Wilminktheater in Enschede
Enschede's 1,001-seat theatre on Wenninkgaarde, about 5 minutes on foot from the station, for cabaret, musicals, dance and concerts.
Photo credits
A packed audience in the Pay. Zaal of the Wilminktheater, seen from the stage: stalls, balcony and boxes under the round wall lights.: Wilminktheater en Muziekcentrum Enschede
Quick answers
- Seats
- 1,001 in the Pay. Zaal
- Address
- Wenninkgaarde 40-427511 PH Enschede
- Nearest station
- Enschede, about 5 min on foot
- From Amsterdam Centraal
- About 2 h 10 min to 2 h 25 min by train
- Closest parking
- Stationsplein and Irenegarage, about 3 min on foot
- Evening parking
- €1 an hour after 19:00, maximum €5
- Doors open
- 1 hour before the start
- Payment
- Card only, no cash
- Contact
- +31 53 485 8585
Wilminktheater agenda: upcoming events
Tonight, this week and the months ahead at this venue in Enschede.
Last night at Wilminktheater: Wildebras (6+) — Gabriel Martina
Plan your visit to Wilminktheater
How many people fit in the Wilminktheater? Pay. Zaal capacity
The Pay. Zaal has 1,001 seats: 724 in the stalls and 277 on the balcony and in the boxes.
Using the orchestra pit takes seats away: 969 with the small pit in use and 915 with the large one. The theatre lists six wheelchair places in a wheelchair box, and row 11 in the stalls has three seats for visitors with reduced mobility.
For comparison, the Muziekcentrum next door advertises its Grote Zaal at 200 to 1,800 people depending on the set-up, and De Kleine Willem at 25 to 280 people. Those figures are the theatre's event-hire capacities, not concert seat counts.
| Part of the hall | Seats |
|---|---|
| Total | 1,001 |
| Stalls (begane grond) | 724 |
| Balcony and boxes (balkon en loges) | 277 |
| Total with the small orchestra pit in use | 969 |
| Total with the large orchestra pit in use | 915 |
| Wheelchair box | 6 places |
| Row 11, reduced mobility | 3 seats |
Pay. Zaal seating plan: stalls, balcony and which seats to choose
The Pay. Zaal has a stalls level, a balcony and boxes, and the theatre says every seat has a good view of the stage.
Tickets are sold by price category, called a rang. The 1e rang is one of the most expensive categories and a higher number means a lower price; some shows add a "toprang" above the 1e rang or use fewer categories. The event page shows the categories, the prices and the seat map for that date.
The balcony is reached by stairs. The theatre advises visitors who find stairs difficult to look closely at the most accessible seats when booking, and to call the box office for help.
- Choose seats on the seat map when you book, or let the system pick the best available ones automatically.
- Wheelchair places are reserved with the box office (phone, email or at the counter), not on the website.
- The theatre publishes a seat plan of the hall as a PDF on its Pay. Zaal page.
Tickets at the Wilminktheater: how to buy, fees, discounts and cancelling
You can buy tickets online, by phone, by email or at the box office, and at the door while a show is not sold out.
Buy only from wilminktheater.nl or at the box office. The theatre also names Eventim and Nationale Theaterkassa as reliable outlets, and warns that other sites charge more or sell invalid tickets.
- Where to buy
- wilminktheater.nl, the box office (053 485 8500, [email protected]) or in person at Wenninkgaarde 40-42
- Order limit
- Up to 10 tickets per show per order; groups of 10 or more write to [email protected]
- Booking fee
- €2.50 per order
- Service costs
- Usually €4.25 per performance, already in the listed price and including the cloakroom and an interval drink
- Cancelling
- Up to two working days before the show, with €2 cancellation costs per ticket; the refund goes to your account as credit or a voucher
- Exchanging
- Possible for another date or other seats; contact the box office
- Waiting list
- Sign up at the box office or on the website; you are called if a seat comes free
- Discounts
- Students, youth prices on many shows, 50% off selected shows for VriendenLoterij players, early-booking rates for Vrienden
- Gift cards accepted
- Wilminktheater gift and credit vouchers, Podium Cadeaukaart, VVV Cadeaukaart; the Enschede Cadeaukaart works at the box office
How a night at the Wilminktheater works
From the foyer to the applause, in the order it happens.
