Discover the Ruhr District with the WelcomeCard Ruhr

Welcome to the Ruhr Metropolitan Area! With the WelcomeCard Ruhr you have free use of public transport in the area of validity of your choice and can visit a variety of attractions free of charge or at half price. How does an exciting tour of the site of the LWL Museum of Industry Henrichshütte Hattingen followed by entertainment at its finest in the Varieté et cetera in Bochum with the WelcomeCard South sound? Still haven't found what you're looking for? Take a look at the WelcomeCard areas for the East and West!

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Overview of all destinations

LVR Museum of Industry, St. Anthony Hütte, Oberhausen

The LVR Museum tells the story of the beginnings of the iron industry in 1758, which contributed significantly to the development of the Ruhr District. Even if you mightn’t suspect heavy industry ever existed in the idyllically situated half-timbered house by the Elpenbach pond in Oberhausen, it was here that pig iron flowed from a blast furnace for the first time.

Your advantage: One-time free admission to the permanent exhibition
Standard price: € 5

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Gasometer Oberhausen

The gasometer, which is 117 metres high, is a landmark in the Ruhr District. While gas was once stored here, it is now a location for fascinating exhibitions.

Your advantage: One-time free admission to the current exhibition
Standard price: € 10
Additional information: Does not apply to special evening events.

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LUDWIGGALERIE in Oberhausen Castle

The spacious rooms in the classicist castle edifice, which was built at the beginning of the 19th century, offer a varied programme with travelling exhibits from all over the world.

Your advantage: One-time free admission to the current exhibition in the Big Castle (Großes Schloss)
Standard price: € 8

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LVR Museum of Industry, Peter-Behrens-Bau, Oberhausen

The Peter-Behrens-Bau is home to countless museum exhibits. In this way, the former main goods warehouse of Gutehoffnungshütte Group is being put to sensible use.

Your advantage: One-time free admission to the permanent exhibition
Standard price: € 6

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Movie Park Germany, Bottrop

The Movie Park Germany is the biggest film and leisure park in Germany and offers you a wide variety of surprises. All in all, more than forty attractions are available to you in five themed areas.

Your advantage: 50% discount on the standard daily admission price for adults
Standard price: from 39.50 Euros (subject to change)

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Aquarius Water Museum, Mülheim an der Ruhr

Mülheim an der Ruhr is home to one of the most attractive water towers in the Ruhr District. Over 100 years old, listed as a historical monument and situated in an idyllic castle park, the tower houses the Aquarius Water Museum, in which everything revolves around the topic of water on 14 levels.

Your advantage: One-time free admission to the permanent exhibition
Standard price: € 4

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Grusellabyrinth NRW, Bottrop

Be part of a breathtaking live horror adventure with spectacular innovations. The new main attraction, the "Phantom Manticore", offers 100 minutes of scary fun and goose bumps at their finest. The setting for the new adventure is a Grand Parisian Hotel dating from 1928 in which a terrible phantom is on the loose. Accompanied by a reporter, you become investigators in the gruesome thriller surrounding the phantom Manticore.

Your advantage: 50% discount on the “individual visa for the main attraction” or the “main visa”
Standard price: € 28 for the "main visa"
Additional information: The discount does not apply to special events (such as Halloween weeks). Cannot be combined with other discounts.

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Mülheim an der Ruhr Art Museum

The listed building of the former main post office is home to numerous works of art: from Expressionism, to Pop Art through to contemporary works, everything is included.

Your advantage: Free admission to Mülheim Art Museum.
Standard price: free of charge

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Camera Obscura, Mülheim an der Ruhr

The Mülheim Museum of the Prehistory of Film and Photography not only impresses with its exceptional architecture, it also invites you to try out and marvel between kaleidoscopes and projectors.

Your advantage: One-time free admission to the museum and participation in a Camera Obscura demonstration
Standard price: € 4.50

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White Fleet, Mülheim an der Ruhr

The White Fleet takes you on a river cruise along the idyllic Ruhr Valley on the route between Mülheim Water Station and Kettwig Unterwasser.

Your advantage: One-time free scheduled trip from Mülheim Water Station to Kettwig Unterwasser or Kettwig Unterwasser to Mülheim Water Station.
Standard price: € 6.50

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Haus Ruhrnatur, Mülheim an der Ruhr

The Haus Ruhrnatur (House of the Ruhr Natural World) showcases the ecosystem of the Ruhr District, with fish from the Ruhr, small animals under the microscope, sounds and smells. In 2010, the exhibition was extended and now covers the topics of climate and renewable energy.

