Playing, laughing, being loud, romping, doing nothing – and that in an exhibition house! From September 4, 2024, BAUBAU invites exactly that. In the play space for children designed by artist Kerstin Brätsch, more is allowed than forbidden. Colorful wallpapers, structures, objects, and a range of “Loose Parts” form spaces on the ground floor of the Gropius Bau that do not impose fixed guidelines but are determined by the activities of the children. They dictate the direction and form of what happens here. Thus, this place becomes a space of possibilities that can change day by day.

BAUBAU will launch in September 2024 in a prototype version and will continue to develop and grow over the coming years both inside and outside the Gropius Bau – in close exchange with the children and their wishes, as this is their place.

The Play
All children have the urge to play. This is how they learn to understand themselves and the world. Especially open, self-determined play is of great significance for emotional and social development. The educational concept for BAUBAU is therefore based on the principles of free play: Here, there is time, space, and permission for children to follow their own needs and interests. They are accompanied by playworkers – trained staff who create a safe and supportive environment where children can play freely.

 
The Art
BAUBAU playfully questions what a museum or an art institution should be. The comprehensive spatial design developed by Kerstin Brätsch is full of references and inspirations: elements from her previous works, such as marbling, paintings, or stucco marble work, reappear here in altered forms and materialities. The wallpapers, curtains, fabrics, seating furniture, and climbing structures are inhabited by dinosaurs, fantastical beings, termite mounds, and abstract elements. With their strange, funny, and perhaps a bit eerie shapes, they create an open framework for free play.

Kerstin Brätsch's practice is designed to allow and incorporate influences from outside. While she has previously collaborated with artists or artisans, she now does so in a completely different way with children: She invites the children to reshape and further develop the space according to their own ideas and visions, without the influence of the artist in unpredictable ways.

Mon, Wed, Thu, Fri 12:00–18:00
Sat, Sun 11:00–18:00
Tue closed

Playing, laughing, being loud, romping, doing nothing – and that in an exhibition house! From September 4, 2024, BAUBAU invites exactly that. In the play space for children designed by artist Kerstin Brätsch, more is allowed than forbidden. Colorful wallpapers, structures, objects, and a range of “Loose Parts” form spaces on the ground floor of the Gropius Bau that do not impose fixed guidelines but are determined by the activities of the children. They dictate the direction and form of what happens here. Thus, this place becomes a space of possibilities that can change day by day.

BAUBAU will launch in September 2024 in a prototype version and will continue to develop and grow over the coming years both inside and outside the Gropius Bau – in close exchange with the children and their wishes, as this is their place.

The Play
All children have the urge to play. This is how they learn to understand themselves and the world. Especially open, self-determined play is of great significance for emotional and social development. The educational concept for BAUBAU is therefore based on the principles of free play: Here, there is time, space, and permission for children to follow their own needs and interests. They are accompanied by playworkers – trained staff who create a safe and supportive environment where children can play freely.

 
The Art
BAUBAU playfully questions what a museum or an art institution should be. The comprehensive spatial design developed by Kerstin Brätsch is full of references and inspirations: elements from her previous works, such as marbling, paintings, or stucco marble work, reappear here in altered forms and materialities. The wallpapers, curtains, fabrics, seating furniture, and climbing structures are inhabited by dinosaurs, fantastical beings, termite mounds, and abstract elements. With their strange, funny, and perhaps a bit eerie shapes, they create an open framework for free play.

Kerstin Brätsch's practice is designed to allow and incorporate influences from outside. While she has previously collaborated with artists or artisans, she now does so in a completely different way with children: She invites the children to reshape and further develop the space according to their own ideas and visions, without the influence of the artist in unpredictable ways.