- Arrive in time. Doors open one hour before the start, so there is time to find your seat and have a drink in the foyer.
- Hand in your coat at the guarded cloakroom; it is included in the service costs of most tickets.
- Show your e-ticket on your phone, with the screen brightness at maximum so the scanner can read the QR code. You don't need to print it.
- Take your seat before the start. Latecomers report to the reception first; staff talk to the producer about whether and when you may enter, and entry can be refused without a refund.
- Keep your phone silent and don't film or take photos during the performance.
- Enjoy the interval where there is one: the programme page says whether there is an interval, and many tickets include an interval drink.
- Check the digital screens on the night for the interval time and the end time; the theatre can change them.
Cloakroom, drinks, phones and other house rules
The cloakroom is included in the service costs of most tickets, and you can take a drink into the hall in a plastic or paper cup.
- Drinks in a plastic or paper cup may go into the hall; food may not.
- Phones on silent, and no photos or film during the performance; the producer sometimes allows it for the final applause and announces that beforehand.
- Only card payments: cash is not accepted, at the bar or the box office.
- Prams, buggies and mobility scooters can't go into the hall, but can be left in the foyer.
- Each show page gives an age advice. Children and young people up to 18 enter free at youth shows with the Rumoer logo.
Eating and drinking at the Wilminktheater: foyer bar, Theatercafé and packages
There is no restaurant, but the foyer bar and the Theatercafé serve drinks, and the theatre sells coffee and snack packages you order online.
Prices were read on 20 October 2026 and can change. Many tickets already include an interval drink.
- Goed Vertoeven
- €13.50 per person: a reserved table with coffee and tea specialities, a Twents Kuiernat shot and sweets before the show, and a snack box with a drink at the interval; in the Theatercafé
- Koffieleuten
- €7.50 per person: a tray with coffee and tea specialities and sweets before the show; hand in the voucher at the pick-up point in the foyer
- Borrelbox
- €14.50 per box, enough for 2 or 3 people: collect it at the bar after the show
- Kidsbox
- €5.25: a drink, a snack and a surprise for children aged 3 to 10, at the big youth and family shows
- How to order
- Online in advance with a voucher; the packages have a vegetarian option only
Wilminktheater accessibility: wheelchairs, hearing loops and special seats
The theatre is fully wheelchair accessible, with a lift, step-free entrances and accessible toilets.
For individual wishes email the box office at [email protected] or call 053 485 8500 (Monday to Friday, 14:00 to 17:00).
- Wheelchair access
- Yes: the halls and foyers, step-free entrances, a lift and wheelchair-friendly toilets
- Wheelchair places
- Reserve with the box office, not online; one seat next to the wheelchair user is available for a companion
- Hearing
- An induction loop system in all halls; hearing amplifiers on request at the box office
- Guide dogs
- Welcome
- Extras on request
- Booster cushions and extra legroom; mention it when you book
- Audio description and sign language
- For selected shows, shown on the show page; provided by Stichting Komt het Zien
- Stairs
- Stairs lead to the balcony, so choose seats with that in mind
- Card payments
- The card terminal has a long cable and can be handed to you
- Mobility aids
- Wheelchairs and walkers can be used; prams, buggies and mobility scooters stay in the foyer
Getting to the Wilminktheater by train, bus and bike
The Wilminktheater is about 5 minutes on foot from Enschede station, where both trains and buses stop: 2 minutes from the station to the Stationsplein garage and 3 more to the theatres.
Address
Wenninkgaarde 40-42, 7511 PH Enschede
From Amsterdam Centraal
About 2 h 8 min on the fastest timetable, 2 h 25 min on average, with one change (Trainline)
From Utrecht
About 1 h 36 min on the fastest direct train, 1 h 58 min on average
By bus
Buses stop at the station as well; plan the journey on 9292.nl
By bike
Free guarded bike storage under the Willem Wilminkplein, open 24 hours a day, with room for 520 bikes and charging points for e-bikes. The entrance is under the stairs to the Intercity Hotel. The slope makes it unsuitable for cargo bikes.
Allow extra time
On market days, late-night shopping evenings, shopping Sundays, during events and when FC Twente plays at home
Road works
Molenstraat is closed to cars and lorries between Visserijstraat and Korte Hengelosestraat until the end of 2028 because of the Bölke Next construction
Parking at the Wilminktheater: garages, walking times and evening rates
The garages are all within walking distance; the Irenegarage and the Stationsplein garage are closest, and the Van Heekgarage is the biggest and the one the theatre recommends.
