Museum Festival for the Anniversary
On Saturday, June 21st, we warmly invite you to our grand, free Museum Festival as part of the Fête de la Musique: Celebrate with us the 30th anniversary of the Stiftung Stadtmuseum Berlin in the historic Nikolaiviertel.
Regular: free of charge
Nikolaiviertel | 10178 Berlin
Parking around the Nikolaiviertel is very limited. We recommend arriving by public transport.
During the museum festival, video and photo recordings will be made for the public relations purposes of the Stadtmuseum Berlin. By participating, you agree that these recordings may be published.
We reserve the right to make changes to the programme at short notice in the event of bad weather.
6h
History Meets Music
Enjoy a diverse music program on two stages in the Nikolaiviertel. Experience the talented Berlin singer-songwriter King Josephine, the captivating rhythms from around the world by Calango All Styles OrkeStar, and the unique Operndolmuş of the Komische Oper Berlin.
Discover the Nikolaiviertel through exciting tours, visit our fascinating exhibitions at the Museum Knoblauchhaus, Museum Nikolaikirche, and Museum Ephraim-Palais. Build musical instruments with your children, dance in the tango workshop, and learn more about our collections and the work of our friends and support associations.
Moderators: Anjouna Novak, Melanie Huber
Programme
Concerts
16:05 – 16:30 | Stage in front of the Museum Laboratory
Die Bunte Bande Berlin
16:35 – 17:05 | Stage in front of the Nikolaikirche
The Opera Dolmuş presents ‘Hadi Bakalım – let’s go!’
17 – 17:30 | Museum Knoblauchhaus
Concert on the lyre grand piano in the Museum Knoblauchhaus
17:10 – 17:40 | Stage in front of the Museum Laboratory
Of Fools & Queens
17:45 – 18:30 | Stage in front of the Nikolaikirche
‘Milonga en Piso Alemán’ – a dance installation by Philip Kojo Metz
18 – 18:30 | Museum Knoblauchhaus
Concert on the lyre grand piano in the Museum Knoblauchhaus
18:35 – 19:20 | Stage in front of the Nikolaikirche
Calango All Styles OrkeStar
19:25 – 19:55 | Stage in front of the Museum Laboratory
Orchestre Miniature in the Park
20 – 20:30 | Stage in front of the Nikolaikirche
The Opera Dolmuş presents ‘Hadi Bakalım – let’s go!’
21 – 22 | Stage in front of the Nikolaikirche
King Josephine
Tours & Workshops
13 – 18 | in front of the children’s parlour of the Museum Knoblauchhaus
Instrument workshop
15 – 17 | Museum Ephraim-Palais, Schlütersaal
Murga & Candombe dance workshop (in German)
16 – 17 | Meeting point in front of the Museum Ephraim-Palais
Guided tour: Legends and myths in the Nikolai neighbourhood (in German)
16 – 18:30 | Museum Ephraim-Palais, Foyer
Short presentations of favourite objects from the collection (in German)
16 – 16:30 | Museum Knoblauchhaus
Curatorial guided tour through the Museum Knoblauchhaus (in German)
16:30 – 17:30 | Meeting point in front of the Museum Ephraim-Palais
Guided tour: City walk through the Nikolai neighbourhood (in German)
17 – 17:30 | Museum Ephraim-Palais, 2nd floor, entrance room (oval)
Curatorial guided tour through the BerlinZEIT (in German)
17:30 – 18 | Museum Knoblauchhaus
Curatorial guided tour through the Museum Knoblauchhaus (in German)
17:30 – 18:30 | Meeting point in front of the Museum Ephraim-Palais
Guided tour: Legends and myths in the Nikolai neighbourhood (in German)
18 – 19 | Meeting point in front of the Museum Ephraim-Palais
Guided tour: City walk through the Nikolai neighbourhood (in German)
18:30 – 19 | Museum Ephraim-Palais, 2nd floor, entrance room (oval)
Curatorial guided tour through the BerlinZEIT (in German)
The detailed programme
Die Bunte Bande Berlin
16:05 – 16:30 | Stage in front of the Museum LaboratoryThe capital city choir “Die Bunte Bande Berlin” brings together diverse voices from all corners of the city into one choir. Here, the newcomer to Berlin meets the long-established native Berliner, indie meets pop, guitar meets piano, with the effect that there seems to be no guiding principle – except the shared joy of music. This way, the “Bande” makes the audience shine. Singing along and dancing are explicitly allowed and encouraged!
