Moers Castle Festival with Theatre Festival (Open Monument Day)

Castle and Theatre Celebrate Together

The Moers Castle and Theatre Festival is an extraordinary event on Open Monument Day: Two Moers institutions – the Grafschafter Museum in Moers Castle and the Schlosstheater Moers – join forces for a joint festival day. Expected on Sunday, September 13, 2026 (2nd Sunday in September, the nationwide Open Monument Day), they open their doors to thousands of visitors from the Lower Rhine region.

Two Festivals in One

The charm of the event lies in its dual structure:

• Castle Festival of the Grafschafter Museum – Guided tours of the castle, special opening of collections, historical lectures, exhibition contributions on the Open Monument Day theme
• Theatre Festival of the Schlosstheater Moers – Marks the start of the Schlosstheater's new season with smaller productions, offering first glimpses into the upcoming program

Program Components

• Theatre Performances – Small-scale productions, often in the castle courtyard or the adjacent theatre
• Music Concerts – Classical, pop, folk on one of the several stages
• Dance Presentations – Modern dance companies, often local groups too
• Interactive History – The Grafschafter Museum makes its collection tangible with hands-on activities and exhibition sites
• Children's Program – Castle exploration stations, historical games, craft activities
• Food Stalls – Lower Rhine gastronomy, café atmosphere in the castle

Location: Moers Castle, Musenhof, Haus der Demokratiegeschichte

The festival grounds extend over several historical sites:

• Moers Castle – The medieval moated castle, now home to the Grafschafter Museum
• Musenhof – The historic castle garden and adjacent courtyard
• Haus der Demokratiegeschichte (House of the History of Democracy) – Modern museum building nearby, often with special exhibitions on the theme of Open Monument Day

Three locations, connected by foot – a festival area in the historic city center.

Grafschafter Museum in Moers Castle

The Grafschafter Museum is the municipal museum of Moers, housed in the historic castle. Focus: Lower Rhine history, County of Moers, life in the Ruhr region. A special opening on Open Monument Day usually makes normally inaccessible areas accessible.

Schlosstheater Moers

The Schlosstheater Moers is a renowned independent theatre stage with supra-regional attention. Known for experimental productions, youth theatre, and festivals. The Theatre Festival marks the season opening and serves as a showcase for the upcoming program.

Moers – City with a Castle on the Lower Rhine

Moers, with around 105,000 inhabitants, is the central city in the left-bank Lower Rhine region, in the Wesel district. Historically significant as the residence of the Counts of Moers. Today, it is a medium-sized city with a vibrant cultural life – the Castle Festival is one of its most important events.