solve fun drawing and pantomime tasks. This year, new knowledge and action cards have been added.
For all under 18s, there is still a free ticket that is valid both as an admission ticket to the participating houses and as a ticket for public transport.
Culture connects
Night-time opening hours, unusual event formats, surprising perspectives and high-level entertainment: the Museum Night combines the established museums with the independent cultural scene as well as young actors and promises an attractive programme for all generations. Thus, the Kassel Museum Night 2023 will once again present Kassel’s cultural diversity in a special atmosphere.
Programme publication
The programme booklet will be published on 8 August and will be available at museums, cultural institutions and advance booking offices. On the website www.museumsnacht.de the programme with supplementary information will also be available online from 8 August.
WHERE?
In around 50 cultural spaces in Kassel
34112 Kassel
WHEN?
Saturday, 02.09.2023 , 17 bis 01 hrs
Sunday, 03.09.2023 , 13 bis 17 hrs
COSTS?
Regular museum night ticket 15 euros
Reduced Museum Night Ticket 10 euros
(on presentation of proof of eligibility for these groups of persons aged 18 and over)
Free admission under 18 years