The Operndolmuş presents “Hadi Bakalım – Let’s go!”
16:35 – 17:05 + 20 – 20:30 | Stage in front of the NikolaikircheThe Operndolmuş, a minibus full of opera stars, will stop in the Nikolaiviertel. The program, not too long and not too short, features famous opera arias, Berlin operetta duets, Turkish pop music, and Anatolian rock, inviting everyone to join in for an exciting ride through musical worlds in opera singing attire. The Operndolmuş is brought to the streets by Selam Opera, the outreach program of the Komische Oper Berlin.
Concert at the Lyra Piano
17 – 17:30 + 18 – 18:30 | Museum Knoblauchhaus | Limited number of participantsExperience the inimitable sound of the restored Lyra piano (F. A. Klein, Berlin) from 1835. Pianist and member of the Knoblauchhaus Friends Association, Grit Schulze, will play classical music pieces from the Biedermeier period on this historic instrument. Embark on a journey through time and listen to the sounds in the unique Biedermeier ambiance.
Of Fools & Queens
17:10 – 17:40 | Stage in front of the Museum LaboratoryOf Fools & Queens inspire with finely tuned close-harmony vocals and tonal sophistication. Their repertoire from swing to pop promises a shimmering concert between playfulness and depth – to listen to, enjoy and immerse yourself in.
“Milonga en Piso Alemán”
17:45 – 18:30 | Stage in front of the NikolaikircheThe name of the installation refers to the Ghanaian fortress Groß-Friedrichsburg. The dance floor corresponds to the layout of the room from which enslaved people were shipped overseas. The architect of this fortress is buried in the Nikolaikirche. The installation is accompanied by a music program curated by Negar Taymoorzadeh and live musicians playing tango – a music genre with African roots that has long been marginalized. Taymoorzadeh and Philip Kojo Metz explore the “Black History of Tango” and bring it into focus. Dancing is explicitly encouraged!
Music: Momo Abel and Damián DAlessandro
Calango All Styles OrkeStar
18:35 – 19:20 | Stage in front of the NikolaikircheThe Calango All Styles OrkeStar, also known as “CAS OrkeStar” by fans, is a 20-member ensemble from Berlin with a well-balanced mix of expressive percussion, impressive electro-strings, and distinctive brass sound. The variety of instruments – from cello to baritone saxophone, metal clarinet, surdo, and berimbau to voice and flute – reflects the wide range of danceable sounds and styles from around the world: from funk, jazz, reggae, polka, klezmer, salsa, mambo, and samba to fusion and folk rock.
Orchestre Miniature in the Park
19:25 – 19:55 | Stage in front of the Museum LaboratoryMenschen from everywhere play alternative pop on children’s instruments. They create something unique and incomparable. And they have only one mission: SUMMER, SUN, HITS! A good mood is guaranteed here.
King Josephine
21 – 22 | Stage in front of the NikolaikircheKing Josephine is a Berlin-based composer, multi-instrumentalist, singer, and songwriter. In her recently released project, she tells life stories that deal with love, racism, mental health, and queerness, bridging universal human themes with emotions, humor, and wisdom. Her captivating voice has long enchanted audiences across Europe.
Tours & workshops (in German)
Instrument Workshop
13 – 18 | in front of the Children’s Salon at the Museum KnoblauchhausIn just a few steps, build a sound body from an empty deposit bottle for plucking and bowing. It’s easy to play like a mini-zither and is perfect for new sound experiments and spontaneous street music in the Nikolaiviertel. Together, we’ll let the sounds swing through the neighborhood.
