Museums and cultural centers
Cultural and artistic outings in Luxembourg
All art and culture lovers should find something to enjoy in Luxembourg. Its international dimension and status as a European capital give the City of Luxembourg a significant cultural dimension. Luxembourg's museums and other cultural and artistic centers reflect this. Come and visit them to gain a better understanding of Luxembourgish culture.
Visit Luxembourg's museums
There are many interesting museums in Luxembourg. Visiting these museums will give you a better understanding of the history of the Grand Duchy and Luxembourgish culture. The city of Luxembourg is full of museums that are an integral part of Luxembourg's cultural heritage.
Events in Luxembourg's museums
Several annual events are regularly organized in the country's museums. Of particular note are the Luxembourg Museum Days. Many of the country's museums open their doors to visitors free of charge. The Night of Museums allows you to discover the heritage of Luxembourg City's museums in a special atmosphere.
During these events, free activities are offered, such as guided tours, workshops for all, conferences, and other surprises such as refreshments or snacks. Don't hesitate to take part.
Subscriptions and admission to Luxembourg museums
Luxembourg City museums offer free admission to all young people under the age of 21 and all students up to the age of 26.
The annual inter-museum card provides free annual access to all of the city's museums. It is available in different formats: individual, couple, family, etc. With this card, you will receive invitations to vernissages, conferences, and special guided tours. You can also benefit from discounts on certain exhibition catalogs.
For more information, visit www.museumsmile.lu.
Association of Friends of the Museums of Art and History in Luxembourg
The Friends of Luxembourg Museums Association helps to preserve cultural heritage and enrich museum collections.
With a membership card, you get unlimited free admission, as well as invitations to special association events (exhibition openings, art lunches, guided tours, trips, etc.).
For more information, visit amisdesmusees.lu.
All of these museums also have a restaurant or café/bar where you can grab a bite to eat.
Guided tours for families are regularly organized on specific themes, and you can even celebrate your child's birthday at the museum with their friends.
Most museums also offer art workshops for children during the school holidays. Ask the museums for more information .
Museums in Luxembourg City
Lëtzebuerg City Museum in Luxembourg
Designed by Luxembourg architect Conny Lentz, the Lëtzebuerg City Museum is Luxembourg's history museum. Located in the heart of Luxembourg City, this museum is the perfect blend of ancient and modern architecture.
The permanent exhibition "The Luxembourg Story" traces more than 1,000 years of urban history. It is well worth a visit. Here you can discoverthe history of Luxembourg City through the centuries. A collection of objects of all kinds, video and photo documentaries, and interactive multimedia applications tell the story of the capital's evolution over the centuries.
Visitors can also explore a 3D model and an interactive table to learn about the urban planning issues of a multi-level city. "Mapping Luxembourg" allows visitors to virtually compare historical and current maps of the city of Luxembourg.
Temporary exhibitions regularly highlight a particular aspect of the city's history.
The Lëtzebuerg City Museum also organizes the Urban History Festival, which each year highlights a different district of Luxembourg City. The aim is to shine a spotlight on certain historic sites in the capital. Much better than a visit to a museum!
Dräi Eechelen Museum – Fort Thüngen in Luxembourg
Fort Thüngen dates back to 1732. It is a historic fortress and symbol of Luxembourg's history. Known as "Dräi Eechelen" (Three Acorns) due to the distinctive shape of its acorn-shaped towers, it stands out in the modernist Kirchberg district.
Partially demolished during the dismantling of 1867, the remains of the fort and its surroundings have been uncovered, restored, and rebuilt to house the Dräi Eechelen Museum, next to the MUDAM museum of modern art.
Here, visitors can discoverthe history of the Thüngen fortress, as well as the history of Luxembourg from the Middle Ages to the 20th century, through the architecture of the fort, its underground galleries, and its mines. An underground gallery provides access to another fort below, the Obergrunewald.
The screening of the film "Luxembourg 4D" provides a better understanding of Luxembourg's history in the 20th century.
Take advantage of your visit to stroll through the landscaped gardens of the Parc des Trois Glands nearby.
National Museum of History and Art – MNHA in Luxembourg
The National Museum of History and Art in Luxembourg is located in the central and historic district of Luxembourg City. This museum is very popular with young and old alike as it combines history with art.
Five underground levels carved out of the limestone rock givevisitors a very special atmosphere in keeping with the periods covered (prehistory, protohistory, and the Gallo-Roman period).
