At night at the museum. The Düsseldorf Night of Museums. 06.04.2019

“Night at the museum.” No, this is not the American film comedy from 2006. A film with Ben Stiller in the leading role, who as museum guardian discovers that the diverse exhibits in his museum lead a very lively life of their own.

In fact, the museum itself is obviously a highly inspiring setting for a whole series of films. Alfred Hitchcock already staged a spectacular chase at the British Museum in “Blackmail”. And in “The Da Vinci Code”, starring Tom Hanks as the investigator, everything begins with the murder of a curator in the Louvre at night. And after numerous entanglements, the story ends where it began. In the Louvre.

At night in the museum. This is obviously a very tempting perspective that stands for entertainment and suspense. A kind of parallel universe in which a different world opens up between art, culture and history. What is there to discover?

At night in the museum. In one? No, in all!

In Duesseldorf, the “Night of Museums” stands for an event that is actually entering its nineteenth year this year. A beloved and now well-established tradition.

Next Saturday, the Duesseldorf museums will open their doors in the evening. Visitors are invited into the night not only to look at the exhibitions. Lectures, guided tours, performances, readings, concerts, drama, music and dance will expand the nocturnal experience. Of course, it’s not just the “great classics” that will be there, the Kunstpalast, K20 and K21, the NRW Forum or the Kunsthalle. Numerous cultural institutions such as the Heinrich Heine Institute, the Francais Institute and the Kunstverein, open their doors as well.

In addition, there are many “off-locations”, off the beaten track at the “Night at the museum.”. This year, the Zero Foundation will be there for the first time. In the 1960s, ZERO artists Günther Uecker, Heinz Mack and Otto Piene worked in the Zero House. An “interactive space projection” evokes the art avant-garde of the 1960s. A shuttle bus service and historic trams bring all the art lovers comfortably to all the venues. If you like, you can also get on a rental bike and commute between the art locations.

You are not alone

As every year, it’s sure to get crowded. The organiser points out that some museums may be overcrowded and recommends that you “switch to a different museum”. And this is an easy exercise. Because the places are well connected, central and easily accessible.

Anyone hoping for contemplation and peaceful viewing of pictures in all the hustle and bustle will certainly be misguided by this charm-flooded night. Whoever wants to be simply inspired – quasi “en passant” – and understands all the art places in passing as inspiration and suggestion, and who then wants to come back to inspect a “place of discovery” in peace, is invited next weekend to celebrate art and culture as a gigantic party. How about just get involved?

Join the crowd. Have fun.