There is a fascinating annual event here in Frankfurt and neighboring Offenbach called Nacht der Museen or Night of the Museums (www.nacht-der-museen.de) With the purchase of a €12 ticket, you have access to pretty much all of the museums in the cities as well as a shuttle bus that runs between certain venues. The more interesting part, though, is that the event runs from 7 PM until 2 AM. Now, I have gone to several benefits at museums that are at night, but none where you go museum-hopping at the same time others are going bar-hopping. Then again, I haven't lived in Frankfurt before.
There is a long string of museums in old houses (more like stone mansions) along the river known as Museum Shore or something like that. It is within about a 10 minute walk of my apartment and is also along the route I take on my weekend runs. So that's where I started at around 10 PM. They had the street along the river blocked off and it was just packed with people with other crazy people on bicycles weaving their way through the pedestrian traffic. There were a few street stands selling gigantic pretzels and -- I know this may come as a shock -- quite a few places selling beer, which is apparently fine to carry around in open containers, including glass bottles. There were also a fair number of people gathered along the shore of the river having what appeared to be little picnics or other nighttime gatherings.
I was struck by the variety of people who were attending the event. I had been a bit concerned that I might be a underdressed for such an evening event, but there were people in everything from shorts (yes, in Europe -- bizarre, huh?) to jeans to clubbing clothes to attire bordering on formal. And it wasn't just the black turtleneck-wearing intelligentsia who turned out. They were there, to be sure, as were the monied people who were sponsoring the arts through silent auctions and the like. But there were a surprising number of families (yes, at 10 PM and beyond), teenagers, college students, and plain ol' adults like me. Interesting group.
Considering the number of museums that were open, I was surprised at the lines to get into some of the museums. And few things are worse than standing in a long line with strangers without the Kindle on hand or something else to do. In the end, I didn't end up buying a ticket, but just wandered around people watching, which was certainly enough to keep me occupied for a while. They also had several performances going on in the public areas, like people juggling flaming batons or the Frankfurt Flyer team of trampoline gymnasts who were doing some rather remarkable things. All in all a fascinating evening. And I've now scoped out some museums I'd like to visit in the clear light of day, if not at next year's Nacht der Museen.
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