At the heart of puppet theater lies the relationship between people and puppets. What is the appeal that is so great that such a wide variety of puppet theater forms exist around the world? We humans seek traces of life in everything we encounter. In our imagination, we love to bring inanimate objects to life. This is a first step toward puppetry and can be found everywhere: Does that branch have eyes? Is that a person or a puppet? What about the shadow that follows us everywhere, belongs to us, and yet is something entirely different?
In the Forum, KOLK 17 presents an artistic installation that offers an evocative introduction to the world of puppetry. Does the branch have eyes? Is that a person or a puppet? What about the shadow that follows us everywhere, belongs to us, and yet is something entirely different?
When does a marionette come to life? This space is dedicated to the interplay between the puppet, the puppeteers, and the audience. Historical and contemporary examples showcase both “hidden” marionette performances, in which the puppeteers remain unseen, and “open” performances, in which the puppeteers and puppets appear together on stage. Play and touch stations invite visitors to discover for themselves how even the slightest movements can suddenly bring an inanimate object to life.
KOLK 17’s collection includes around 20,000 figures, props, stage elements, and musical instruments. In the VerSammlung, selected objects are continually rearranged and viewed from different perspectives. In doing so, KOLK 17 collaborates with members of Lübeck’s local community to shape the space.
Large animal heads and small movable figures from Mali pose a mystery: How did they originally fit together, and how were they played with? Together with puppeteers from Mali, KOLK 17 sets out on a search for clues. The focus is on stages featuring movable animal figures, known as kalaka kònò sogo. The exhibition explores research, exchange, and new insights—and how knowledge and artistic practice bring the figures from the collection back to “life.”
The Cabinet invites visitors to pause and explore. From here, a special view of the world of marionettes unfolds, while seating areas offer a place to take a break. In the Kids’ Corner, the youngest visitors can engage in playful activities. Thus, the Cabinet becomes a place for brief respites in the middle of the exhibition tour.
Chinese iron-rod puppet theater combines drama and ritual. Its artfully crafted puppets embody specific roles and characters, but can also establish a connection to ancestors and deities and bring good luck. Films, photographs, and an interactive station featuring the 3D game “Between Heaven and Earth” offer insights into a theatrical tradition that is still practiced today.
Cheeky, loud, and grotesque: The fairground clown takes on the crocodile, the devil, Death, and even the executioner. From these traditional characters, the journey continues to the diversity of hand puppet theater—from fairy-tale characters and animals to contemporary worlds of characters. The focus is always on the hand: it gives the character a body, movement, and expression. At interactive stations, visitors can discover for themselves how their own hand can become a character and how movement gives rise to lively performance.
And in the end: Don’t we want to learn even more, explore further, and join in the fun? This art form, in all its manifestations, draws its power from our curiosity about what it means to be human.
Discover our new exhibition: “Puppet Theater – The Play of Life”! Immerse yourself in the fascinating world of puppet theater—where humans and puppets mysteriously merge.
The exhibition is open Tuesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Our web app offers exhibition content in German Sign Language (DGS) and audio descriptions. You can access them on your own smartphone during your museum visit.
