Cultural and Leisure Activities in Munich

In LUISE, a cultural programme is set up by the people of Munich for the people of Munich. From young to old – many of their events span generations.

Drop by and have a look for yourself:

https://www.luise-kultur.de/

"glitch" is a queerfeminist bookshop, which is run collectively and voluntarily and is located in the former premises of Germany's first women's bookshop.

You'll find it in Maxvorstadt. Apart from browsing through their current selection of books you can also take part in regularly held reading groups and other reading formats.

https://glitchbookstore.de/veranstaltungen/

The Import Export is not only known for its concerts, parties and culture festivals, but also regularly offers open (free and low-cost) workshops.

Here's their current programme including the workshop category:

https://import-export.cc/

In the KÜR Milbertshofen (KunstÜbungsRäume) and in Gabriele Space you yourself can get creative!

For instance while attending one of the workshops on ceramics, sewing, photography and lots of other topics, or independently in one of their communal practice rooms. A diverse, young art community will be waiting for you.

https://kuer-milbertshofen.de/

https://www.gabriele-space.de/

Both are connected with the workshops of Eduart K.

An overview of the upcoming programme of Eduart K. workshops can be found here:

https://www.eduart-k.de/programm/

The MK: Campus is an interdisciplinary reflection room for young adults in the Münchner Kammerspiele. Linked to selected stage productions of the current programme, an MK: Campus takes place several times per season. Young people meet up to discuss sociopolitical backgrounds of that staging with special guests and to position themselves in the artistic process.

Here's the overall programme of "MK: Take part", including more detailed information on MK: Campus.

https://www.muenchner-kammerspiele.de/en/programm/19418-take-part

Every year around Whitsun the free music festival "Theatron Pfingstfestival" takes place in the Theatron Olympiapark. Everybody can come and enjoy the free music performed at the lake stage at the Olympic Lake (beside the Olympic Swimming Pool) and get to know artists from various music genres.

More information on the current programme can be found at: https://www.theatron-pfingstfestival.de

Experience the musical variety at the "Theatron MusikSommer" free of charge. An open-air festival also takes place once a year in summer at the Theatron, the lake stage at the Olympic Lake. Drop by and enjoy mild summer evenings in the Olympiapark filled with music.

More information on the current programme can be found at: https://theatron.net/

With their "Junior Flat", the Metropoltheater in München Freimann provides an affordable offer for everybody under 27 years of age who is still undergoing education or training. The Junior Flat merely cost €25 and is valid for 365 days. It enables you to watch all performances (upon reservation) without any extra charges.

Further information on the Metropotheater's Junior Flat is available here: https://www.metropoltheater.com/karten/junior-flat/

More information on the Metropoltheater itself is available here: https://www.metropoltheater.com/

The "Werkstattkino" in the Fraunhoferstraße 9 is a kind of Munich original, even if the cinema itself would definitely not describe itself as such.

Since 1976, arthouse films have been screened in the backyard cellar of the Fraunhofer restaurant – where there used to be a bowling lane. The programme is currently put together by 5 people and is a wild and fascinating mixture taken from all kinds of genres.

Tickets are available for €5-6 (Please note: Cash only! No card payment possible.)

Their current programme can be found here: https://werkstattkino.de/

How about watching well-known but also recent films at a reasonable price? During the semester, the Unikino München, TU Film, shows different films on the Munich Campus on Tuesdays and on the Garching Campus on Thursdays. Many films are also shown in English. If you have any suggestions yourself, you can submit them on the TU Film website. TU Film is a very special cinema experience, which has already been in existence for generations; it's a great opportunity to watch popular as well as relatively recent films or even classics at a low price. 

More information on their programme can be found at: https://www.tu-film.de/

The Glockenbachwerkstatt is a house alive with culture. You won't only find actual workshops, such as a wood workshop, pottery workshop, music workshop or bicycle workshop but also, especially in the evenings, concerts, jam sessions, improv theatre and open mics.

