Culture

Maastricht has a long history as a cultural centre – as a Roman fortified city, as a medieval centre of pilgrimage, as one of the earliest industrial cities in the Netherlands. To learn more about it's rich historie visit Zicht op Maastricht (View to Maastricht): a city's biography.

And now as a city where contemporary architecture also reflects the vibrant spirit of the times. To find out more about cultural events and shows in the city, check out the monthly newsletter “Uit in Maastricht (Out on the Town)” or the weekly folder “Week IN Week UIT” (in Dutch with English Section).

Maastrichtnet
Maastrichtnet Highlights

Art

Kumulus Centrum voor kunsteducatie (centre for education in the arts)

The Kumulus Centre for education in the arts is the location where everyone in Maastricht and the surrounding area can come for courses in music, the visual arts, ballet & dance and theatre.

Since last season, the newest and also successful additions to the programme are the Writers’ School and the Department for Exploring the Arts. Our teachers are enthusiastic professionals who, young and old alike, very much enjoy providing quality education in their chosen art field.

In addition to the regular courses offered, Kumulus also provides ample opportunity to practice what is learned here in collective sessions, exhibitions, presentations and shows. Excellent facilities are also available in this regard.

For community work and education, Kumulus offers a wide range of workshops and short-term courses under the header of Cultural education.

The Bureau Amateurkunsten (Department for Amateur Arts) provides support to associations in Maastricht in the area of regulations, subsidies, organisation and facilities.

Kumulus has branches at various locations throughout the city. Some of the programmes offered are also available in Valkenburg a/d Geul and other municipalities in the surrounding region.

Kumulus - Centrum Voor Kunsteducatie
Postal address
Postbus 1992
6201 BZ Maastricht
E-mail: info@kumulus.nl
www.kumulus.nl

Centre Céramique – Municipal library

Centre Céramique is located at the meeting point between the old Wyck neighbourhood and the new Céramique neighbourhood on Plein 1992. There's always something going on at the centre! You can enjoy an interesting exhibition devoted to photography, art or archaeology, visit the library, go online free of charge, enjoy a delicious cup of hot coffee, read the newspaper, listen to a concert, or just allow yourself to be surprised by one of the many different activities on offer. But there is another reason for visiting the Centre Céramique. The building itself, designed by architect Jo Coenen, as well as the beautiful review it affords visitors, is more than worth the visit. Centre Céramique also keeps very good company, as witnessed by its neighbours: the Bonnefanten Museum, the theatre Het Vervolg, and the NAi Maastricht (Dutch Architectural Institute). This part of Maastricht therefore has a great deal to offer when it comes to culture and the arts. Centre Céramique also has two smaller branch libraries in the Malpertuis and Heer neighbourhoods.

Visitors’ address: Avenue Ceramique 50
Postal address: Postbus 1992, 6201 BZ Maastricht
Telephone numbers:
(043) 350 56 00 (general)
E-mail: mail@sbm.nl
www.centreceramique.nl

Open: Tuesday 10:30 AM to 8:30 PM; Wednesday 10:30 AM to 5 PM; Thursday 10:30 AM to 8:30 PM; Friday 10:30 AM to 5 PM; Saturday 10 AM to 3 PM; Sunday 1 PM to 5 PM (except for July and August). Closed Monday.

Branch library in Heer
Concordiastraat 1
6226 GD Maastricht
T: (043) 350 56 08

Branch library in Malpertuis
Sproetepad 20
6217 CG Maastricht
T: (043) 350 56 09

Maastricht Natuurhistorisch Museum (Museum of Natural History)

The Maastricht Natuurhistorisch Museum is the natural history museum in Limburg, devoted to ancient as well as modern natural history. Take a trip through time and visit some of the Earth's previous geological ages, whose inhabitants included the “Mosasaurus” on display, and end up becoming acquainted with the fish species presently inhabiting the streams of Limburg. Check out the various animals to be found in the forested hill country, the chalk-rich grasslands, and the gravel pits or nose around in the old and dark corners of the museum. The new Dynamic History section explains how mankind and nature influence each other. In the section devoted to insects, you can look inside a beehive with bees buzzing around! The Mosasaurus “Bèr” fossil, a 66 million year old giant marine reptile from the Cretaceous Period, has its own house in the museum garden. Bèr was over 12 m long, making it one of the largest predators living in the topical sea that covered large parts of South Limburg during the Cretaceous Period.

Visitors’ address
De Bosquetplein 6-7
6211 KJ Maastricht
Telephone (043) 350 54 90
Fax (043) 350 54 75
E-mail: museum@maastricht.nl
www.nhmmaastricht.nl

Theater aan het Vrijthof (Theatre on the Vrijthof)

Theater aan het Vrijthof is one of the larger theatre venues in the Netherlands.
Located in the very heart of Maastricht, the theatre puts on several festivals every season in cooperation with a great many partners inside the city and far outside the city.

In addition, a leading selection of national and international performing art shows can be enjoyed on almost a daily basis, including theatre, dance, music, cabaret, musicals, youth theatre, pop, classical and world music.

Visitors’ address
Vrijthof 47
6211 LE Maastricht

Postal address
Postbus 1992
6201 BZ Maastricht
Telephone (043) 350 55 44 (general)
Telephone (043) 350 55 55 (shows)
E-mail: uitbalie@theateraanhetvrijthof.nl
www.theateraanhetvrijthof.nl

Open: Mon to Sat 12 PM to 6 PM; before evening shows, from 6 PM until the start of the show; on Sundays, starting one hour before the show.