Art & Culture – Hannover

A Mecca for art lovers

For art lovers, the journey becomes its own reward in Hannover: with the sculptures along Brühlstrasse, the opulent Nanas by Niki de Saint Phalle on the bank of the River Leine and the futuristic BUSSTOPs, you encounter art face to face wherever you go. Hannover’s Sprengel Museum is home to one of the major collections of 20th and 21st century art. Other impressive contemporary art galleries which are well known far beyond the borders of this region include the Kestner Society, Kunstverein Hannover and the Ahlers Pro Arte/Kestner Pro Arte foundation. Hannover State Museum is the perfect destination for a family outing. It is divided into five collections – the State Art Gallery, the departments of natural history (with its vivarium), archaeology and ethnology, and the coin cabinet.

The exhibits at the August Kestner Museum span all ages from prehistory to the present day. The Wilhelm Busch German Museum of Caricature and Critical Graphic Art offers amusing satire for young and old, while the Museum of History is sure to appeal to anyone interested in the history of Hannover and Lower Saxony. The World of Kitchen – WoK, the first European museum dedicated to kitchens, features an informative presentation of human nutrition which simultaneously appeals to the senses. The Theatre Museum takes visitors back on a journey through time into the 350-year-old history of drama and opera in Hannover, while the Museum of Energy presents curiosities and classics – live and crackling with energy. During the annual “Museum Night”, when all the museums stay open until late, visitors have the opportunity to see many museums in the course of one evening and with just one ticket.

Art in public places

At the beginning of the 1970s, an art project was launched on the streets of Hannover that attracted widespread attention. Since then, the townscape has been uniquely characterised by the works of art that are to be seen there, and which in the meantime have come to number 170, including a series of specially designed tram and bus stops. The celebrated Nanas by Niki de Saint Phalle are splendidly enthroned on the banks of the River Leine. Once controversial, these three buxom wenches have long been among the city’s most popular photo motifs.

Kissed by the muse

The world exposition EXPO 2000 gave a unique and sustained impetus to Hannover’s cultural scene. Today, the city’s programme of cultural events is more diverse and more exciting than ever, offering a comprehensive spectrum of everything from light entertainment to stage productions of the highest calibre. The State Opera and the State Theatre both occupy leading positions in international rankings, and celebrated conductors and orchestras of international renown can always rely on enthusiastic receptions from their devotees in Hannover.

Magic moments

For many years now, the GOP Varieté-Theatre has offered entertainment of the highest calibre. Top international artists meld acrobatic performances on the highest level, baffling conjuring and offbeat comedy into a modern show experience that is constantly new. This is a place with cult character: such great names as Zarah Leander and Heinz Erhardt appeared here in days gone by, and today the GOP is Germany’s only variety theatre still performing at its original venue of the „Golden Twenties“.