Mon, Wed, Thu, Fri 12:00–18:00
Sat, Sun 11:00–18:00
Tue closed

Students of the Mendelssohn Orchestra Academy of the Hochschule
in cooperation with the Gewandhaus Orchestra Leipzig
(Academy members of the 2024/25 and 2025/26 seasons)

Program:
Antonín Dvořák (1841-1904):
Quintet for two violins, viola, cello, and double bass in G major op. 77
Quartet for piano, violin, viola, and cello in E-flat major op. 87
Paul Hindemith (1895-1963): Chamber Music No. 1 op. 24 No. 1

Doors open: 10:30 AM

Thanks to mindfulness, Björn Diemel has found his center. However, his problem areas are now the edges of his body, which are increasingly moving away from this center. Björn realizes that being at peace with oneself and a lack of movement are two completely different things.
When strangers attempt to abduct Björn's daughter, he can only just manage to scare them off due to his body size. So, Björn has Joschka Breitner coach him on the principles of conscious nutrition. He dives into the fascinating world of detox fasting and dietary components. Björn is still unaware of how wonderfully nutrition, relaxation, and the dissolution of violent fantasies can be combined.

Playing, laughing, being loud, romping, doing nothing – and that in an exhibition house! From September 4, 2024, BAUBAU invites exactly that. In the play space for children designed by artist Kerstin Brätsch, more is allowed than forbidden. Colorful wallpapers, structures, objects, and a range of “Loose Parts” form spaces on the ground floor of the Gropius Bau that do not impose fixed guidelines but are determined by the activities of the children. They dictate the direction and form of what happens here. Thus, this place becomes a space of possibilities that can change day by day.

BAUBAU will launch in September 2024 in a prototype version and will continue to develop and grow over the coming years both inside and outside the Gropius Bau – in close exchange with the children and their wishes, as this is their place.

The Play
All children have the urge to play. This is how they learn to understand themselves and the world. Especially open, self-determined play is of great significance for emotional and social development. The educational concept for BAUBAU is therefore based on the principles of free play: Here, there is time, space, and permission for children to follow their own needs and interests. They are accompanied by playworkers – trained staff who create a safe and supportive environment where children can play freely.

 
The Art
BAUBAU playfully questions what a museum or an art institution should be. The comprehensive spatial design developed by Kerstin Brätsch is full of references and inspirations: elements from her previous works, such as marbling, paintings, or stucco marble work, reappear here in altered forms and materialities. The wallpapers, curtains, fabrics, seating furniture, and climbing structures are inhabited by dinosaurs, fantastical beings, termite mounds, and abstract elements. With their strange, funny, and perhaps a bit eerie shapes, they create an open framework for free play.

Kerstin Brätsch's practice is designed to allow and incorporate influences from outside. While she has previously collaborated with artists or artisans, she now does so in a completely different way with children: She invites the children to reshape and further develop the space according to their own ideas and visions, without the influence of the artist in unpredictable ways.

Mon, Wed, Thu, Fri 12:00–18:00
Sat, Sun 11:00–18:00
Tue closed

Have you ever seen reality turned upside-down? No?

Then it's time for a visit to Ben Blu's Illusion Theater! Come with your family and let yourself be taken into the world of magic. Children from 4 years old watch with amazed eyes and open mouths as objects transform or float. Even adults are amazed and laugh when Ben enchants the audience.

Ben Blu's unique Illusion Theater specializes in the art of magic. In an intimate setting, you and your family will experience an interactive and entertaining show. Some effects happen right in the audience. Whether you live in Berlin or are visiting the city: this show will amaze you! Some tricks can only be seen here in the world.

The friendly magician Ben Blu will guide you and the other guests through the program for about 60 minutes without a break. He adjusts the show easily to the specific audience, for example, in terms of age groups.

Admission 30 minutes before the show.

The theater adventure for the whole family - on the open-air stage in Waren (Müritz)!

Exciting stories full of love, action, and humor! An enthralling journey into the past of the Müritz region with thrilling battles, horses, historical costumes, and specially composed stage music. Located in the midst of greenery, just a few minutes' walk from the historic city center, is the dreamlike backdrop of the open-air stage in Waren (Müritz) on the wooded Mühlenberg.

Admission from 30 minutes before the start of the event

Play for people aged 3 and up.
Text version by Gero Pflaum.

