Mannheim Things to Do

Luisenpark is a large and marvelous city park in Mannheim where you can easily spend an entire vacation without getting bored. We spent an entire summer's day there and although we felt refreshed and relaxed at the end of our visit, we had the feeling that we hadn't even seen half of the park and promised ourselves to return soon.

The park was built from 1892 through 1903 and has been expanded ever since. Although it was named after Luise, it's a park for everybody, not just for women or women called Luise!! The park boasts a number of attractions, such as a Chinese garden with tea-house, a rose garden, and an arboretum, where you can admire all sorts of exotic plants, such palm-trees, ferns, cacti and Venus fly traps. You'll also find a small zoo, a butterfly farm, an aviary, a large playground and leisure meadow, several cafés and restaurants, an open-air stage for concerts, operas, musical shows and plays. And if all this is not enough excitement yet, you may take a trip to the rotating restaurant at the top of the telecommiunications tower. The restaurant is located at an altitude of 205 m and offers a wonderful view of the park and the city of Mannheim. Usually, there's one or the other event going on in Luisenpark all year round, including guided tours.

If you prefer to spend your time away from the crowds, you'll find many quiet spots in the park as well where you can sit and have a picnic, sunbathe, smell the roses, or take long walks. If you enjoy being around water, there's a large lake for relaxing tours in small boats.

All this may sound like paradise and indeed it comes close. But even in paradise there's no such thing as a free lunch, and although you may certainly bring your own free lunch, you will need to pay an admission fee for the park. It's worth it because the park is really well kept-up, practically garbage free and full of laid-back and friendly people, in other words: a safe haven for the whole family, far away from the big bad city streets. Pets, including the most well-behaved Fido, are not allowed with the exception of guide-dogs. You'll have plenty of chances though to enjoy the freely roaming animals that populate Luisenpark.

Opening hours: daily, starting at 9:00
Closing hours: at 21:00 in the summer, the rest of the year at sundown .
Admission fee: adults € 6 (day pass), children € 3 (day pass)

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(Update: April 2009: new website added; tip & text are from February 2007)

If you like special museums with educational value, then I highly recommend Landesmuseum für Arbeit und Technik (State Museum for Technology and Labour Development) in Mannheim.
In a specially designed (barrier free) building next to Luisenpark’s southern entrance you can immerse into the world of industrialization since 18th century, with emphasis on the local technologies.
No place in Germany can be better for such a museum than Mannheim, as it was a cradle for very important developments such as cars (Carl Benz), the draisine or first bicycle (Freiherr von Drais) and tractors (Heinrich Lanz; John Deere).

The 5 floors do have an interesting concept for moving on – you best start in the upper floor and make your way down on stairs, in elevators or on the ramp, which encompasses the exhibition levels.
The collections cover science and technology development from 18th century on, energy and textile technology, printing, information technology and many more.
It is a hands-on museum for anyone – not only for the kids. I could spend hours there and always come back for more. You can make paper for example, just like in the old days or feel how printers must have felt (sour muscles) after pressing and turning the wheels and pedals.
The museum employees are spread around in the buildings, answer all questions, help with the machines and are really very much friendly and highly knowledgeable !

The museum hosts very exciting special exhibitions, like Adventure Space (until April 9, 2007), and now, as Mannheim celebrates 400 years in 2007, three special exhibitions about Mannheim’s role over these years did develop.

Opening hours:: Tu, Thu, Fr: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m., Wed: 9 a.m. – 8 p.m., Sat, Sun: 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.;
Admission fee: adults: 3 €, kids: 2 €.

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The Wasserturm (Water Tower) in the center of downtown is Mannheim's main attraction, and the fountains, statues and grounds surrounding it provide the perfect place to relax after a day of shopping. It would also be a great place for a picnic lunch, though there are tons of great restaurants nearby as well.

I can't believe I've lived in Mannheim for almost a year and only just discovered that the Cineplex downtown plays a few movies each week in English. English-speaking vacationers/military families should definitely take advantage of this modern, centrally located theater. I've been twice so far, and both experiences were great. The website below is fantastic -- simply select Mannheim as your city, and you can browse the week's schedule and purchase tickets in advance online. Tickets are around 10 euro.

The Cineplex is also located near several stass stops which can be located on this google map: http://maps.google.de/maps?hl=de&q=mannheim+cineplex&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.&biw=1440&bih=760&wrapid=tlif131135663159910&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wl

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Tivoli Park is a smallish but beautiful little park located just outside of Mannheim in Veirnheim. It features creative playgrounds, a volleyball court, a bike path, gorgeous scenery and a variety of scultpures and artwork. It's the perfect destination for a picnic on a lazy Sunday afternoon, and fun for the whole family. No admission fees.

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(Update: April 2009: new fees added; tip & text are from February 2007)

Being the biggest park of the city, Luisenpark is Mannheim’s green lung and an attraction not only for the locals. It was created in 1903 and enlarged on the occasion of 1975 “Bundesgartenschau” (something like a German horticulture show, held every 2 years in another city). It is very easy to spend a whole day in here, given the many different attractions and kids amusements or playgrounds.

On the website below you can find descriptions to all the different attractions, including a printable map to guide you through the park. Make sure you click on the “legend” to learn more about each of the single attractions. Unfortunately, it is only in German, so I’ll try to give a short overview of what will await you, as it is a place that should not be missed.
A huge lake stretches through the park, where you can hop into the bright yellow gondolas (photo 2 and the one on my intro page) for some relaxed boating.
A big greenhouse invites you for a stroll around nearly 350 different exotic and tropic plant species and watch several reptiles, which live here (aquariums and piranhas included).
A collection of sea lily ponds enchant you with their lovely aroma, and stones are dancing next to them (a sculpture, see photo 1).
Humboldt penguins and storks live here, and it is fun to watch their feeding or listen to the sssshhhhhhh, when the storks spread their wings upon arrival or leaving.
A Chinese Teahouse and garden invites to tea celebrations and meditation and is a pure joy for the eye.

Kids can play on countless playgrounds, specially designed for nearly every age and every adventure level.

So much more to see, and maybe I’ll describe some of the attractions in “local customs” one day. Ah, lol, now, early February, I can hardly wait to go for a visit in spring :-)

Opening hours:: daily 9 a.m. to sunset;
Admission fee: adults: 5 €, kids (age 6-15): 2,50 €.

(Update April 14, 2009: I have added the new prices. Tip and text are from February 2007)

This Jesuit Church is said to be the largest church in Mannheim and the most important baroque church in southwest Germany. It was built between 1733 and 1760.

Renovation work is now in progress inside the church, particularly the altar. Click on the link below for a photo of how the altar looks when it is not being worked on.

Luisen Park is a wonderful place to walk all day long.You can visit Aquarium ,Terrarium and enjoy the beautiful places especially for children . A lot of playgrounds are here .You can see a part of it on the video of my page .