In the three municipal garages next to the theatre (Stationsplein, Irene, Van Heek) the rate is €3.35 an hour from 07:00 to 19:00, charged in steps of €0.50, with a maximum of €16.75 a day. From 19:00 to 07:00 it is €1 an hour with a maximum of €5, so an evening show usually costs €5 or less. Q-Park Enschede charges from €0.50 per 15 minutes and lets you reserve a space online.
Street parking is allowed only in marked bays and is paid. The P+R at Zuiderval costs €3 a day and includes a free bus ride into the centre for up to five people. Rates were checked on 20 October 2026 and can change.
| Garage | Spaces | Maximum height | Walk to the theatres |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stationsplein (Stationsplein 6) | 325 | 1.95 m | 3 min |
| Irenegarage (Van Lochemstraat 91) | 475 | 2.0 m | 3 min |
| Q-Park Enschede | 466 | 2.0 m | 5 to 6 min |
| H.J. van Heekgarage (Beltstraat) | 1,700 | 2.10 m | 8 min |
Four stages, four addresses: where is your show?
Only events in the "Wilminktheater, Pay. Zaal" take place at Wenninkgaarde 40-42; the same ticket shop also sells the other three addresses.
| Location | Address | Rooms in the agenda | Doors open |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wilminktheater | Wenninkgaarde 40-42, 7511 PH Enschede | Pay. Zaal | 1 hour before |
| Muziekcentrum | Noorderhagen 27, 7511 EK Enschede | Grote Zaal, Kleine Zaal | 1 hour before |
| De Kleine Willem | Langestraat 45, 7511 HB Enschede | De Kleine Willem | 1 hour before |
| De Grote Kerk | Oude Markt 32, 7511 GB Enschede | De Grote Kerk | 30 minutes before |
Wilminktheater box office, phone number and opening hours
The box office is open Monday to Friday from 14:00 to 17:00, and on show nights from one hour before the start.
- Box office (kassa)
- Monday to Friday 14:00 to 17:00 · 053 485 8500 · [email protected]
- Reception
- Monday to Friday 09:00 to 17:00, by phone from 09:30 · 053 485 8585 · [email protected]
- Visiting address
- Wenninkgaarde 40-42, 7511 PH Enschede
- Postal address
- Postbus 634, 7500 AP Enschede
- Groups from 10 people
- [email protected]
- Business events and packages
- [email protected] · 053 485 8585
- Marketing and press
- [email protected]
Official links
- Official Wilminktheater website
- Programme and tickets
- Accessibility at the Wilminktheater
- Contact and box office hours
More from Wilminktheater
About the Wilminktheater in Enschede
The Wilminktheater is the theatre at Wenninkgaarde 40-42 in the centre of Enschede. It opened on 23 November 2008 in the presence of Queen Beatrix and is named after the Enschede poet and writer Willem Wilmink, who died in 2003. Public performances at this address take place in the Pay. Zaal, a 1,001-seat auditorium.
The theatre programmes cabaret, musicals, pop, theatre, jazz, dance, music theatre, youth theatre and opera. Since 2011 a footbridge connects it to the Muziekcentrum, and together they use the name Wilminktheater en Muziekcentrum Enschede, part of the Nationaal Muziekkwartier.
One organisation runs four stages with one ticket shop: the Wilminktheater, the Muziekcentrum, De Kleine Willem and De Grote Kerk. The agenda on this page can list events from all four, so check the room on the event page: only "Wilminktheater, Pay. Zaal" means Wenninkgaarde 40-42.
History: from the 2008 opening to the 2026 stage rebuild
- 23 November 2008: the theatre on the Willem Wilminkplein opens in the presence of Queen Beatrix.
- 2011: a footbridge joins the theatre to the Muziekcentrum and the two share the name Wilminktheater en Muziekcentrum Enschede.
- May to mid-October 2026: the Pay. Zaal is closed so the hoisting system above the stage, which had reached its lifespan of about 15 years, can be replaced. The Muziekcentrum, De Kleine Willem and De Grote Kerk stay open, and the agenda lists Pay. Zaal performances again from October 2026.