A prince has traveled all over the world to find a princess he can love and marry. He finds no one until one evening, a strange young woman appears before his city. He falls in love with her immediately.

But is the young woman really a princess, as she claims? Can they actually get married? The young woman must pass a great test. Will she succeed? So much can be revealed: The young people will be very happy.

A magical piece that is performed by the beloved BuehneBumm in cooperation with the Kreuzgangspiele for our youngest audience with much imagination and love.

Doors open: 4:00 PM

You want to get to know the choir's rehearsal work? Then attend the general rehearsal!

Do you remember them? The moon has risen, No beautiful land, The linden tree...
This concert is entirely dedicated to the German folk song. Unlike our European neighbors, Germany is losing its own culture. Having been instrumentalized by National Socialism, many today hesitate to pass on the folk song legacy to the next generation.
However, the Amadeus Choir Neuendettelsau opposes this trend. From Innsbruck, I must leave you to Do you know how many little stars are standing, the choir represents German folk songs from all eras.
The renowned pianist Paul Sturm enriches the concert with short preludes to the folk songs.
Susanne Hoch explores the origins of the folk song and its development in her moderation. When does a song actually become a folk song?
Look forward to a concert full of beautiful memories and a sense of home!

Program:
German folk songs from all eras

with:
Paul Sturm (piano)
Susanne Hoch (moderation)
Julian Hauptmann (conductor)

The permanent exhibition on the life and work of Erich Maria Remarque offers a detailed look into the life, work, and thoughts of the famous writer through numerous photographs, documents, and manuscripts. The exhibition is bilingual, presented in German and English throughout.

Divided into seven sections covering his youth in Osnabrück (1898–1921), the years in Hanover and Berlin (1922–1928), the discussion around All Quiet on the Western Front (1928–1930), his exile in Europe (1931–1939) and the USA (1939–1948), his political works in the 1950s, and the 1960s leading up to his death on September 25, 1970 in Locarno, the exhibition attempts to highlight the ruptures, contradictions, and controversies in Remarque's life while emphasizing their productivity for his work. It illustrates Remarque's numerous psychological conflicts, aiming to resolve the apparent contradiction between the "bon vivant" and the "militant pacifist," and provides insight into his acquaintances, friendships, and marriages. Numerous originals such as the death mask or Remarque's original desk complement the presentation.

Another focus of the exhibition is the worldwide, often highly controversial reception of Remarque's works, which have been translated into at least 60 languages and continue to attract a global audience of millions.

An information terminal allows visitors to delve deeper into specific questions about Remarque's life and work. Another terminal provides access to over 2,000 photographs spanning all stages of Remarque's life, his residences, contacts, and the film adaptations of his works.

The exhibition is open for free visits on Tuesdays to Fridays from 10 am to 1 pm and from 3 pm to 5 pm, and on Saturdays and Sundays from 11 am to 5 pm. Guided tours for school classes and other interest groups can also be arranged outside regular opening hours. Tours can be scheduled with Mr. Martin Siemsen (siemsen.m@osnabrueck.de) by phone at 0541/323-2109 or fax at 0541/323-4355.

A shop on-site offers materials related to Remarque's life and work for sale.

The castle with a lot to offer: "HerrschaftsZeiten! Erlebnis Cadolzburg" from June 24, 2017 at the Cadolzburg - the new highlight of the Nuremberg Metropolitan Region

A powerful castle - the setting of the illustrious history of a ruling family that has achieved great success: this was and is the Cadolzburg. The rulers were the Hohenzollern family, who ruled over Franken and later Brandenburg, also gaining electoral dignity in the 15th century. Later on, they even became Prussian kings and German emperors.