Your advantage: One-time free admission.
Standard price: € 3

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Guided tours of Mülheim an der Ruhr

The guide tour of Mülheim guides you to the best-known tourist sights in what was formerly the most important town in the Ruhr District.

Your advantage: One-time free participation in the “Discover Mülheim” guided tour. Every Saturday from April to September; starts at 11 am outside Mülheim tourist information. Duration: 1.5 hours
Standard price: € 8
Booking: Advance telephone bookings on 0208/960960 are compulsory.

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Denkmalpfad ZOLLVEREIN, Essen

On the ZOLLVEREIN Heritage Trail, you can follow the journey of coal in the excellently preserved colliery and coking plant. Gigantic machines, conveyor belts, bunkers and funnels take you closer to the fascinating industrial history of the Ruhr District.

Your advantage: One-time free admission to the “Durch Koksofen und Meistergang” guided tour (tour of the coke ovens and the hot alley)
Standard price: € 9.50
Additional information: Limited number of participants
Booking: Advance bookings compulsory: 0201/246810, denkmalpfad(at)zollverein.de

More about the ZOLLVEREIN Heritage Trail

Ruhr Museum, Essen

The Ruhr Museum isn't a conventional Museum of Industry, but the regional museum of the Ruhr District, and the collective memory and showcase for the region.

Your advantage: One-time free admission to the permanent exhibition
Standard price: € 8

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Das Bild zeigt Ausstellungsstücke im Red Dot Design Museum

Red Dot Design Museum, Essen

The Red Dot Design Museum is home to some 2,000 everyday items. In the heart of the historical ambience of the former boiler house of the Zollverein colliery, visitors will find design icons and classics, surprising functionalities and innovative everyday objects which have won the renowned Red Dot Design Award.

Your advantage: One-time free admission
Standard price: € 6

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GOP Varieté Theatre Essen

The GOP Varieté Theatre Essen remains a major draw for visitors to this day. Breathtaking acrobatic shows, jugglers, magicians and artists make your heart beat faster and your evening unforgettable.

Your advantage: 50% discount on the standard admission ticket for one show (not including menu)
Standard price: from € 34
Additional info: Not including Saturday afternoons or special events; cannot be combined with other GOP benefits / cannot be redeemed online / cannot be used on tickets that have already been booked.
Booking: Reservation required on 0201/2479393 or directly at the ticket office of the GOP Varieté Theatre Essen.

More about the GOP Varieté Theatre

Essen Cathedral Treasury

The Essen Cathedral Treasury is one of the most important legacies of the former Canonesses of Essen. It is home to several important works of art of world renown.

Your advantage: One-time free admission to the Cathedral Treasury
Standard price: € 4

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Landscape Park Duisburg Nord - Behind Closed Doors

The exciting and exclusive 3-hour tour explores the control room of the iron and steelworks, reports about all the work that goes into things such as major events, and provides insights into the functioning of former factory halls which are now disused.

Your advantage: One-time free admission to the behind closed doors guided tour
Standard price: € 26.50
Booking: Telephone bookings on tel. no.: 0203/ 4291919 are compulsory.

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Landscape Park Duisburg Nord - Tour of the works

The guided tour covers the history of metallurgy and blast furnace technology before the backdrop of the bustling cultural centre. The journey taken by iron through the furnace, from the blast furnace top to the torpedo ladles is retraced. In good weather, at a height of 70 metres, blast furnace 5 offers fantastic views over the local site.

Your advantage: One-time free admission to the guided tour of the works
Standard price: € 10
Booking: Telephone bookings on tel.: 0203/ 4291919 are compulsory.

More about the Landscape Park

Das Bild zeigt den fahrenden Museumszug des Eisenbahnmuseums Dortmund

Railway Museum Bochum

Bochum-Dahlhausen is a place in which the history of the railways is at your fingertips! At an exhibition site that stretches over approximately 70,000 square metres, you can marvel at the biggest collection of railway history in Germany and learn more about the stories behind the impressive steam locomotives.

Your advantage: One-time free admission to the museum and the collection of locomotives
Standard price: € 8

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Horst Castle Museum, Gelsenkirchen

Horst Castle is one of the oldest and most important Renaissance buildings in the Ruhr District. The castle is home to a museum as well as a restaurant that invites guests to relax and enjoy themselves.