A lot of their events are free, others provided at a low price.

There's also a café, which the Glockenbachwerkstatt describes as follows: "With its bar-like but non-commercial character, the district's meeting point, our café, is open to all people, groups or initiatives. The small selection of food and drinks as well as the quiet atmosphere invite people to simply stay and enjoy a little casual communication. Teenagers as well as adults are provided an opportunity to meet up, get into contact and get to know new people. But the café also offers the possibility to become involved yourself, plan your own events or projects and realize them in the Bürgerhaus."

Here's their events calendar: https://www.glockenbachwerkstatt.de/veranstaltungen/

In art galleries it's usually possible to look at art free of charge. Don't let yourself be put off by the fact that some galleries are located in residential buildings. Just ring the doorbell and say that you'd like to have a look at the current exhibition.

You can visit the individual websites to find out what is on at the minute; if you register for the newsletter, you'll also get information about new openings and other events.

Here are a few examples of contemporary art galleries in Munich:

https://brittarettberg.com/de/

https://niraltman.com/

https://www.sperling-munich.com/

https://www.galeriechristinemayer.de/

https://thetigerroom.de/

The Kunstraum München has existed since 1973. It considers itself as a platform for young contemporary art and shows works from international as well as regional artists. Sometimes also accompanying catalogues and editions are created, which can be purchased at a relatively low price.

Further information as well as their programme can be found on the website: https://www.kunstraum-muenchen.de/

The Lothringer13 Halle and the Florida are municipal exhibition and project spaces for contemporary art.

You can not only enjoy free-of-charge exhibitions here, but can also participate in an extremely diverse programme for free.

https://www.lothringer13.com/en

https://floridalothringer13.org/

Parkrun:

If you enjoy jogging with others then the Parkrun will be a great opportunity for you to meet new people. Every Saturday at 9 a.m. a group in the Westpark and one in Riem each run a distance of 5km. If you feel like registering (voluntary), you can even have yourself timed for free whenever you join in. Further information for the Westpark: https://www.parkrun.com.de/westpark/  and for Riem: https://www.parkrun.com.de/riemer/

Bladenight München:

The Bladenight takes place in Munich during summer. Every Monday evening, people rollerblade through Munich. Everyone is welcome; but if you come on your in-line skates you should be wearing a helmet and know how to break. Further information on the Bladenight is available at: https://bladenight-muenchen.de/

ADFC Racing Bike Evening Tours:

Each summer, the ADFC München offers bike tours in and around Munich (mainly for racing bikes). There is always a small charge. But every Wednesday (depending on the weather) you can also take part in the "Feierabendtour", which is free of charge. More information can be found at: https://muenchen.adfc.de/artikel/tagestouren

The “Abfallwirtschaftsbetrieb München” (AWM, Munich waste management) intends to turn Munich into a Zero Waste City. The AWM basically states the following measures for citizens to help achieve this goal: reduction of wrong waste disposal, waste avoidance and recycling.

Werstoffmobil – Recycling Truck

To make it easier for people not to dispose of waste in a wrong way, the AWM also has "Wertstoffmobile" that tour Munich in addition to the regular recycling depots. At the Wertstoffmobile you can dispose of household equipment, batteries, energy-saving bulbs or small appliances. More information on the routes and timetables at: https://www.awm-muenchen.de/entsorgen/abgabestellen-services/wertstoffmobil

Halle 2

To further reduce the amount of waste, the AWM also runs the second-hand department store "Halle 2" in Pasing, where you can drop off  and buy used articles in good condition. More information on what exactly you can take there and what all is available can be found at: https://www.awm-muenchen.de/vermeiden/halle-2#c7740

Often, we'd like to keep things and fix them but unfortunately don't know how to do it; in the end, they often land in the bin. To avoid this from happening, several initiatives have founded repair cafés. You can take your broken articles to the repair cafés and learn from others how to fix them. This is based on the principle of helping people help themselves. So you'll be able to learn something new while at the same time helping to avoid waste.