You will also find a collection of coins and medals, decorative and folk art, fine art with a collection of paintings, sculptures, and photographs, as well as temporary exhibitions.
You can visit the museum in 3D on the MNHA website.
Every two years, the MNHA hosts the Night of Research (early November), organized in collaboration with the Natural History Museum, the Traffo (Les Rotondes), and the Science Festival (after All Saints' Day). This event offers opportunities to meet and interact with researchers, visit laboratories, and more.
The National Museum of History and Art is also responsible for archaeological excavations carried out in Luxembourg.
Casino Luxembourg – Forum for Contemporary Art in Luxembourg
Casino Luxembourg takes its name from the former "Casino Bourgeois" built in 1882 in the historic district of Luxembourg City. Since 1996 , the Casino Luxembourg Contemporary Art Forum has been dedicated to contemporary creation in all its forms.
Housed in a building with very classical architecture, it offers a comprehensive program of cultural activities: exhibitions, video and film screenings, and temporary exhibitions by recognized artists or new talents.
The Forum d'Art Contemporain also has a freely accessible library called InfoLab. Visitors can find books on contemporary art as well as files on local artists.
The Forum d'Art Contemporain also aims to be a place for cultural encounters and exchanges. Franz Liszt gave a spontaneous recital there in 1886 for his last public appearance.
Do you like contemporary art? Visit the Art3f fair and meet contemporary artists.
Grand Duke Jean Museum of Modern Art – MUDAM Luxembourg
The Grand Duke Jean Museum of Modern Art is a place of extraordinary architecture located in the Kirchberg district.
The building was designed by Ieoh Ming Pei (1917-2019), who also designed many other famous buildings around the world. The new building is built on the walls ofthe old fortress of Luxembourg. The light in the museum is spectacular.
MUDAM offers a comprehensive programof artistic activities, workshops, and conferences for all ages and audiences. It also hosts the Marché des Créateurs (Creators' Market).
MUDAM and Casino Luxembourg – Forum d'Art Contemporain participate in the Luxembourg City Film Festival.
Villa Vauban, Art Museum in Luxembourg
Villa Vauban houses the City of Luxembourg Art Museum. This 19th-century bourgeois house brings together ancient collections of works of art assembled by several wealthy Luxembourg families in the 18th and 19th centuries.
Located in the beautiful Municipal Park of the city of Luxembourg, the Villa was renovated and enlarged with a contemporary extension in 2010. After your visit, take the opportunity to stroll through the park and take your children to the pirate ship in Monterey Park!
In summer , the Vauban Art Museum sets up deckchairs in its park and offers a range of summer activities.
Film Library – Cinema Museum in Luxembourg
Created in 1996, the Luxembourg City Film Library is first and foremost a veritable cinema museum.
The Cinémathèque's mission is to preserve and promote international film heritage. A member of the International Federation of Film Archives since 1983, the Cinémathèque has one of the largest film archive collections in Europe: film copies, photos, movie posters, books, magazines, etc.
It is located in the Upper Town district on Place du Théâtre.
National Museum of Natural History – MNHN in Luxembourg
Located in the Grund district since 1996, the Natur Museum is one of the richest and most interesting museums in the Grand Duchy. It offers visitors a detailed overview of Luxembourg, its inhabitants, and its geography.
This museum provides a better understanding of the natural sciences. It also has a mission of scientific research and conservation of natural heritage.
More broadly, it also traces the birth of the universe and the evolution of life on earth. Other temporary exhibitions on various themes such as rats or bears, the discovery of volcanoes or periods of glaciation, taste or even the Marsupilami regularly attract new visitors.
Luxembourg Tram and Bus Museum
The public transport service of the city of Luxembourg exhibits its old vehicles in a specially designed building in Luxembourg-Hollerich. Opened in 1991, the "Tramsmusée" is reminiscent of the old tram depots.
In this exhibition, you will discover the history of public transport in Luxembourg. The tour begins with the era of horse-drawn trams (in operation from 1875 to 1908), with a replica of a horse-drawn tram. You will then find old electric trams, a Ford vehicle used for maintaining overhead lines, and old buses that have been perfectly restored. Scale models, photographs, films, various objects such as maps and plans, conductors' uniforms, and transport tickets complete the exhibition.
Did you know that before the new tramway was put into service in 2017, a tramway operated in Luxembourg City 50 years ago? The last electric tram (car no. 34, on display in the museum and in operation during guided tours) ran until 1964 on line 10 between Place du Théâtre and Walferdange.
