Discover a city with a heart: Bochum – the festival hub of the Ruhr

Bochum is a cultural centre with a unique character. Famous events venues and a lively cultural scene attract residents and visitors alike, helping to shape the new image of the city. Nowhere can the essence and character of the Ruhr area be experienced as sharply as in Bochum. The visible industrial past, the cultural diversity and the city’s important status as a theatre and entertainment capital create a distinctive identity. Bochum lies at the heart of a region that has emerged as one of Europe’s densest cultural landscapes, with international events such as the Ruhr Triennial arts festival in Bochum’s Jahrhunderthalle. The town itself is home to no fewer than 40 stages and ensembles. Highlights such as the Bochum Symphony Orchestra, the Schauspielhaus Bochum (Bochum Playhouse) and Starlight Express are reasons enough to pay the city a visit.

But culture in Bochum wears a variety of faces. The prinz regent theater and ROTTSTR5 Theatre offer fringe entertainment, whilst the "Figurentheater der Nationen" (FIDENA) festival is hugely popular among fans of puppet theatre. Formerly a travelling variety show, Varieté et cetera and its irresistible mix of entertainment and acrobatics has also made its home in Bochum’s vibrant arts scene. Music fans can look forward to a marathon summer of entertainment with festivals like Bochum Total in the city centre and the Zeltfestival Ruhr tent festival by the Kemnader Lake.

And that’s not all: there are lots of other reasons to visit, from the Bochum Railway Museum to the city’s zoo or the Zeiss Planetarium. This all goes to create a fascinating range of urban activities that continues to draw increasing numbers of visitors. Bochum’s museums build a bridge from the past to the future: centres like the Deutsche Bergbau Museum, the world’s most important mining museum, give an impressive insight into the city’s industrial heritage. At the same time unique collections like the Situation Kunst art collection and the Kunstmuseum art museum highlight the city’s status as a cultural centre.