This morning I attended the CATS! exhibition press conference at MARKK Hamburg and got an exclusive first look inside a year-long celebration of feline art, mythology, and culture. I filmed a teaser (more videos coming!), explored the museum before tonight’s big opening, missed my own cats terribly, and thanked my cat sitter for sending proof that Tito, Pierre, and Myratz are doing just fine without me. And, don’t miss the Opera Air Inara Giveaway on Instagram – it’s live!
This morning at 9:30 sharp, with a cap of coffee in one hand and my mobile phone on a gimbal with camera on in the other, I stepped into the Museum am Rothenbaum (MARKK) for the official CATS exhibition Hamburg press conference.
Traveling here felt a little surreal. Yesterday I was packing in Bruges, today I’m wandering through a wonderful German ethnology museum filled with cats from thousands of years of human history. And while I was soaking in this incredible space, one question kept circling my mind:
“I hope Tito isn’t opening any doors.”
More on that in a moment. Ha-ha!
A Warm Welcome from the World of Cats
The press conference offered a quick but tantalizing overview of what this year-long exhibition is about: from the divine Bastet of ancient Egypt to internet-age whiskered icons, this exhibition shows cats not as “pets” but as mirrors of culture, myth, spirituality, power and rebellion.
I already wrote two deep dives about the exhibition’s themes and interviews with the curators – if you want the full context, you’ll love these:
- CATS Exhibition in Hamburg – A Year-Long Celebration of Feline Art and Myth
(A sweeping preview) - Inside the MARKK Hamburg Cat Exhibition – A Year of Feline Myth, Art & Culture
(an exclusive interview with the curators)
But today’s press event added something new:
A feeling. An atmosphere. A “we’re really doing this” moment.
The curators spoke, cameras clicked and rolled, and I looked at my watch because… tonight at 19:00 it officially opens. The whole museum transforms into a playground of feline symbolism – from power to cuteness, from worship to wildness.
My First Peek Inside (Yes, I Filmed a Teaser!)
Before the museum gets filled with visitors, I got to walk through some areas and capture a tiny, tiny teaser video – just enough to spark curiosity.
Think vibrant colors. Ancient artifacts. Surprising contrasts between cultures. Cat symbolism that repeats across thousands of years even when civilizations never met.
Tonight I’ll get the full experience – but this sneak peek already convinced me:
this exhibition is a once-in-a-lifetime feline feast.
And yes, me being me:
More teaser videos are coming.
I’m just getting started.
Meanwhile at Home: Tito, Pierre & Myratz, The Unbothered Trio
Travel is wonderful… but oh boy, do I miss my cats.
Fortunately, my cat sitter is basically an emotional support human. Thanks to her (and Pawshake – lifesaver!, and I am not paid to mention it), I receive constant photos and videos:
- Tito pretending he owns the house.
- Myratz eating with suspicious enthusiasm.
- Pierre… well, Pierre is a little worried. He tends to hide under the armchair when the sitter arrives. Classic Pierre.
But seeing them safe, relaxed, and well cared for brings me pure peace.
Pawshake honestly makes travel possible for me – my sanity depends on those daily updates.
Don’t Miss the Opera Air Inara Giveaway!
If you’re following my Hamburg trip, you already know:
Opera Air and Cats Magazine are running a giveaway right now – and you can win two 3D-printed figurines of Inara, the tiny mindful cat who lives in your browser.
But here’s the beautiful twist:
Opera Air isn’t just connected to this exhibition because of cats – it’s also connected through place.
Both MARKK’s CATS! exhibition and Opera Air pay tribute to one of the world’s most iconic feline cities:
Istanbul.
The exhibition features street-cat houses and the unique culture of Istanbul’s feline citizens – and Opera Air did something extraordinary for them too.
On October 16, Stray Cat Day, Opera Air helped Istanbul’s cats by supporting the creation and distribution of printed cat houses for local strays, teaming up with HAÇİKO and volunteers to give the city’s beloved street cats safer places to rest.
Cats, culture, compassion – everything loops back to Istanbul.
HOW TO ENTER THE GIVEAWAY
1 Like the giveaway post on Instagram
2 Follow @operaair and @catsmagazine
3 Tag one mindful friend who needs a calmer browser (and a tiny cloud-sitting cat)
For extra luck, tag more friends in separate comments.
More about the giveaway (and the browser itself):
- Giveaway: Win Inara: The Tiny Mindful Cat Who Lives in Your Browser (Opera Air and Cats Magazine Giveaway)
- Browser review: My New Favorite Browser Has a Cat – And It’s Purr-fectly Mindful!
If you’re wondering why a browser has a meditating cat built into it… well, welcome to the future.
The Feeling of Being Here
There is something special about being in Hamburg, standing inside a museum before opening night, surrounded by 5,000 years of cat symbolism. It’s quiet. It’s strangely emotional. It feels like the world saying:
“We’ve always loved cats. We always will.”
Tonight the big moment arrives –
The CATS! exhibition officially opens at 19:00.
I’ll be there with my phone camera on, my notebook and probably a tear in my eye when I see the main door open wide.
Stay Tuned – So Much More Is Coming
This is only Part 1.
Expect:
- More photos
- More video teasers
- A full review of the opening night
- And much more from the exhibition over the coming year
If you love cats, mythology, culture, art, or stories about how humans and animals shape each other – this exhibition is going to be your paradise.
And I am very, very happy to bring it to you.
