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Berlin’s Long Nights are Worth Staying Up For

Berlin's Lange Nacht der Museen lets you see museums in a different light. Photo: Thomas Quine

It all began in 1997 with the very first Lange Nacht (long night) for Berlin‘s museums. The idea is a simple one: nearly 100 museums, archives, memorials and the like team up with one communal ticket for one night, throwing the doors open until the wee hours of the morning and offering visitors the opportunity to engage with the same theme at every institution.

Since that first night, the successful open house concept of the Long Night has expanded to the city’s theaters, opera houses, and scientific research institutions, with each offering a similar event during different months of the year.

Lange Nacht der Museen
Mid-March and Late August
This year: Saturday August 31, 2013

The long night of museums takes place twice yearly: first in mid-March, and again at the end of August. With nearly 100 institutions across the entire city to choose from, you’ll want to plan your evening carefully while consulting the map of chartered buses and public transportation, both included in your ticket price.

You can find detailed information about each event as well as purchase tickets online one month before each event on this website (German only). Each long night runs from 6 p.m. till 2 a.m. Admission: €18/€12 reduced.

Lange Nacht der Wissenschaften
Early May

Under the slogan “smartest night of the year,” the long night of scientific research is an annual event, next scheduled for early May. 75 institutions in Berlin and Potsdam open their doors, providing direct access to the scientists and their work. Everything from chemistry to photography to cartography to solar energy to economics to space research and beyond is included.  Most institutions offer plenty of hands-on experimentation, making this long night the best for visitors with children (and for children at heart).

The Lange Nacht runs from 4 p.m. till midnight. Included is transportation on the chartered shuttles as well as a Berlin ABC ticket for public transportation. Tickets are €11/€7 advance purchase and €13/€9 on the night of the event. Family tickets are available for €25/€20 in advance.

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