Looking for another way to learn about the history of Luxembourg City? Don't miss the next edition of the Urban History Festival.
Other interesting museums to visit in Luxembourg
Museum of the Battle of the Ardennes at Wiltz Castle
During the winter of 1944-1945, the terrible Battle of the Bulge devastated much of Luxembourg's Eisléck region. The towns of Clervaux, Echternach, Wiltz, and many others suffered horrific fighting, resulting in the deaths of numerous soldiers and residents.
The Battle of the Ardennes Museum in Wiltz recounts these battles, which left many civilian victims and left a lasting mark on the memory of the people of Luxembourg.
Why not visit Wiltz Castle during the Pentecost weekend for the Geenzefest?
Clervaux Castle also presents this episode of the Second World War.
If you would like to learn more about this dark period in the region's history, don't hesitate to visit the Battle of the Bulge Museum in Bastogne, Belgium.
National Audiovisual Center in Dudelange
The National Audiovisual Center in Dudelange was created thanks to a partnership between the City of Dudelange and the Luxembourg government. The CNA is entirely dedicated to audiovisual expression. The CNA is a must-see for photography and cultural programming.
The CNA preserves all of Luxembourg's national archives in the audiovisual and photographic fields. It is also dedicated to protecting and promoting Luxembourg's audiovisual and photographic heritage.
Photographic laboratories allow images and audiovisual documents to be deposited for restoration and preservation of Luxembourg's heritage.
Museum of Printing and Card Games in Grevenmacher
The Kulturhuef, located in the former slaughterhouse of the town of Grevenmacher, offers visitors the opportunity to discover the technological developments of printing in Luxembourg. You will find different types of printing presses and a presentation of the printing trades.
The Jean Dieudonné Card Game Museum presents the various techniques and objects used in the manufacture of playing cards.
National Museum of Brewing in Wiltz
Beer production is part of Luxembourg's industrial heritage. Visitors to the Museum of Brewing Arts can learn more about the 6,000-year history of beer production in Luxembourg. Beer has always been one of Luxembourg's traditional culinary specialties. A microbrewery shows the different stages of beer production.
Tannery Museum at Wiltz Castle
The Tannery Museum traces the art of the tanners who worked in the old tanneries of Wiltz. This town in northern Luxembourg was well known for this traditional industry. Leather has been worked here since the 17th century. The last tannery, "Ideal Leder," closed its doors in 1961.
Rural and Craft Museum in Peppange
This rural and craft museum was created in 1999 in a former 19th-century farmhouse in Peppange. It offers an insight into life on farms in the Luxembourg countryside in centuries past. Thanks to the workshops, you can learn about the work of our ancestors.
Edward Steichen's "The Family of Man" collection in Clervaux
Clervaux Castle houses Edward Steichen's magnificent collection of photographs, "The Family of Man." Listed in UNESCO's Memory of the World Register in 2003, this legendary collection has attracted more than 10 million visitors worldwide.
"The Family of Man" brings together more than 500 black-and-white photographs taken by more than 270 photographers from 68 countries. Designed by Edward Steichen in 1955 for the MOMA in New York, this collection promotes peace and equality among people in a post-war context through humanistic portraits.
Carriage Museum in Peppange
The Grand Duchess Charlotte Carriage Museum displays around thirty carriages from the Grand Ducal Court. Visitors can see the carriage used for the wedding of Grand Duchess Charlotte. Please note that this museum is closed from November to April, except by appointment for groups.
See also our page dedicated to tourism, where you will find other museums in Luxembourg.
Cultural centers in Luxembourg
Municipalities often have a local cultural center offering a wide variety of programs. You can participate in numerous cultural events, including music, theater, opera, and cabaret. Residents can also attend lectures or borrow books from the libraries in these cultural centers. Ask for information at your local municipality.
The following cultural centers are particularly noteworthy.
Neumünster Abbey, a meeting place steeped in history
The Abbey is a majestic site, nestled at the foot ofthe old Bock fortress in the historic district of Luxembourg-Grund.
Originally a Benedictine monastery in the 16th century, the abbey was destroyed by fire and rebuilt in the 17th century. It later became a police station during the French Revolution, then a Prussian barracks after the departure of Napoleon's troops. The German occupation transformed it into a state prison.
In 1977, Neimënster Abbey became a cultural and meeting center. Its unique location and picturesque setting make it an unmissable venue for amazing cultural events on the banks of the Alzette. Don't miss the Duck Race and its thousands of ducks!
