While spaceships are plowing the expanses of the universe, and the soloists of the BTS group are serving in the Korean army, I decided not to waste time either and write an article about free entertainment in Minsk. Today I will tell you:
- Where to listen to jazz and see the works of contemporary artists;
- How do I get to stand-up comedians for free?
- And how to go to the cinema for a small donation.
If you live in Minsk or are going to come to our city soon, then you will definitely like this article. Today we will figure out how to have fun in the capital (even if your totem animal is Scrooge McDuck).
Free tour “Minsk in female images”
It is jointly organized by the Minsk Gallery shopping center and the guide Anna Bogdanova. In March, she will hold 4 walking tours, during which she will tell about the inspiring stories of Belarusian women who have left a noticeable mark on the history of our city.
The dates of the are March 7, 15, 21 and 28. The beginning is at 18:00 (at the information center of the Minsk Gallery shopping center). The tour is absolutely free, but you need to sign up for it in advance. The registration link is in the account @galleriaminsk. The recording will be opened every Monday.
A few more words about excursions in Minsk
Well, if you can’t get on a free walk for some reason, then pay attention to the selection below. Here I have collected some more interesting excursions that will help you see a familiar city in a completely new light.
Here is an excursion “About it” telling about the history of brothels in Minsk and how views on sex have changed in different periods of time.
Here is a quest tour of Minsk bars…
But a story about the mystical side of the city (about mermaids in Svisloch and urban ghosts living in the area of Freedom Square);
These excursions are not free, but it is also worth paying attention to them. Still, there is something amazing about discovering something new again and again in the features of familiar streets.
About free concerts
They can be found, for example, in the creative space “Accidental Point” (at 21 Kalvariyskaya Street). From Friday to Sunday, there are regular jazz concerts, DJ sets, classical evenings, performances by saxophonists and musical tributes in honor of Western stars (like Stevie Wonder and Emmy Winehouse).
Admission is free everywhere, but artists are asked to leave tips. There is also a bar and a coffee shop in the same room. Therefore, it is better not to listen to performances empty-handed.
Everything is everywhere and at once
Over the past 5-7 years, several old industrial sites in Minsk have blossomed with bright graffiti, overgrown with clusters of light bulbs and turned into fashionable open-air spaces. The three most striking examples here are:
- Sandbox (at the site of the Horizon plant);
- Lidbir Yard (at the Yakuba Kolasa metro station);
- And The best street (located among the industrial walls of the LUCH factory).
The places are different, but the essence is about the same. There are food trucks with street food around, and in the center there is a stage where some interesting things are going on one after another. There are open-air films, performances for children, concerts by young musicians, and a lot more (from sports events to lectures and master classes).
There is only one disadvantage in all this – these sites work only in the warm season (and sometimes even on New Year’s Eve). Look for the poster and all the details on social networks @lidbeerdvor, @pesochnica.minsk and @luchstreet.
The same thing, but under the roof
If you happen to be in Minsk in the cold season, then pay attention to “Concourse“, a large gastronomic space on the top floor of the Central bus station. It’s like the same Sandbox, but with protection from snow and wind. There is food around the perimeter, and a stage in the center. From Friday to Sunday, all kinds of events take place here one after another – from quizzes to live concerts. Personally, we usually come here more often for children’s performances and other activities for kids.
This is how, for example, the free play “In Search of Dinosaurs” looked like this winter. There were soap bubbles, and aquagrim, and the theatrical show itself turned out to be very cool. Our daughter was absolutely delighted.
Free art galleries in Minsk
There are also several free art galleries in Minsk. One is located on the ground floor of the Dana Mall shopping center; the other is in the very center of the city at Revolyutsionnaya 17.
It is called “A&V”, but to be honest, the space itself is very small. I wouldn’t go to the city center specifically for her. But it would be a good idea to look there for a while while walking through the old quarters of Minsk.
About museums
Once upon a time, you could get to the main exhibition venues in Minsk for free – the National Art Museum, the Historical Museum, the Loshitskaya Manor, the WWII Museum, and so on. But today there are only “grace days” with a 50% discount. In the Art and Historical Museum, it is the first Monday of every month. In the Museum of the Great Patriotic War – every third Tuesday.
