KOLK 17 gGmbH Figurentheater & Museum

What KOLK 17 gGmbH Figurentheater & Museum does

KOLK 17 gGmbH Figurentheater & Museum is a non-profit (gGmbH) cultural institution based in Lübeck's UNESCO World Heritage old town, combining a live puppet theater venue with a specialized museum. It originated from the merger of the former TheaterFigurenMuseum and Figurentheater Lübeck and was re-established as a legal entity in 2018. After a seven-year renovation of six listed historic buildings on the Kolk site (dating to the 1170s, among the oldest brick structures in Northern Europe), the institution reopened in spring 2025 with a new permanent exhibition 'Figurentheater – Spiel des Lebens' across seven themed rooms.

The organization operates a 20,000+ object collection — one of the five largest puppet theater collections in Germany — spanning marionettes, Chinese iron-rod puppets, Kasper figures, hand puppets, and other traditions. Its technology stack centers on the KOLK 17 WebApp (QR/PIN-based exhibit navigation), a digital collection database (Sammlung Online) with 200+ items currently digitized, and the WAYS research project on Indian collection objects. Core product lines are museum admission (12 EUR regular), family theater performances (8-11 EUR), evening theater programs (15-25 EUR), educational and group programs (KOLK*Doppelpack, KOLK*tastisch, KOLK*StattSchule, Christmas programs), and a friends association membership. Distribution is primarily direct-to-consumer through on-site box office, an online ticket shop, and direct group bookings, with a small staff of 8 people.

Revenue is a mix of self-generated ticket and program income, donations (including via PayPal), gift cards, and a friends association subscription. The institution is structurally dependent on foundation and public funding: it operates as an institution of the Possehl-Stiftung (the founding entity) and receives support from Hansestadt Lübeck, Investitionsbank Schleswig-Holstein, and Deutsche Stiftung Denkmalschutz. Marketing is multi-channel (email newsletter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Google Business Profile, YouTube, website content, events including the annual Lübecker Museumsnacht, and the community-driven friends association). Strategic positioning is reinforced by memberships in Deutscher Museumsbund, ICOM Deutschland, and UNIMA Deutschland, UNESCO World Heritage participation, and three awards received in June 2026.

Name

KOLK 17 gGmbH Figurentheater & Museum

Legal name

KOLK 17 gGmbH

Website

https://kolk17.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

KOLK 17 gGmbH is a non-profit cultural institution in Lübeck's UNESCO old town combining a puppet theater venue with a museum housing one of Germany's five largest puppet theater collections (20,000+ objects). It serves families, schools, cultural tourists, and researchers via live performances, exhibitions, and educational programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Performing Arts and Cultural Museum

NAICS

Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (7121), Museums (712110), Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters (711110)

akta.pro primary industry

Performing Arts & Cultural Event Venues (Theaters, Museums) (THAHAAAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Puppetry & Marionette Theatre (MPAGABAK), Museum, Zoo & Attraction Gift Shops (CRALAJAG)

Keywords

• Puppet theater performances
• Museum exhibitions
• Cultural heritage preservation
• Educational group programs
• Digital museum accessibility

Headquarters

HQ city

Lübeck

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales - Museum: Admission fees for museum exhibitions including the main exhibition 'Figurentheater - Spiel des Lebens' at 12 EUR regular, with free admission for children under 18, students, volunteers, and disabled visitors (50%+).
2. Ticket Sales - Puppet Theater: Performance tickets for puppet theater shows. Family program tickets at 11 EUR (regular) and 8 EUR (reduced for children up to 12 years). Evening program at 25 EUR (regular) and 15 EUR (reduced for students/trainees up to age 26).
3. Donations and Membership: Donations via PayPal and other channels support new projects, restoration of historical treasures, and cultural accessibility. The friends association 'Theaterfiguren im Kolk e.V.' offers membership with exclusive benefits.
4. Gift Cards: Gift vouchers redeemable for both museum admission and theater tickets, available at box office and online shop.
5. Group Programs and Workshops: Educational offerings including architecture tours, puppet workshops (KOLK*tastisch), combined museum/theater visits with creative workshops (KOLK*Doppelpack), and school programs (KOLK*StattSchule).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

KOLK 17 operates a combined puppet theater and museum venue in Lübeck's UNESCO World Heritage old town, presenting live puppet theater performances and housing the museum exhibition 'Figurentheater – Spiel des Lebens' built on one of Germany's five largest puppet theater collections with over 20,000 objects. Supporting offerings include educational group programs (KOLK*Doppelpack, KOLK*tastisch, KOLK*StattSchule), public and architecture guided tours, and the KOLK 17 WebApp providing digital exhibit navigation with accessibility features such as German Sign Language videos, audio descriptions, and easy-language content.