The Cadolzburg derives its radiance not only from its role as the starting point of a significant career in the Holy Roman Empire - the impressive structure itself reflects this golden era of the Hohenzollerns. The new museum "HerrschaftsZeiten! Erlebnis Cadolzburg" of the Bavarian Administration of State Castles will make this time - the late Middle Ages - exciting and informative for visitors through innovative communication concepts. While walking through the castle, visitors can learn not only about the architectural history, wars and peace, daily life, and governing tasks of the princely castle residents. There is much to discover here through interactive and sensory means:

Visitors can experience the castle through their sense of smell, there are tactile stations, sounds and dialogues, vivid models, and invitations to try things out. Exciting or challenging games, medieval Hohenzollerns in their own words, and the jester Contz who guides visitors through the castle bring the Middle Ages to life. Visitors can also expect to see several original medieval artifacts such as swords, maces, or a magnificent treasure chest. Other objects were specially crafted for the museum based on extensive research in historical techniques, such as the gilded armor of the famous General Albrecht Achilles, or textiles dyed according to original recipes. The Bavarian Administration of State Castles also made significant contributions to experimental historical research, like creating a breastplate from boiled leather, in line with the ambition of creating one of Germany's most important castle museums.

The cultural communication of the Bavarian Administration of State Castles also offers a diverse program of accompanying events, making this exciting history even more intriguing - for the young nobleman as well as the castle enthusiast.

Not only the Middle Ages but also the Cadolzburg itself now comes back to life. After the extensive damage of World War II, original medieval rooms and successful architectural creations of the 21st century can now be experienced. The modern buildings completed in 2017 bridge the medieval era with our present time.

You can expect very special experiences here - it truly is THE CASTLE WITH A LOT TO OFFER.

 

 

The Romantic era was a particularly brilliant period for portrait miniatures, reaching its peak and at the same time signaling the end of this special painting technique. Countless artists created portraits with great empathy and astonishing technical perfection. More people than ever collected small portraits of their loved ones to carry with them or to gather at home as a pictorial family album. 142 masterpieces from the renowned Tansey collection illuminate the heyday of an art that had to make way for photography during the 19th century.

Accompanying the exhibition is a catalog that, in addition to the annotated reproduction of all works, is distinguished by essays by various experts on aspects of miniature painting during this time. Hirmer Verlag, bilingual German/English, 432 pages, 208 color illustrations.

Tue - Sun 11am-5pm

Opera in one act by Béla Bartók based on a libretto by Béla Balázs | Performance as a light play opera

In German with German surtitles

Before blood-soaked walls, seven locked doors, darkness everywhere – Herzog Blaubarts Burg is a sinister place!
But Blaubart's beloved Judith is determined: She wants to follow him into his fortress to bring light into the eerie darkness with her love. That is why she also demands the keys to the seven locked doors. Thus, she delves deeper into the secrets of her beloved and his castle, opening door after door – what will she find behind them? From the fairy tale "La barbe bleu," Béla Bartók and his librettist Béla Balázs created an expressionist soul drama in 1911, where the eponymous castle plays the main role as a symbol of the male psyche. The libretto uses cinematic light effects, which is why we present the work on stage with the means of film. An important component of this semi-scenic "light play opera" are video projections by Max-Ophüls award winners Sascha Vredenburg and Cedric Klaus.

»Sometimes I think the sky is made up of uninterrupted, never-tiring reading.«
(Virginia Woolf)

Due to high demand, we will again offer the popular 5+1 subscription starting August 1, 2024.

This also applies to discounted tickets (discounts are available upon proof for students, refugees, people with disabilities, and Munich Pass holders). Pay the price for 5 events and attend 6 (Euro 50.- instead of Euro 60.- for 6 events).*

With the promotional code included in the 5+1 subscription, you can then book 6 events of your choice (of course, already sold-out events are excluded). / The code can be redeemed for a maximum of 6 selected events (also in several stages if desired). / PLEASE NOTE that you can only use the code once per event, as the subscription is valid for one person only. / A service fee of 2.- EURO will be charged for each online booking with the promotional code via Reservix.

*This currently only applies to events with an admission price of EURO 16.- (regular price) as well as reduced EURO 10.-.

