Groninger Museumnacht on 19 September: one 15-euro wristband for 7 museums, while the Groninger Museum alone costs 19.50 on a normal day

On the evening of Saturday 19 September, seven museums at six locations in the centre of Groningen stay open until after midnight for the tenth Groninger Museumnacht. One regular entry of 15 euro is exchanged for a wristband that gets you into the Groninger Museum, Forum Groningen, GRID Grafisch Museum and the Universiteitsmuseum, Museum aan de A, Noorderlicht and Synagoge Groningen; the early-bird rate has sold out. For international students and newcomers living in Groningen, it is the one night a year to fit several museums into a single evening. Whether it saves money depends less on the number of museums than on what you already have: the Groninger Museum and the Universiteitsmuseum are normally free for anyone up to 18 and for Museumkaart holders. So first decide which museums you would really enter and what they normally cost. This is not a discount: 15 euro is the single price for everyone.

• What is special: for the tenth edition the Groninger Museum opens the Tschumi Pavilion on Hereplein, normally closed to visitors, where five transparent bubbles show video work by five artists including Susanna Inglada and Serge Onnen, from 19:00 to 23:00. A Mini Art Walk of about 30 minutes, guided in English, runs from the pavilion to Forum, starting at 19:30, 20:30, 21:30 and 22:30. At Forum you can also see the Marilyn exhibition and Storyworld, which shows how the stop-motion lion Loeki de Leeuw is made. (source 1, source 2)
• Normal prices, for comparison: the Groninger Museum charges adults 19.50 euro and students 10 euro, with free entry from 0 to 18; the Universiteitsmuseum charges adults 8.50 euro and is free for under-19s, RUG students and Museumkaart holders, with other students paying 5 euro. (source 3, source 5)
• Who it suits: adults without a Museumkaart who rarely visit museums gain the most. Families with children under 19, Museumkaart holders and anyone planning to visit only one or two museums should do the sum first, because for them the 15 euro mainly buys what happens on this one night rather than saved entry fees. (source 1, source 3)
• Before you go: you can swap your entry for a wristband on the night, or collect it early from Thursday 17 September at Forum Groningen, the Universiteitsmuseum or Synagoge Groningen during their opening hours. The Groninger Museum is closed on Friday 18 September and, until 17 September, only partly open while new exhibitions are installed. The official page does not say whether under-19s also need a wristband, so ask before you bring children. (source 1, source 4)

Do the sum yourself: money saved = the normal entry fees of the museums you will really visit (count 0 for any you already get into free) − 15 euro. An adult without a Museumkaart who visits only the Groninger Museum and the Universiteitsmuseum would normally pay 19.50 + 8.50 = 28 euro, so the night saves 13 euro. A RUG student who also has a Museumkaart pays 0 at both on a normal day, so the 15 euro is spent purely on the night itself. Put in your own cards, age and museums to see whether it is worth it.

Where

Groninger Museum, Museumeiland 1, 9711 ME Groningen (five more locations in the city centre)

When

Saturday from 19:00, museums open until after midnight

Price

Regular € 15 per person・early-bird rate sold out

Note

Groninger Museum closed on Friday the 18th・whether under-19s need a wristband is not stated

Hokimi field note: if you want the English Mini Art Walk, start your evening with the 19:30 or 20:30 walk; it ends at Forum, which is a good base for the other museums.