Museums and the Kulturpass: Culture on a Budget in Luxembourg

New life, new budget: when you have just arrived, every euro counts. The good news is that Luxembourg has made access to culture a priority of its public policy, and it is entirely possible to discover museums, concerts and exhibitions without breaking the bank. The portal luxembourg.public.lu even dedicates a whole page to 'culture for all'.

The Museumsmile: seven museums on foot

In the capital, several major museums are concentrated along a one-kilometre 'smile', the Museumsmile: the National Museum of Archaeology, History and Art (MNAHA), the National Museum of Natural History (naturmusée), the Lëtzebuerg City Museum, the Villa Vauban, the Casino Luxembourg — Forum of contemporary art and Mudam, the Grand Duke Jean Museum of Modern Art on the Kirchberg plateau. Several institutions offer free entry to their permanent collections or regular free slots; check the current conditions on the official websites before your visit.

The Kulturpass: culture for 1.50 euro

The Kulturpass is a national scheme for people on a modest income: recipients of certain social benefits, applicants for international protection and other eligible groups. It gives access to show tickets at a symbolic price (around 1.50 euro) and free entry to many partner museums. The application is explained step by step on guichet.public.lu and on the official kulturpass.lu website.

1. Check your eligibility on guichet.public.lu (income categories and statuses concerned).
2. Prepare the required supporting documents (for example, a certificate from a partner social institution).
3. Submit the application through a partner organisation or following the procedure described on kulturpass.lu.
4. Receive your personal card, valid for a set period and renewable.
5. Show it at the ticket desks of partner cultural institutions to benefit from the reduced rates.

Other culture bargains

• Open days: several annual events, such as museum weekends, offer free entry and activities.
• Museums Night: an autumn evening when the capital's museums stay open late with a single ticket.
• Public libraries: registration at the National Library and municipal libraries is free.
• Young audiences: frequent discounts for children, students and under-26s.

Finally, keep an eye on the programmes of regional cultural centres and municipalities: free concerts, exhibitions and local festivals round off an already generous offer. In Luxembourg, a small budget really is no obstacle to a rich cultural life.

Official sources

• Guichet.lu — applying for the Kulturpass
• Kulturpass.lu — official website
• luxembourg.public.lu — culture for all
• National Museum of Archaeology, History and Art — mnaha.lu