Your advantage: One-time free admission to the permanent exhibition, “Life and Work in the Age of the Renaissance”
Standard price: € 3

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Sightseeing Tours of Gelsenkirchen

There's lots to discover in Gelsenkirchen: Former collieries, machine halls and any number of other former industrial installations bring you closer to the rich industrial heritage of the Ruhr District.

Your advantage: 50% discount on the standard ticket price.
Standard price: € 18
Booking: Bookings to take part on +49 209 1693968 are compulsory

Nordstern Tower Gelsenkirchen

The former colliery tower is situated in the heart of Nordsternpark in Gelsenkirchen. From the 83-metre-high Gelsenkirchen panoramic terrace, visitors enjoy magnificent views over the Ruhr Valley. The interior of the tower is home to a museum that covers the history of the Nordsternpark Gelsenkirchen.

Your advantage: One-time free admission to the museum and the visitors’ terrace
Standard price: € 4

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LWL Museum of Industry Henrichshütte Hattingen

The LWL Museum of Industry Henrichshütte in Hattingen provides the opportunity to visit the oldest blast furnace in the Ruhr District. The Henrichshütte was a major iron and steelworks on the Ruhr and now inspires visitors old and young alike with a variety of attractions.

Your advantage: One-time free admission to the museum
Standard price: € 4
Additional information: Not including special exhibitions with separate admission.

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Gastronomic Tour of Bochum

The gastronomic tour “Gezz iss dich watt” (Go and eat summat) combines gastronomic treats with the history of Bochum and stories about the city. A tour guide tells anecdotes from the past and present, while visitors get the opportunity to try out typical Bochum fare such as the legendary currywurst and the Bochum Fiege Pils!

Your advantage: 50% discount on the standard price
Standard price: € 22
Additional information: The tour is offered from April until September at 11 am on the first Saturday in the month.
Booking: Telephone bookings on: +49 234 963020 or info@bochum-tourismus.de, online bookings not available

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Varieté et cetera, Bochum

Three alternating shows per year enchant young and old with a successful mixture of artistry, comedy and gastronomy.

Your advantage: 50% discount on the standard ticket price. Valid from January until October
Standard price: from € 20
Additional information: Does not apply to combined and special events or to Fridays in November & December.
Booking: Telephone bookings on +49 234 13003 are compulsory.

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Bochum Zoo

The oldest landscape garden in the Ruhr District is the Stadtpark Bochum, which is situated in the immediate vicinity of Bochum city centre. The city park, which was constructed in 1876, enchants visitors with its classic garden architecture in the English style. At the zoo & fossil collection, visitors can admire more than 4,000 animals from more than 300 species.

Your advantage: One-time free admission
Standard price: € 7
Additional information: Special events not included.

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Zeiss Planetarium Bochum

Gaze into the stars under a clear sky in the heart of the Ruhr District. This is exactly what Zeiss Planetarium Bochum can offer. Visitors get to experience stars, planets and galaxies up close and personal.

Your advantage: One-time free visit to a planetarium show
Standard price: € 9.50 / € 10.50
Additional information: Special events that cost more than € 10.50 not included
Booking: Reservation by email (2 working days in advance) is recommended. The ticket desk is open for advance sales from Mon - Fri from 9.00 am until 3:30 pm

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LWL Museum for Archaeology

The LWL Museum for Archaeology is situated in the heart of Herne, and is home to 10,000 findings from the history of mankind in Westphalia. Discover the history of this region at an exhibition which is designed on the model of an archaeological dig site – a uniquely configured exhibition.

Your advantage: One-time free admission to the museum
Standard price: € 5
Additional information: Not including special exhibitions with separate admission.

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LVR Museum of Industry at Cromford Textile Factory, Ratingen

The first textile factory and one of the oldest surviving industrial locations in Germany is situated by the Anger River and nestles in an historic English-style nature park.

Your advantage: One-time free admission to the permanent exhibition
Standard price: € 4.50

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LVR Museum of Industry at Hendrichs Drop Forge, Solingen

From 1886 until 1986, Hendrichs Drop Forge was home to the manufacturing of scissor blanks for industry in Solingen. Visitors can still see how the drop hammers strike the glowing steel today.

Your advantage: One-time free admission to the permanent exhibition
Standard price: € 5

More about the LVR Museum of Industry at Hendrichs Drop Forge