Product overview

KOLK 17 is a cultural institution combining a puppet theater venue with a museum, making it one of Europe's most important specialized institutions for puppet theater. The organization operates as a unified venue with a core Puppet Theater (Figurentheater) offering regular performances in its Large and Small halls, and a Museum featuring rotating exhibitions including the current 'Figurentheater – Spiel des Lebens' exhibition. The museum houses one of the five largest puppet theater collections in Germany with over 20,000 objects, accessible through an online digital database. Supporting services include the KOLK 17 Webapp providing digital museum access with accessibility features, education and group programs, a research division, and a friends association membership. The institution reopened in 2025 after extensive renovation of historic buildings dating back 850 years.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• 850+ years of local history preserved and made accessible to public
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Li ShashaminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Chinese puppeteer invited to KOLK 17 in 2021 for research on Southeast Chinese iron rod puppets in the collection. Her research in 2024 led to filming performances of 'The Fivefold Happiness' at Lunar New Year in the Chaoshan region.
• KOBALT Figurentheater LübeckcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLocal Lübeck puppet theater company with ongoing collaborative relationship. During KOLK 17's renovation period (2018-2025), theater operations continued with KOBALT Puppet Theater. KOBALT continues to perform at and collaborate with KOLK 17.
• Konermann Siegmund ArchitektencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerArchitecture firm responsible for the renovation design of the historic Kolk buildings. Winner of the design competition, creating a concept that preserves the historic facades while modernizing the interior for museum and theater use.
• Lübecker Archäologie (Hansestadt Lübeck)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMunicipal archaeology department conducting parallel excavations during the renovation project. Discovered the oldest brick house in Lübeck (dating to 1170s) during archaeological work.
• Dornerei - Theater mit PuppenminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorGuest puppet theater company performing at KOLK 17. Featured productions include 'Was macht die Maus im Wichtelhaus?' and 'Peter und der Wolf' in the family program.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• KompleXX Figurentheater: German puppet theater network of which KOLK 17 is a member; provides booking circuits and peer collaboration across German puppetry venues, comparable in thematic focus but operating as an enabling network rather than a competing venue.
• TheaterFigurenMuseum (predecessor entity): Historical predecessor organization that merged with Figurentheater Lübeck to form KOLK 17 gGmbH; provides context on the institution's own evolutionary baseline rather than acting as an external competitor.
• UNIMA Deutschland: German chapter of the International Puppetry Union and institutional member network of which KOLK 17 is a part; ecosystem peer rather than direct competitor, connecting KOLK 17 to the global puppetry community.
• KOBALT Figurentheater Lübeck: Local Lübeck puppet theater company and long-standing KOLK 17 partner that performed in residence during KOLK 17's 2018-2025 renovation; adjacent service provider rather than direct competitor.

Regional players

• Stadttheater Lübeck: Lübeck's main municipal theater offering opera, drama, and ballet in the same city; not a puppet specialist but a regional performing-arts institution competing for the same cultural-tourism and public funding pool.

Direct peers

• Deutsches Puppenmuseum: German doll and puppet museum combining historical exhibits with cultural programming; comparable to KOLK 17 in its mix of museum collection, family programming, and cultural-heritage positioning.
• Deutsches Museum für PuppentheaterKultur (Bad Oeynhausen): Specialized German puppet theater museum with significant collection and exhibition programming; overlaps with KOLK 17's collection and educational mission in the niche of puppetry heritage preservation.
• Augsburger Puppenkiste: Iconic German puppet theater and museum in Augsburg that stages puppet performances and operates a visitor exhibition—directly comparable to KOLK 17's combined Figurentheater + museum model, though with a more commercial, brand-driven orientation.

Broad incumbents

• Museum für Kunst und Gewerbe Hamburg: Large Hamburg museum with applied arts and design holdings including puppet/figure material; broader in scope than KOLK 17 but comparable as a northern German cultural institution serving similar visitor demographics.

Emerging players

• Puppet Theatre Museum (UNIMA-affiliated institutions): Other UNIMA-affiliated puppet heritage institutions across Europe; thematic peers in the niche of puppet-theater preservation, varying in scale and audience reach relative to KOLK 17.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kolk-17-ggmbh-figurentheater-museum

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about KOLK 17 gGmbH Figurentheater & Museum