Good Times at the Gartenschau (Designed by Stripes Staff)
One of the first places I heard about when I moved to the KMC area a few years ago was the Gartenschau Kaiserslautern. This popular garden area is a cost-effective way to walk through beautiful scenery, enjoy a cool date before a night out or bring the entire family out for a fun afternoon. 500,000 annual visitors cannot be wrong.
The Gartenschau is a wonderful place to celebrate spring and summer weather. You will hear Americans in the local area refer to it as “The Dino Park.” It is home to a variety of entertainment areas and seven different gardens featuring plants for your kitchen, ornamental gardens, a garden with symbolic plants from the Bible, a garden for the blind and much more.
While the gardens are the most seasonal and namesake part of the Gartenschau, they are not my favorite part. While I am a grown adult with adult responsibilities, nothing makes me happier than seeing the 70 dinosaur models onsite, especially because they have my favorite, the Triceratops. There are also mammoths, saber-toothed tigers and a 47-meter-long Seismosaurus.
If giant dinosaurs and gorgeous flowers are not enough to bring you in, there is a cast of permanent and special exhibitions that will definitely pique your interest. Inside, a permanent LEGO® exhibition with tons of brick figures and models is a kid favorite. In summer months, a new exhibition of sand sculptures is made from 160 tons of sand each year. Every September and October, you can view the pumpkin exhibition featuring figures made from tens of thousands of pumpkins.
Collage of colorful flowers (Basicmoments (Adobe Stock))
For sports fans, there is a mini-golf course onsite that brands itself as “adventure golf” because of its tricky holes on hilly turf (surrounded by the dinosaurs). You can also check out the skatepark, the soccer field and the various adventure playgrounds, which are a hit with kids of all ages, even teenagers.
The Gartenschau also hosts special events such as Easter services in their custom-made Willow Church, classical music performances and yoga in the park.
Because there is so much to do in the Gartenschau, you may be there all day. There are several places to grab a bite to eat when you inevitably get hungry. There is a sit-down restaurant at the entrance, a casual bistro in the park and a picnic area for the thrifty people who pack their own food.
At the time of writing, despite its immense popularity with a “record number of visitors,” the Gartenschau is in danger of future closure. Inflation is the culprit, according to Südwestrundfunk (Southwest Broadcasting) News. The Gartenschau has been working with the same financial model since 2008 and has been filling the gap for finances with COVID-19 subsidies and other inclusive businesses. Unfortunately, these measures are just not enough anymore.
However, hope is not lost. Fans at a local FCK football (soccer) game unfurled a large banner reading the Gartenschau “must be preserved.” The city council heard the pleas and secured over half a million euros to fund the Gartenschau through 2026.
No matter what happens, the people of Kaiserslautern are determined to save the Gartenschau. The park is open annually from April 1 to Oct. 31. You can purchase your tickets at gartenschau-kl.de.
