ExtraSchicht is a late-night cultural evening that takes places across 50 different museums and venues in 20+ different cities in the Ruhr area – and it has to be one of my favourite events of the year. Also known as die lange Nacht der Industriekultur (or “the long night of industrial culture”), the evening celebrates the region’s strong industrial heritage with special tours, performances and other events in an array of amazing venues.
I’ve wanted to write about ExtraSchicht for a long time now, as I really don’t think the evening gets the attention it deserves.
It’s a staple in my calendar (quite literally – I mark it in my diary at the start of every year) and after four years of attending – interrupted only by the pandemic – I feel qualified to give some information on the background of the region, as well as some tips for those attending for the first time.
Let’s start with the basics.
Landschaftspark Nord illuminations
The background: the industrial history of the Ruhr area
ExtraSchicht translates in English to “the extra shift” and is just another nod to the Ruhr area’s history. This region was – and in some parts, still is – Germany’s premiere industrial hub. Known across Europe for its coal mining, the Ruhr area (Ruhrgebiet or Ruhrpott in German) developed quickly in the period of industrialisation with cities like Dortmund, Essen, Bochum and Duisburg developing. Even today, the Rhine-Ruhr region (also including Dusseldorf and Cologne) is still the most densely populated area in Germany.
In the latter part of the 20th century, coal mining in the Ruhr began to decrease with many mines and related plants closing. Since then, there has been a huge effort to preserve these former industrial sites in the region and turn them into cultural spaces and museums.
The essential ExtraSchicht guide
What is ExtraSchicht?
Similar to the Museums Night celebrated in cities like Dusseldorf and Cologne, ExtraSchicht is a late-night cultural event in the Ruhr area, where almost 50 different cultural venues across 22 cities in the region keep their doors open until 2am and host special events like live music, performances or guided tours. Entry to all of these sites is covered by the purchase of just one communal ExtraSchicht ticket and they are connected throughout the night with special free shuttle bus services, allowing guests to visit multiple venues.
When does ExtraSchicht take place?
The next ExtraSchicht takes place on 1 June 2024. (Although traditionally, it has been held on the last Saturday in June – it has been brought forward in 2024 as Gelsenkirchen and Dortmund are host cities for the Euros 2024.) ExtraSchicht starts at around 1800 in the evening and ends at around 2am.
(Above: A guided tour of a photography exhibition at the Ludwig Galerie Schloss Oberhausen (left) and a gymnastic performance at LWL Zeche Zollern (right))
Who takes part in ExtraSchicht?
It looks like the venues which take part change slightly year on year. Landschaftspark Nord in Duisburg, for example, which was my favourite venue in 2022, didn’t take part in 2023. I’m not entirely sure why this is. But you can expect to find a nice mix of smaller, local galleries and internationally renowned spaces.
The official programme of events and venues is released annually in early May, with a full listing of who is taking part and what’s on at each location.
My personal highlights of ExtraSchicht
Let me introduce you to some of my favourite places that I’ve visited as part of ExtraSchicht in the past.
Landschaftspark Nord
I’m not sure why Landschaftspark Nord didn’t participate in ExtraSchicht 2023, but I visited in 2018, 2019 and 2022 (although the first two years were particularly fleeting visits…). But I would fully recommend visiting if the site takes part again in the future – the grounds are seemingly unending and the sheer amount of light and art installations there mean that you can spend ages viewing the site in different lights and from different angles. But it’s not just a great place for wondering around, Landschaftspark Nord also had a load of food trucks, wine and cocktail pop-up bars and special concerts you could register for in advance.
Food trucks at Landschaftspark Nord in 2022
Gasometer Oberhausen
One of the best places to visit in the whole Ruhr area has to be the Gasometer in Oberhausen. A former gas holder, the imposing structure has been turned into a multi-storey exhibition space. When I visited in 2022, it was home to the exhibition das zerbrechliches Paradies or “Fragile Paradise“, which showed incredible natural photography and man’s increasing influence on the natural world. The exhibit culminated in a true showstopper: a giant suspended LED globe. Discovering this was a real wow-moment and I cannot wait to see what the Gasometer has in store next.
Love the visual of these bridges intersecting one another in Oberhausen
Green spaces, industrial heritage and cultural renewal of the Ruhr
Surprisingly, one of the things I’ve come to enjoy most about ExtraSchicht over the years is the chance to explore the green spaces of the Ruhr. Despite its industrial history, the area is particularly green (in fact, if I remember correctly, I think Essen might actually be one of the greenest cities in Germany…?) and travelling between the sites can be a great way to see both the region’s greenery and its industrial heritage – not to mention the sculptures and artwork erected in the former industrial landscape.