You can attend concerts, shows, exhibitions, and other debates or symposiums. Above all, the Abbey is a venue for various artistic creations. Spectators can also watch films selected as part of the Cineast Film Festival.
The Siren's Call music festival takes place here. Take the time to stroll along the banks of the Alzette near the Abbey.
Neimënster Abbey also hosts the Big Band Music Festival, which is aimed particularly at young audiences.
Les Rotondes, artistic creation in all its forms
In Luxembourg, Les Rotondes is a true cultural institution. Located in Bonnevoie, this cultural space is famous for artistic creation in all disciplines.
The two former locomotive sheds are a unique venue near Luxembourg's central station.
Les Rotondes regularly hosts events in the performing arts, contemporary music, and visual arts. You can also attend conferences, participatory projects, and workshops for all ages.
The Bar La Buvette hosts the Eat it Festival, which celebrates street food.
Cercle Cité, emblematic of the city of Luxembourg
Located in the heart of the Luxembourg capital on the Place d'Armes "d'Plëss," Cercle Cité opened its doors in 2011 in its current configuration after extensive renovations.
The Cercle Municipal is a beautiful historic building constructed in 1909. Official dinners were held there during visits by foreign heads of state. Prince Félix notably celebratedLuxembourg's liberation from German occupation therein 1944.
Connected by a glass bridge, the contemporary socio-cultural center built on the site of the former Ciné-Cité is the new venue for all kinds of cultural events: music concerts, conferences, exhibitions, and literature in the library/media library section .
An amphitheater and lounges (including a banquet hall for 250 people) can be rented for events.
The library and media library section houses Luxembourgish, French, German, and English literature. See the Cercle Cité website for the events calendar and further information.
Schluechthaus, temple of street art
These former slaughterhouses, awaiting conversion, are now a symbol of the city's industrial past and the development of street art in Luxembourg.
Numerous multidisciplinary cultural events are regularly organized there. They breathe new life into this place, now a temple of graffiti, intended to be a space dedicated to intergenerational and inclusive encounters.
In particular, there is a Repair Café, where you can give your favorite objects a new lease of life or have your household appliances repaired during workshops with repairers.
The Schluechthaus is located in the Hollerich district.
Kultur Fabrik, commitment and freedom of expression in Esch-sur-Alzette
The Kultur Fabrik cultural center offers a range of buildings dedicated to culture and events in a rather disruptive setting. Housed in the former slaughterhouses ofEsch-sur-Alzette, the Kultur Fabrik cultural center offers a very wide range of programs.
Committed to a responsible and creative approach, the Kultur Fabrik has several venues dedicated to artists, artistic creation, and sustainable development.
Performance halls, exhibition galleries, rehearsal rooms for contemporary music groups and theater troupes, a brasserie...
The CAPE, Edouard Juncker Center for the Performing Arts, located in Ettelbruck
The CAPE is Luxembourg's decentralized cultural platform. With its eclectic and varied program, which celebrates cultural diversity, the CAPE offers nearly a hundred shows a year in its three beautiful venues.
Designed by architect Henri Jonas and opened in 2000, the Centre des Arts Pluriels in Ettelbruck offers shows for all tastes, including children and young audiences.
The program covers all types of artistic expression. It is open to both foreign artists and young Luxembourgish creators. Visitors can enjoy dance, music, circus, and opera performances, as well as literary events and visual arts. The Centre des Arts Pluriels also allows local associations to use its facilities. It thus offers young Luxembourgish talent the opportunity to express themselves and make a name for themselves. Conference series are also organized there.
The Cube 521 cultural center in Marnach, Clervaux
Its mission is to promote and disseminate culture and the arts in the northern region of Luxembourg. The Marnach Cultural Center welcomes all audiences, adults and children alike, in a very contemporary architectural settingthat blends in harmoniously with its surroundings.
Cube 521 is a venue for high-quality meetings and performances. Whether for meetings, congresses, or conferences, Cube 521 welcomes visitors in a large hall equipped with the latest technology.
Cultural Circle of the European Institutions in Luxembourg
The Cultural Circle of the European Institutions in Luxembourg offers a wide range of activities and events in a variety of fields, including art, culture, and IT.
All these activities are also open to people who do not work in the European institutions. All nationalities and fields are represented. For information and registration, visit the website www.cercleculturel.lu.
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