Dance Workshop on Murga & Candombe
15 – 17 | Schlütersaal at the Museum Ephraim-Palais | Limited number of participants | Please collect a free ticket at the Museum Ephraim-Palais ticket counter on the day of the event.The workshop begins with a brief introduction to Argentine Murga and Candombe – two music styles that strongly reference their African roots. Through physicality and movement, we approach the elements of the Black history of tango and make them directly tangible. Afterwards, everyone is warmly invited to the thematically related Milonga with live music.
Favourite objects from our collections
4 – 4:10 pm + 4:15 – 4:25 pm + 4:30 – 4:40 pm, 4:45 – 4:55 pm, 5 – 5:10 pm, 5:15 – 5:25 pm, 5:30 – 5:40 pm, 5:45 – 5:55 pm, 6 – 6:10 pm, 6:15 – 6:25 pmMeeting point: Foyer in the Museum Ephraim-Palais
Employees of the Stadtmuseum Berlin present special artefacts from the museums in the Nikolai Quarter. They will provide insights into fascinating stories, surprising details and will be happy to answer your questions – in compact and lively short presentations lasting around 10 minutes each. The objects selected by our colleagues are as diverse as the exhibitions themselves: From the skateboard from the toy collection to the medieval plague doctor and the tower knob coins in the crypt of St Nicholas’ Church – you’re in for a surprise!
Curatorial Tour of the Museum Knoblauchhaus
16 – 16:30 + 17:30 – 18 | Museum Knoblauchhaus | Limited number of participants | Please collect a free ticket at the museum’s ticket counter on the day of the event. | The tour is held in German.Through silk trade, architecture, and the establishment of a brewery, the Knoblauch family shaped Berlin’s life. Today, their former residence is a museum. The “Berlin Salon” on the upper floor also presents the metropolitan network of silk merchant and politician Carl Knoblauch. The brief curatorial tour with Dr. Jan Mende tells of the everyday life of the wealthy Berlin population two hundred years ago and offers fascinating insights into the period between the end of the Napoleonic Wars in 1815 and the Revolution of 1848.
Legends and Myths in the Nikolaiviertel
16 – 17 + 17:30 – 18:30 | Meeting point in front of the Museum Ephraim-Palais | Limited number of participants | Please collect a free ticket at the Museum Ephraim-Palais ticket counter on the day of the event.Join us on an exploration tour through the Nikolaiviertel. Families will encounter the Berlin Bear and learn how a giant’s rib came to Berlin. They will meet the Paddenwirt, discover the meaning of his name, and get acquainted with the “Kaak.” A visit to the dragon slayer George is also on the agenda, as well as a walk through the shortest street in Berlin.
City Walk through the Nikolaiviertel
16:30 – 17:30 + 18 – 19 | Meeting point in front of the Museum Ephraim-Palais | Limited number of participants | Please collect a free ticket at the Museum Ephraim-Palais ticket counter on the day of the event. | The tour is held in German.Discover the Berlin Nikolaiviertel during the Museum Festival! The mix of reconstruction and prefabricated buildings is undoubtedly an important part of Berlin’s architectural history.
Curatorial Tour through BerlinZEIT
17 – 17:30 + 18:30 – 19 | Museum Ephraim-Palais, 2nd Floor | Limited number of participants | Please collect a free ticket at the museum’s ticket counter on the day of the event. | The tour is held in German.The brief tour with curator Gernot Schaulinski provides you with interesting facts about the city’s history and focuses on Berlin’s growth into a metropolis from its expansion into the surrounding areas in 1920 to the present day. The tour places special emphasis on the historical context in which the Stadtmuseum Berlin was established.
Museums
Our museums in the Nikolaiviertel are open to you during the Museum Festival. Admission on this day is free.