Walking from Dortmund’s Phoenix-West Gelände to Hoetger Park will reveal a tapestry of bridges (some of which are now walkways or cycle paths), while walking along the canal in Oberhausen will take you to the unique and quirky “Slinky Springs to Fame.” Another fantastically wonderful sculpture in the Ruhr area is the Tiger & Turtle Magic Mountain in Duisburg.
Slinky Springs to Fame: a cool bridge in Oberhausen
For more things to do on a day trip to Duisburg, click here.
How to ExtraSchicht: top tips for your first visit
The following advice is based equally on things I have done and things I wished I had done while taking part in ExtraSchicht over the span of four years. These are sage words of wisdom (or at least I think so…) but I cannot promise that I always take my own advice…
(Above: LWL Zeche Zollern at twilight (left) and the Skywalk at Dortmund Phoenix West (right)
Do make a plan
ExtraSchicht is a biiiig. Definitely make a bit of a plan of attack before the day itself and try to familiarize yourself with the lay of the land. Think about where you want to visit, and the best way to get from A to B. But be willing to be flexible: consider some trusty plan Bs.
Fun fact: the shuttle bus network for the event is even added to Google maps! If you use the app to find the most direct route to your next location, you will see additional bus lines listed as ES1, ES2, ES3… appear amongst your usual options.
… but be ready to be flexible
I am a natural planner and I love a schedule. But one thing I always try and remind myself at ExtraSchicht is to relax and don’t get too caught up on timings: shuttles will be delayed or might be full, you might not reach places at the time you planned. Stay open to changing your plans and visiting places you didn’t intend to – it’s all part of the fun of an event like this. For example, this year our first planned stop was the Phoenix des Lumieres and the Skywalk (above) – but we were not the only ones who had this idea; on arrival, the queue was already around 1 kilometre long. So, we had to give it up and change our plans – and immediately block a weekend to come back to Dortmund.
(Above: interactive fun at the Dortmunder U)
Aim for 2-3 sites
The amount of choice available might be slightly overwhelming but remember that your time is limited. It might be the “long” night of industrial culture, but that time goes fast! My advice would be to aim to visit two or three sites max, otherwise you risk you won’t have time to soak up the atmosphere or enjoy any of the special events on offer at each site.
Go for places you wouldn’t normally explore
One of the benefits of having so many cultural hotspots open to you is that you are free to explore those smaller, more local sites that you might not make an effort to see individually. I have found that the smaller sites tend to go all out for ExtraSchicht and not only will you have fewer visitors to compete with (i.e. no queues), but you’ll probably find friendlier and chattier staff who are happy to talk to you about the location. One of my highlights in 2023 was DEPOT in Dortmund (below), which turned out to be well-worth the visit.
Start early!
I always have such good intentions to start early and then somehow it never works out that way. ExtraSchicht starts in the early evening (at 1800 – in 2023 at least), but that doesn’t mean you can’t get yourself to your first location in advance via local transport and get the evening off to a good start!
Pay attention to the shuttle bus plan and don’t spread yourself too thin
When you first look at the network of event spaces spread across the entire Ruhr area, it’s tempting to plan a mammoth journey between various top-tier sites. Don’t. Each one of your journeys will take longer than planned. Instead, look at the shuttle bus ‘lines’ and try to find one with multiple places you’d like to visit. That way you’ll maximise the time you can spend exploring and minimise the time needed to wait for shuttle connections at bus stops.
The Shutte Bus Network Mobilitätsplan from ExtraSchicht 2023 – check out how detailed it is!
Handily, the Mobilitätsplan from the organisers also shows how long the travel time is between sites (approximately). Shuttle busses are also likely to be busy, so shorter journeys might be preferable!
…but don’t be afraid to use city transport to get there faster (without crowds)
Make sure to use all resources available to you: your entry wristband allows you to use local transport for free as well, so don’t be afraid to jump on the U-Bahn or a regional train to get to your goal faster.
Enjoy the journey from site to site
As we say in German: der Weg ist das Ziel or the “the journey is the goal” – and at a big event like this, it might be necessary to grab a beer and settle in for a longer wait or a longer journey, or to even look to alternatives. Don’t stress too much if you arrive at a museum later than you planned, it’s all part of the fun!
The way is the goal: professional pianist playing at Dortmund Main Station as part of ExtraSchicht
Give yourself an easy journey home
In 2023, we opted for an overnight stay in Dortmund to see more of what was on offer. We were originally planning to spend the bulk of our evening out at the LWL-Zeche Zollern enjoying the special Scandinavian evening… until we released that there were limited spaces on the shuttle busses home and the location was pretty remote. In the end, it made more sense to leave there earlier than planned and instead make our last stop the Dortmunder U, a site located in the city centre and an easy walk back to our hotel.
Looking for more places to visit closeby? Check out my guide to a day trip to Wuppertal.
So there we have it: your ultimate guide to the Ruhrpott’s – and Germany’s – long night of Industrial Culture.
Have you visited before? Would you give any extra tips?