Here's an overview of repair cafés in and around Munich: https://www.awm-muenchen.de/vermeiden/reparieren-statt-wegwerfen/repair-cafes

foodsharing München e.V. is committed to saving excess food which would otherwise be thrown out in private households as well as businesses. They have created lots of spots in the entire Munich area where good food can be saved – "Fairteiler" and "Abgabestellen". You can take your food to these places, for instance, if you're not going to be in Munich during the semester break or if you have any food at home that is still good but you know you won't eat it. But you can also go there to take food back home yourself. 

Further information on the project and the individual opening hours can be found here: https://www.foodsharing-muenchen.de/mitmachen/was-und-wo-sind-fairteiler

When a bike needs fixing, people often put off repairing it because either they don't know how to do it or because they're afraid of high repair costs. In the ADFC's self-help garage you can carry out maintenance and repair work yourself. If you already know what needs to be done, you'll have a well-equipped garage available. If you don't know what to do, experts in the self-help garage will instruct and show you how to get your bike working properly again. More information on charges and procedures are available here: https://muenchen.adfc.de/artikel/selbsthilfewerkstatt-4

Book swaps are a great asset for any city. You can bring your old books and take new things to read back home for free. There are many well-situated public bookshelves in Munich run by various organisations (e.g. by the Stadtbibliothek), which are looked after by volunteers.

The page muenchen.de has put together a list with the nicest public bookshelves available in Munich:https://www.muenchen.de/sehenswuerdigkeiten/oeffentliche-buecherschraenke-muenchen-unsere-tipps

The list mainly gives public bookshelves that offer good opportunities close by where you can start reading right away or have a quick look into the book. So if you're bored how about going to one of the bookshelves and spending a quiet afternoon there?

And here's a list with all bookshelves in and around Munich: https://www.awm-muenchen.de/vermeiden/buecherschraenke

Is donating clothes really still sustainable? One often hears about donated clothes which in the end are not handled sustainably. If you have clothes that no longer fit you, you can of course ideally give them to someone you know and thus be sure that they will still be worn. Another good option is to go to clothes swap parties and simultaneously spice up your own wardrobe in a sustainable way.

You can also donate clothes that are still in good condition to non-profit organisations, who resell the second-hand clothes and then donate the money to a good cause. One international example would be Oxfam, and locally in Munich the Diakonia.

Diakonia is a social occupational and inclusive organisation that supports people for whom it is hard to find a job due to exceptional situations or other impairments. Diakonia runs several second-hand shops in Munich and offers numerous clothes containers. So if you ever don't know what to do with your clothes, their numerous containers are a good and uncomplicated option!

Further information can be found here: https://www.diakonia.de/diakonia/ich-moechte-spenden/sach-und-kleiderspenden

The material initiative "treibgut" collects all sorts of materials (interesting especially for artists) and keeps them safe before they are thrown away. treibgut's main idea is to save as many materials as possible and to make them available for further usage.

Located in the Kreativquartier München, treibgut is even worth visiting if you're not looking for anything in particular; the grounds are absolutely fascinating and accommodate several art and creativity spaces as well as theatres and studios of the independent scene.

You can arrange to drop off materials with treibgut, but also purchase reasonably priced materials for your own art or DIY projects. And there's even a publicly accessible box outside containing materials that are for free. If you're lucky, it might have exactly what you're looking for.

The treibgut website is currently being redesigned; have a look at the Instagram page for up-to-date information: https://www.instagram.com/treibgut.lager.muc/

The organisation Green City e.V. provides a large variety of exiting projects for anyone who feels like joining in.

They offer workshops, tours, talks and long-term projects on urban green, sustainable mobility, fascinating environmental education for all ages as well as conscious handling of energy for more climate protection.

It's definitely worth dropping by!

https://www.greencity.de/english/