Photos
Photo credits
A packed audience in the Pay. Zaal of the Wilminktheater, seen from the stage: stalls, balcony and boxes under the round wall lights.: Wilminktheater en Muziekcentrum Enschede
The empty Pay. Zaal with its red stalls seats, the balcony and the stage side wall with round lit openings.: Martin Hogeboom, Wilminktheater en Muziekcentrum Enschede
The glass front of the Wilminktheater with its white sun louvres and curved copper-coloured roof, the Nationaal Muziekkwartier sign above.: Gert Schippers · CC BY 3.0 · Cropped
Read reviews on Google Maps We don't show ratings here. See what visitors say on Google Maps.
Wilminktheater: questions people ask
How many seats does the Wilminktheater have?
The Pay. Zaal has 1,001 seats: 724 in the stalls and 277 on the balcony and in the boxes. With the orchestra pit in use it is 969 (small pit) or 915 (large pit).
Where is the Wilminktheater?
At Wenninkgaarde 40-42, 7511 PH Enschede, in the city centre, about 5 minutes on foot from Enschede station. The Muziekcentrum (Noorderhagen 27), De Kleine Willem (Langestraat 45) and De Grote Kerk (Oude Markt 32) are separate addresses.
Where can I park at the Wilminktheater?
In the Stationsplein garage or the Irenegarage (both about 3 minutes' walk), the Q-Park Enschede (5 to 6 minutes) or the Van Heekgarage (8 minutes, the biggest). The theatre recommends the Van Heekgarage because it has the most spaces.
How much does parking cost in the evening?
In the municipal garages the rate is €1 an hour from 19:00 to 07:00 with a maximum of €5. Before 19:00 it is €3.35 an hour with a daily maximum of €16.75.
What time do the doors open and when does the show end?
Doors open one hour before the start. Evening shows in the Pay. Zaal start around 20:00, some at 19:30, and family shows start in the afternoon. The theatre doesn't publish end times on the event page: they are in the service email a few days before, on the digital screens on the night, or from the box office.
Is there a cloakroom at the Wilminktheater?
Yes, a guarded cloakroom. For regular shows the usual €4.25 service costs in the ticket price include the cloakroom and an interval drink.
Can I pay cash at the Wilminktheater?
No. The theatre accepts cards only, at the bar and the box office, and the card terminal can be handed to you on request.
What is the Wilminktheater's phone number and when is the box office open?
The box office is on 053 485 8500 and open Monday to Friday from 14:00 to 17:00, and one hour before a show. Reception is on 053 485 8585 on weekdays from 09:30 to 17:00.
Can I buy tickets at the door?
Yes, as long as the show is not sold out. The box office opens one hour before the start.
Can children go to the Wilminktheater?
Yes. Each show page gives an age advice, and there is a youth and family programme. At youth shows with the Rumoer logo, children and young people up to 18 enter free.
Can I cancel or exchange tickets?
You can cancel up to two working days before the show; you get your money back as credit on your account or as a voucher, minus €2 per ticket. If the theatre cancels a show you get a full refund. Exchanging for another date or seats is possible through the box office.
Is the Wilminktheater wheelchair accessible?
Yes: step-free entrances, a lift, accessible toilets and wheelchair places. Reserve wheelchair places with the box office, not on the website.
Is the Wilminktheater the same as the Muziekcentrum?
No. They are two buildings joined by a footbridge, run by the same organisation with one ticket shop. The Wilminktheater is at Wenninkgaarde 40-42 and the Muziekcentrum at Noorderhagen 27.
Sources: Wikipedia: Wilminktheater en Muziekcentrum Enschede (October 20, 2026) · Wilminktheater: route en parkeren (October 20, 2026) · Wilminktheater: Pay. Zaal (October 20, 2026) · Wilminktheater: plattegrond Pay. Zaal (October 20, 2026) · Wilminktheater: bereikbaarheid (October 20, 2026) · Gemeente Enschede: parkeertarieven en parkeerlocaties (October 20, 2026) · Wilminktheater: veelgestelde vragen (October 20, 2026) · Wilminktheater: uw bezoek (October 20, 2026) · Wilminktheater: arrangementen (October 20, 2026) · Wilminktheater: toegankelijkheid (October 20, 2026) · Wilminktheater: contact en openingstijden (October 20, 2026)
