Sand Sculpture Travemünde
Eight months of sculpture exhibition in the Ostseehalle — the 8th edition 2026
About Sand Sculptures
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Large-Format Sand Art
Sand sculptures are a transient medium — but the Travemünde exhibition has proven for years how enduring they can be. Every spring, a completely new exhibition is created in the former boat halls at Baggersand, open daily for eight months. Musea GmbH has organized the show as an annual tradition since 2019, each with a new theme. In 2026, everything is under the motto "Time Travel in Sand".
25 Artists, 16 Nations, 104 Sculptures
For each new edition, Musea GmbH invites 25 international sand artists from 16 nations, who work on-site for several weeks before the exhibition opens. They use over 10,000 m³ of special sand (fine-grained, with a higher clay content than ordinary beach sand, for better stability) and shape 104 monumental sculptures on 3,500 m². Some sculptures are up to five meters high — the scale is one of the hallmarks of the Travemünde exhibition.
Theme 2026: Time Travel in Sand
The 8th edition leads through 1,000 years of history:
- Prehistory and Neanderthals — Beginnings of humanity
- Antiquity and Middle Ages — Charlemagne, Hanseatic League, knights and castles
- Myths and Fairy Tales — Rübezahl, legends, folk tales
- Children's Dreams and Literature — Jim Button, children's book classics
- Modern History — References to more recent decades
Indoor and Weather-Independent
Unlike other sand sculpture festivals (The Hague, St. Petersburg), the Travemünde exhibition takes place in covered halls — making it independent of weather and season. This makes it an all-season magnet for families and senior groups, especially a highlight of an Baltic Sea holiday on rainy days.
Travemünde and Lübeck as Location
Travemünde is a district of the Hanseatic city of Lübeck (independent city, state of Schleswig-Holstein) and Germany's most famous Baltic Sea resort. The sand sculpture hall is located in the fishing harbor at Baggersand, a five-minute walk from the beach promenade — the visit can be perfectly combined with a day trip to the Baltic Sea.
Sand Sculptures — edition 2026
8th Edition — Time Travel in Sand
For the 8th edition, the curators at Musea GmbH have consciously chosen a narrative concept: A journey through 1,000 years of human history and myths, presented in several themed halls. Visitors begin with the Neanderthals, journey through the Middle Ages and the Hanseatic League, encounter literary classics like Jim Button and Rübezahl, and end in modern times.
Expanded Themed Halls 2026
- Prehistory Hall — Mammoths, Stone Age people, cave paintings
- Middle Ages Hall — Charlemagne, knights, Hanseatic ships
- Myths Hall — Rübezahl, mythical creatures, dragons
- Fairy Tales and Children's Book Hall — Jim Button, classics for families
- Modern Hall — References to more recent history
New Features 2026
For the first time, Musea GmbH is integrating an accessible children's sandbox where the youngest visitors can sculpt themselves — a direct response to the growing family audience. The café in the foyer has been renovated and now offers regional snacks from the Travemünde bakery Junge.
Programme Sand Sculptures 2026
Permanent Exhibition March 14 – November 1, 2026
- Opening Hours: daily 10:00 am–6:00 pm (last admission 5:30 pm)
- Location: Boat halls at Baggersand, Travemünde (5-minute walk from the beach promenade)
- 104 Sand Sculptures in several themed halls
- Children's sandbox with professional guidance on weekends
- Guided tours on weekends — registration on the website
Seasonal Highlights
- March 14, 2026 — Grand opening day with artist meet-and-greet
- Easter (Good Friday to Easter Monday) — Family weekend with special tours
- Summer holidays (mid-July – end of August) — Extended opening hours until 8 pm
- Autumn holidays — Family days with sand workshops
- November 1, 2026 — Season finale with curators' "Best of" tour
Tickets at sandskulpturen-travemuende.de. Groups of 15 or more receive a discount.
Highlights Sand Sculptures 2026
- 104 monumental sculptures on 3,500 m²
- 10,000 m³ of special sand
- 25 artists from 16 nations
- Theme "Time Travel in Sand" with five halls
- Weather-independent — indoor exhibition
- Accessible children's sandbox
Prices Sand Sculptures 2026
Adults €13.50 — Children aged 4–14 €8.50 — Children under 4 free. Family tickets are cheaper in advance. Group discounts for 15 or more people.
Practical information — Sand Sculptures
Getting There
Take the regional train (R-Bahn) from Lübeck Hbf to Travemünde-Strand (20 min), then a 10-minute walk to Baggersand. By car, take the A1 (Lübeck), B75 to Travemünde. Parking spaces are available directly at the boat halls.
Opening Hours
Daily 10:00 am–6:00 pm, last admission 5:30 pm. Open daily from March 14 to November 1, 2026, with no closing days.
Admission
Adults €13.50, children aged 4–14 €8.50, children under 4 free. Family tickets are cheaper in advance. Online tickets available on the website.
Accessibility
Wheelchair accessible. Dogs on a leash are allowed. Café and a children's sandbox for self-creation.
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Travel to this festival
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Where it takes place Sand Sculptures
Bootshallen am Baggersand, Lübeck-Travemünde
Baggersand, Fischereihafen, 23570 Lübeck