With the exhibition »The Story That Never Ends. The Collection of the ZKM«, the ZKM | Karlsruhe provides a comprehensive insight into its own collection, which, with around 12,000 works, is among the largest and most significant collections of media art in the world. The exhibition tells not only of the intertwined stories of art and technology but also of the challenges that fast-paced technological media bring to museums worldwide.

The history of media art from the 1950s to the present

Electrification and digitalization have changed the world. This transformation has not only affected our daily lives but has also impacted artistic creation. 

Since the beginning of the 20th century, artists have been using these rapidly evolving technologies and constantly expanding the expressive possibilities of art: The spectrum ranges from video, light, and sound works to motor-driven kinetic objects, as well as computer-based interactive installations or works created with the help of artificial intelligence. 

With about 100 works, »The Story That Never Ends« traces these developmental lines of the apparatus arts and their openness to the categories of space, time, and movement as well as interaction and participation – from the 1950s to the present. A selection of important key works that represent significant moments and milestones of media art illustrates the diversity and impact of these technological developments. Marie-Jo Lafontaine's monumental video sculpture »Les larmes d’acier« (1987), which ironizes the complex conceptual constellations of "man, machine, power, and sexuality," as well as Bill Viola's video-sound installation »Stations« (1994), which unites central aspects of his artistic work along with fundamental themes of human existence, or Jeffrey Shaw's »Virtual Sculpture« (1981), representing early experiments in augmented reality, form a small selection of examples here. 

At the same time, the exhibition also makes the socio-political context in which the works were created comprehensible, allowing for deductions and connections to the pressing questions of our time: Feminist works by earlier (media art) pioneers, such as pezoldo (aka Friederike Pezold), Lynn Hershman Leeson, Kirsten Geisler, or Rebecca Horn, are just as noteworthy as works reflecting the impacts of mass media like television (Nam June Paik, Wolf Vostell), the connection between technology and the military, borders and surveillance, or violence in the digital space (Paul Garrin, Hanna Haaslahti, David Rokeby) or natural ecosystems (Justine Emard, Claudia González Godoy). Artists repeatedly question the possibilities and effects of new media, rethink and redesign them, thus bringing forth new social and cultural narratives that shape the discourse about our relationship with technology. 

We perceive art, as the exhibition title suggests, as a story that will never end as long as there are people. The fact that we do not know what form it will take in the future is something it shares with technology. Our knowledge of the past and present influences how we shape the future and value what is yet to come.

The restoration of media art

„The Story That Never Ends“ not only refers to artistic development but also to the challenges museums face when collecting media artworks: Technical devices are not made for eternity, data carriers deteriorate, software standards become obsolete very quickly, and media formats are no longer readable after a few years. This means that works must continuously be monitored and technically updated by conservators. What impact does this have on art and our cultural memory? What skills do we need to develop to not only have a future but also a past?

The ZKM has an internationally recognized expertise in the conservation and restoration of media art. However, since these conservation and restoration activities mostly happen behind the scenes, »The Story That Never Ends« takes a radical step: The decision about which key works from the collection are shown in the exhibition has been entrusted to the conservators of the ZKM. In doing so, they bring hidden treasures to light that have, due to elaborate preservation measures, often not been publicly visible for decades. Since the works themselves do not necessarily reveal the complexity of their technology and the challenges of their preservation, the exhibition also provides an introduction to the history of technology and conservation strategies for this type of works.

The view from the past into the future

»The Story That Never Ends« thus not only tells the fascinating story of media art through the unique collection of the ZKM. It also highlights the fragility of our electrified and digitalized civilization. The exhibition allows for an in-depth insight into the art and technology history of the 20th and 21st centuries and shows how history sharpens the view of the present and stimulates the imagination of possible futures.

Wed to Fri: 10 am to 6 pm
Sat, Sun: 11 am to 6 pm

Play based on the novella of the same name

Adaptation for the Kreuzgangspiele by Johannes Kaetzler.

