Groningen is the major city of the Northern Netherlands and has an important role as a main urban centre, particularly in the fields of arts, education, and business. The large number of students living in Groningen also contributes to a diverse cultural scene for a city of its size.
The city centre boasts many bars, cafés and discotheques, and scores of open-air terraces.
The most important and most famous museum in Groningen is the Groninger Museum. With the construction of its current building, designed by Alessandro Mendini, the museum has been transformed into one of the most modern and innovative of its kind in the Netherlands. In addition, the city also has a science museum, a comics museum and a tobacco museum. Over 400 sculptures and other works of art are located in the streets within the city limits, some new, others many years old. The city of Groningen is bike-friendly. Most major roads have separate bicycle paths. Cycling through the province is an experience in itself. With numerous lakes and canals, Groningen is a province abounding in water, which lets you experience the city by bicycle or boat.