Interactive festival for the 100th anniversary of the Schloss Homburg Museum Numerous activities for all generations delighted visitors in and around the landmark of Oberberg.

Oberbergischer Kreis. Fun and festive atmosphere despite the persistent rain: the museum festival at Schloss Homburg attracted locals and guests to the castle with diverse offerings. The team led by museum director Steffen Müller organized a jubilee program that delighted adults, children, and teenagers alike: everywhere in the museum and on the grounds of Schloss Homburg, there were interactive activities and great entertainment.

District Administrator Klaus Grootens described in his opening speech how the original (local history) museum has evolved over 100 years into a "vibrant cultural place," "where history is preserved and can always be experienced anew." "That we can celebrate so grandly here today is thanks to many people and partners."

The cultural officer of the Oberbergischer Kreis, Felix Ammann, also thanked the dedicated staff at Schloss Homburg who "have put together a diverse and inspiring program that allows visitors not only to embark on a journey into the past but also to discover or rediscover Schloss Homburg in new ways."

For museum director Steffen Müller, the "great team effort" in planning and implementing  this special birthday celebration was paramount: "Starting with the initial ideas for the design of the day at Schloss Homburg, developing the activities, gaining partners, the joint setup, and finally the shared creative and committed execution. A heartfelt THANK YOU goes to our partners, the colleagues from visitor services, the cultural office team, and all program partners, workshop leaders, and artists who 'gifted' our guests a very special day in and around the museum."  

Setting the mood for the event, guitarist and reciter Oliver (Olli) Steller and his singing stand-up drummer Thomas Diemer entertained especially the young guests with cheeky songs, magic tricks, stories, and songs to sing along and clap along to. The drastically shortened version of "Erlkönig" was as well received as the powerful song about the roaring "Wüt!". 
When "Herald Don Oswaldo," alias Frank Bus, announced the knight tournament, the aspiring squires rushed to the festival grounds at the keep to get dressed and compete on hobby horses with wooden lances. 

Castle ghost HomBuh was lovingly staged multiple times by puppet and actor Gerd J. Pohl. Creative interactive activities such as graffiti spraying with Puya Bagheri, craft sessions with artist Sabine Schunk, and outdoor painting with Hashem Alshater took place in rain-protected pavilions. There, Ulrike Claßen-Büttner and her daughter Zoe also showcased an old craft: spinning with spindle and spinning wheel.    

The focus of the festival was, of course, the museum's collection at Schloss Homburg, with its now around 20,000 objects—including exhibition pieces to touch and explore. The collection is the core and identity of the museum and has been continuously developed since 1926. Many loyal museum visitors were positively surprised by the newly designed rooms and the PLAYMOBIL special exhibition, and new visitors were equally enthusiastic. During the guided tours of Schloss Homburg, many local guests enjoyed rediscovering exhibition pieces such as knight's armor, a child's cradle, or the visit to the familiar castle kitchen with the narrow corridor leading to the dungeon. "These are childhood memories," says Klaus from Nümbrecht. "Schloss Homburg simply means 'home' to me," says a visitor from Marienberghausen. And a family from Siegen who traveled to the event said: "A great venue! We will gladly come back!"

District Administrator Klaus Grootens says: "For the Oberbergischer Kreis, Schloss Homburg is a very special place. Here, our history, culture, and traditions are preserved and can always be experienced anew. The museum connects past and present—and shows us where we come from and what makes our region so unique."

At the museum festival, the Biologische Station Oberberg, the Förderverein Schloss Homburg, and the Netzwerk Bergische Museen also presented themselves.

More information at www.schloss-homburg.de.