In the villas and houses along the shores of a coastal bay, fascinating worlds of life unfold. A fabulously wealthy young man stands at the center of the action: Jay Gatsby. He is mysterious and the subject of wild rumors. Why does no one get close to him?

Not far away, a young athletic couple resides in an elegant villa by the beach. Are they really as likable as they present themselves? In between, there is a tiny house with a young resident who is trying to get rich through stock trading. Is he as friendly as he seems? And what about the attractive woman who is married to a car dealer?

Fate brings all these people together. In a dizzying series of events, their secrets are revealed, and a gigantic panorama of human passions unfolds.

The staging of the famous novel material on the Kreuzgang stage ignites a theatrical fireworks display about the wild twenties of the last century with much music and very big emotions.

Entry: 20:00 Uhr

Curth Flatow S GELD LIEGT uff DR BANK Comedy
Adaptation by Axel Preuß, Swabian by Monika Hirschle

Work, work, bank heist! In this fast-paced Swabian comedy, you will be left breathless.

Gustav Kühne is thoroughly satisfied: he has a loving wife, three splendid children, and a fulfilling job as a locksmith. However, his true passion lies in bank robbery! Together with his sons, he has just pulled off another heist. But suddenly, the police are at the door. In his desperation, he makes a vow: if he gets away with it, he will not rob a bank for the next 40 years.

Said and done. But on his 80th birthday, he wants to try it one more time – and plans the first bank robbery after four decades, much to the dismay of his sons.

A cheeky comedy with lovingly drawn characters. It is no coincidence that "Das Geld liegt auf der Bank" is one of the most successful plays of the post-war period. With Willy Reichert ("Häberle und Pfleiderer") in the lead role, the play was celebrated 55 years ago in our comedy at the Marquardt.

Thanks to the adaptation by Axel Preuß and the translation by Monika Hirschle, the play receives a new, Swabian charm.

Experience Reinhold Weiser in a starring role as the cunning bank robber and Jörg Pauly as well as Stefan Müller-Doriat as his worried sons.

Performances from May 15 to July 5, 2026

With Harald Hauber, Diana Gantner, Stefan Müller-Doriat, Jörg Pauly, Amelie Sturm, Reinhold Weiser
Directed by Axel Preuß
Set and costumes by Tom Grasshof
Dramaturgy by Lena Roth, Annette Weinmann

Over 57 million people worldwide have already visited the exhibition. Starting January 30, 2026, plastinator Dr. Gunther von Hagens and curator Dr. Angelina Whalley will showcase their current exhibition about the human body in the cycle of creation and decay in Chemnitz: KÖRPERWELTEN & Der Zyklus des Lebens.
A variety of unique preparations, including many whole-body plastinates, guide us through the human body and clearly explain the individual organ functions as well as common diseases. The focus is on the human body and its changes over time, from conception to old age. KÖRPERWELTEN vividly demonstrates what each of us can do to maintain our health and high quality of life for as long as possible. There are only a few events that can change our perspective on ourselves so profoundly!
All specimens displayed in the exhibition are real. They come from individuals who, during their lifetime, stipulated that their bodies should be made available for the training of doctors and interested laypeople after their death.

Last admission: 5:00 PM

Soprano Heidi Maria Taubert

Instrumental soloists of the ensemble Frauenkirche Dresden

Flute Rozália Szabó

Violin Jörg Fassmann

Cello Jörg Hassenrück

Double Bass Tobias Glöckler

Harpsichord and direction Frauenkirchenkantor Matthias Grünert

Spiritual word, prayer and blessing Frauenkirchenpfarrerin Angelika Behnke



In his arias, Bach becomes particularly personal: They tell of the innermost, speak of doubt, comfort, hope, and love – the music becomes a mirror of the soul. The Dresden soprano Heidi Maria Taubert, who shares her passion for music as a singing teacher at the Dresden Kreuzchor among other places, interprets the most beautiful arias with a small, exquisitely cast ensemble under the direction of Matthias Grünert. An intimate, highly musical Sunday concert – sensitive and moving.



Admission: 15:30