RTV Maastricht

Museumnacht Maastricht review by Fleur Leijte

After 2 quiet years, the night came back to life at Museumnacht Maastricht 2022

Last Friday, 8 April, Museumnacht Maastricht (Museum night) finally returned to Maastricht after having been postponed 3 times in 2 years because of the Covid-19 pandemic. In October, enthusiasts enjoyed a smaller, Covid-proof version, but on Friday, Museumnacht returned for real, free of social distancing measures and with 17 venues participating. Venues across the city opened their doors from 19:00-01:00, and over 5,000 visitors enjoyed a wide variety of art, from exhibitions to interactive art pieces, documentaries, dance performances, live music, and more.

Dream the night away

After purchasing a ticket online, visitors picked up a wristband at one of the venues that granted them access to all participating venues in the city. Although there was a timetable available on the Museumnacht website, the organisers highly encouraged everybody to wander through the city without too much planning and to 'Dream the night away', which was the theme of this year’s edition. The beauty of Museumnacht, according to the organisation, is that it allows for a ‘once-in-a-night-time’ experience, full of unexpected encounters, magical moments, and, of course, an unlimited amount of gezelligheid.

More than traditional art

There was plenty of art to admire throughout the city, such as colourful paintings at Landbouwbelang, a variety of photographs at the Fotomuseum aan het Vrijthof, and international art pieces at Marres, Huis voor Hedendaagse Cultuur.The night offered something for everyone, not just the traditional art-lover. For example, outside The Student Hotel, a skate ramp was set up by Stichting Stadsnomade (a non-profit organisation based in Maastricht) in collaboration with 7Hills Skatepark, a skatepark in Amman, Jordan. The skate ramp was part of a fundraising event. Merchandise was sold and all profits will be used to fund activities for young people in Jordan.

Another unique experience was the secret silent disco. Visitors were challenged to find four hidden locations across the city, which could be discovered by finding out the meaning behind cryptic clues such as ‘this location loves green’ and ‘this location knows where Rick Meijers lives’. Upon finding the secret disco, visitors could listen to music live-streamed from Linke Soto at the Muziekgieterij.

The night ended with a big after-party at the Muziekgieterij. The venue transformed into the Radio & Afterparty Clubhouse and, after enjoying a night of magic, art-lovers could dance until sunrise to tunes from LinkeSoto and local DJs, including #Bronneburger, @Guillaume Colson, and @Dayak. Museumnacht will return to Maastricht on Friday, 14 April 2023.

Fleur Leijte

Visitors could create their own graffiti artworks at Landbouwbelang

Fleur Leijte

Boekhandel Dominicanen. All participating venues were recognisable by pink lights.

Fleur Leijte

Exhibition by @Lea Dörner, displayed at Landbouwbelang.

Fleur Leijte

The skate ramp outside of The Student Hotel Maastricht