Completely free museums in Minsk can also be found. For example, Museum of Clocks (Naturalists, 3), Metro Museum (at Mogilevskaya station) or The Museum of Money (on Lenin Street). But you can only get there by appointment. I will give you the phone numbers for inquiries below:
- Metro Museum: +375 (17) 219-60-67;
- The Museum of Money: +375 (17) 219 23 73;
- Clock Museum: +375 (29) 315-75-26.
Only the Boulder Museum remains absolutely free (and as accessible as possible), where stones from ancient pagan temples, amulet pillars and even a stone cross, once installed by Stefan Batory, are collected. In total, there are about 2 thousand stones in the museum, built so that when viewed from above they resemble the outlines of Belarus. If you have been there, write about your impressions of this place.
About cinema and contemporary art
If classical museums are not for you, then take a look at the art space “Flame Place” at Masherov-9. About a third of its area is occupied by a bar and a coffee shop. And the rest is reserved for various cultural events. On Wednesdays, they usually play cult movies there (like “Mulholland Drive” and “Donnie Darko”). And the rest of the days they hold lectures, arrange vintage sales and avant-garde exhibitions.
Take a look, for example, at what the November exhibition “Revived Dreams” looked like. I think it’s very cool. We even went there with my daughter. You can get to all the events for a small donation.
About spiritual enlightenment
If your heart is asking for something sublime, then go to the creative space “Spirit Roof” (at Petrus Glebka, 64). They sing mantras, hold tea workshops, joint yoga sessions and ethnic DJ sets where modern music mixes with the rhythms of oriental drums. And this place regularly hosts lectures with a focus on various spiritual practices (for example, on lucid dreaming, spiritual cognition or “sound-hilling”).
Most events are free, but there are exceptions. See all the details in the account @spirit.roof.
Where to go in Minsk for free: stand-up concerts
My friend in Warsaw once attended a concert by Sasha Nezlobin – and gave a lot of money for it. If you want to avoid a similar situation, then pay attention to a club called Stand Up Comedy Hall (located at Kuibyshev, 45). Most of the performances there are paid (20-25 BYN), but on Mondays they arrange an “Open Microphone” (for novice comedians). These days, you can get to the concert for free. See all the details in the account @standupcomedyhall.
How to get to the BelAZ plant for free?
Recently, a huge factory with no less huge cars has become one of the most popular attractions in the suburbs of Minsk. The 75710 model has already been included in the Guinness Book of Records several times as the largest dump truck in the world. And photos with giant wheels taller than a man quickly flooded all social networks.
Usually an excursion to this factory costs 90 BYN (you can read more about it here at this link). But there is one day when you can look at gigantic mechanical monsters absolutely for free. This is an “Open Day” dedicated to the holiday of machine builders. It is usually celebrated on September 22 or 24. Therefore, do not plan anything for these dates.
Bonus. Briefly about the cheapest hotels in Minsk
This article is primarily aimed at tourists, so as a final chord, I will write a couple more lines about the various housing options in Minsk. Of course, they are not free, but you are unlikely to find anything cheaper than them. At the moment The TOP 5 cheapest hotels in the capital looks like this…
- Sport Time is an economical but neat hotel near the Minsk Arena;
- IT Time – his twin brother is 1.5 km from the Borisovsky Trakt metro station;
- The Akademicheskaya Hotel. An inexpensive option at the Botanical Park. The metro is within walking distance. You can book a room on the websiteacademhotel.by .
- Guest house “Nemiga”. Very simple, but right in the center.
The cheapest hotel in Minsk that I managed to find is called “KADM” and is located in the middle of nowhere (that is, on Uborevich Street). A double room with amenities here costs 55 BYN (single room – 33 BYN). But you can only book a room by phone. The contact number is +375 (44) 757-75-57.
That’s all. Let’s finish it a little bit. If you know other interesting places to go in Minsk for free – leave your comments under the post.
