Dear Delegates, 

despite the flowery descriptions in one or two newsletters, some of you may still be wondering what exactly this Theatre Studies Collection Cologne is all about. During our conference —held on the university’s main campus— we would love to give you a glimpse into our unique treasure trove of theatre history. 

Gerald Köhler, curator of our graphic arts collection, has been working tirelessly with his students and our creative colleague Julie to prepare the exhibition Hall of Fools / Hall of Fame. Gerald is not only a walking encyclopaedia of our holdings but also one of the kindest and most helpful people you could hope to meet.              

Please note: due to the building’s historical architecture, access is unfortunately not barrier-free and involves navigating worn steps. Also, since the collection is housed in an old water castle, only a limited number of visitors can be inside at one time. To manage this, we’ve set up a ticketing system with 90-minute time slots:

Monday, 06/09/2025

1^st Slot 10–11.30 AM

2^nd Slot 12–13.30 PM

Tuesday, 06/10/2025

1^st Slot 5–6.30 PM

2^nd Slot 7–8.30 PM

Wednesday, 06/11/2025

1^st Slot 5–6.30 PM

2^nd Slot 7–8.30 PM

Thursday, 06/12/2025

1^st Slot 2–3.30 PM

2^nd Slot 4–5.30 PM

Friday, 06/13/2025

1^st Slot 5–6.30 PM

2^nd Slot 7–8.30 PM

Please arrive only during your designated time slot. 
Unfortunately, we won’t be able to grant access if you come too early or too late.

If your preferred time slot is fully booked, that means it has reached its capacity—please choose another available slot.

To reach Castle Wahn, you’ll need to take the regional train, the S-Bahn. You can check schedules and plan your route here: https://int.bahn.de/en
After a 25-minute train ride, you will arrive at an idyllic location with a beer garden right next door – a lovely little outing on a Cologne evening.

We wish you a carnivalesque and inspiring experience at the exhibition!

 

On June 12^th we will celebrate IFTR, Cologne and life at Herbrand's - Ehrenfeld, a famous beer garden and dance club in Cologne Ehrenfeld. Starting at 7.30 pm, we encourage you to dress up and wear some kind of carnival costume or accessories that symbolize carnival for you!

 The ticket price for the party is 30 Euro, which includes a budget for drinks to the amount of 20 Euros as well as a great music set played by DJ Pelle. Snacks and barbecue will be available at one’s own cost. 

One more thing: Send us your absolute favorite song that always gets you dancing! That way, we will have an amazing mix of the best of the best IFTR dance songs ever. Submit your song here.

The ticket sale will start soon – stay tuned. 

Our IFTR Party on Thursday, 12^th of June 2025
At Herbrand's - Ehrenfeld beginning at 7.30 PM

For attending the party at Herbrand's in the lively Ehrenfeld neighbourhood, you must book a ticket beforehand:  there is only a limited number of tickets available!!! 

Your booking is binding and requires a payment of 30€.  
If you want to come, you must make the purchase by the evening of 11 June 2025 (Wednesday). 
You can do that using cash or card at the registration desk or info-point on Campus. Afterwards, you receive a wristband granting you access. 

As the number tickets is  limited, we kindly ask you to register here to book a ticket. You will be forwarded to a form you have to fill in. There we ask for your mail address (where the booking confirmation will be sent to) and your full name (first and surname). Lastly, please check the box at the end of the form confirming your binding registration and that you are aware of the mandatory payment. Please check your spam mail if you cannot find a confirmation e-mail.

We are looking forward to having a great party with you! 
Don’t hesitate—come dance with us! 

So – if you haven’t done so already, please Submit your favourite dance song here. 

Cologne Cathedral
Cologne Cathedral is a UNESCO world heritage sight and undoubtetly one of the most famous attractions in Cologne. It was built from 1248 until 1880. It is seen as a manifest of Christianity in Europe and a great testament of gothic architecture. Despite its extraordinarily long construction it was still the largest building in the world by the time of its completion. It is possible to explore the cathedral individually or as part of a guided tour: https://www.domfuehrungen-koeln.de/fuehrung-durch-den-innenraum/public-guided-tours-in-english

Cable car from the Zoo to the River Park – Kölner Seilbahn
The historic cable car is a curious attraction a little bit north of Cologne Cathedral. It has been transporting guests across the Rhine river since 1957. The trip takes roughly 7 minutes one way and offers panoramic views of the city. https://www.koelner-seilbahn.de/en/

KölnTriangle
A more stationary but no less breathtaking view can be taken in at KölnTriangle. The viewing platform atop a 28 floor office building near the train station Köln/Messe Deutz offers stunning views of the cathedrala and the Old Town among others. Even the far away city of Düsseldorf or the mountain rang Siebengebirge can be visible if the weather permits. The 27^th floor offers a panoramic restaurant and bar which is especially popular during sunset. A ticket needs to be bought at the sight or online to access the viewing platform: https://www.cologne-tourism.com/arts-culture/sights/detail/koelntriangle

The Brühl Palaces
Just a short train journey out of Cologne you can visit Brühl, a small town that offers a break from the hectic city centre. Conveniently situated just next to the train station are not one but two palaces and a stunning garden and park in a French style that surrounds them. Augustusburg Palace and Huntirng Lodge Falkenburg are both built in the rococo era and they can be explored every day except Mondays. https://www.schlossbruehl.de/en/

Melaten Cemetery
The Melatenfriedhof (Melaten Cemetery) is Cologne’s largest graveyard. It offers opportunity to take a breath of fresh air in the busy city but it also gives visitors the chance to follow the steps of famous citizens of Cologne. For more information, refer to: https://www.cologne-tourism.com/arts-culture/sights/detail/melaten-cemetry

Stadtwald Forest
A large park just a few minutes from the city centre. Meadows for picnics, ponds for boating, groves, forests and trees  that offer plenty opportunity to go for walks can all be found in the 200 hectares of park: https://www.stadt-koeln.de/leben-in-koeln/freizeit-natur-sport/parks/stadtwald

Carnival in Cologne:
https://www.cologne-tourism.com/experiences-lifestyle/events/detail/carnival-in-cologne
 Unfortunately, this city tour is not offered as a public tour during the summer. However, according to Cologne Tourism, individual group tours in English can be booked.

Alternative City Tour Cologne:
https://alternativecolognetours.com/en/alternative-city-tour/

Cologne´s Old Town:
https://www.getyourguide.de/koln-l19/koln-altstadt-highlights-zu-fuss-t412451/?ranking_uuid=0addbf9e-76ff-42ee-bf2c-d1d6d0b68c63

Boat tours in Cologne:
https://www.k-d.com/en/cruises/panorama-round-trip-cologne
https://www.getyourguide.de/koln-l19/1-stunde-panorama-trip-in-koln-t2987/?ranking_uuid=0addbf9e-76ff-42ee-bf2c-d1d6d0b68c63

Büdchen Tour (only in German):
https://fareharbor.com/embeds/book/walkingcologne/items/406168/calendar/2025/02/?full-items=yes&back=https://www-walkingcologne-de.filesusr.com/html/3df03f_63fd01a894f8f0db1926834fdd473605.html&flow=812848 

Chocolate Museum
Visit this museum to learn about the 5.000 year long history of chocolate and cocoa: https://www.getyourguide.de/koln-l19/koln-eintrittskarte-fur-das-schokoladenmuseum-t321588/

Wallraf-Richartz Museum
The Wallraf-Richartz museum exhibits countless paintings from the medieval period to the 19^th century. https://www.wallraf.museum/

Museum Schnütgen
The Schnütgen museum is located in a historic church. Here you can find medieval art in all forms with a heavy emphasis on Christian motifs. https://www.museum-schnuetgen.de/Home-en

Museum Ludwig 
Prominently situated next to the cathedral and the main station, Museum Ludwig exhibits modern and contemporary art from the 20^th and 21^st century. https://www.museum-ludwig.de/en/home

Schauspiel Köln
This is Cologne’s main theatre. Its roots can be traced back to the middle ages and it has changed its location multiple times during the years. 
At the moment it hosts its play at the Carlswerk while constructions are underway at its main location. https://www.schauspiel.koeln/

Oper Köln
The opera in Cologne is a good place if you are interested in non-German performances. During the IFTR they have a production of María de Buenos Aires which will be in Spanish with German subtitles. https://www.oper.koeln/en

Some other theatres to consider:
Comedia Cologne, Theater am Dom, Theater im Bauturm