Architecture, music and Berlin’s longest banquet table at the ‘Day in the Countryside’
News from 09/07/2026
On Sunday 13 September 2026, the Kulturforum Berlin is hosting the fifth edition of its major Kulturforum festival, ‘A Day in the Green’. This year, the focus is on the Kulturforum’s diverse architecture. Many of the activities are free and take place outdoors – ranging from guided tours and workshops to music and Berlin’s longest communal table. A day ticket for the museums is available at a special price of 12 euros, or 6 euros for concessions.
At Scharounplatz, Berlin’s longest banquet table invites you to linger and enjoy the atmosphere from 11 am to 7 pm. The artists’ collective Bündnis Feuer & Flamme is opening its kitchen; on the mobile VeloStage, members of the Berlin Philharmonic will be giving short concerts, school bands from Berlin will be performing, and there will also be live music at the Ibero-American Institute in the afternoon.
Architecture from different perspectives
Mies van der Rohe, James Stirling, Hans Scharoun and Herzog & de Meuron have all designed buildings at the Kulturforum. During the “Day in the Green”, visitors can discover the site’s architecture in a variety of ways. From 11 am, loosely connected architectural tours will take you to the ‘icons of the Kulturforum’ – from the Berlin Social Science Centre via the New National Gallery, St Matthew’s Church, the State Library and the Ibero-American Institute to the State Institute for Music Research and the Philharmonie. Anyone interested in the history of the neighbourhood can take part in a tour focusing on architectural history. The ‘Urban Sketching’ and ‘Filmriss Photowalk’ events offer opportunities to explore the Kulturforum through drawing and photography.
There are also numerous events on this year’s theme taking place within the museums themselves. At the Museum of Decorative Arts, the workshop ‘Democracy as a Building Client’ explores architecture and social participation. At the Picture Gallery, the drop-in workshop ‘Urban Architecture’ offers the chance to create your own views of Berlin, whilst the Art Library invites visitors on an architectural journey through different places and centuries. The New National Gallery offers, amongst other things, the inclusive guided tour ‘Understanding Architecture’ and terrace tours. Further architectural tours will take visitors through the State Library and the Ibero-American Institute, the State Institute for Music Research with its Museum of Musical Instruments, St Matthew’s Church and the Berlin Social Science Centre.
From 10 am to 6 pm, visitors can also book time-slot tickets online to visit the first exhibition in the shell of the berlin modern building: “Gordon Matta-Clark. On Site”.
Berlin Art Week and other highlights
13 September also marks the final day of Berlin Art Week. The free open-air programme in the Art Week Garden at the Kulturforum includes workshops, performances, talks and film screenings. The Gemäldegalerie is hosting the performance “Alternde Meister” by Ersan Mondtag and Nadim Samman. The Neue Nationalgalerie is presenting the 5th “PERFORM!” performance festival. The festival, taking place in the outdoor area of the Mies building, concludes at 7.00 pm with Kianí Del Valle’s performance “INSTRUCCIONES PARA EXISTIR (INSTRUCTIONS FOR EXISTING)”.
Other highlights include a short talk by Heinz Mack at St Matthew’s Church, where his series “Spectrum Mundi” will also be on display for the last time on 13 September, as well as the church service “Diesseits von Eden” led by General Superintendent Prof. Dr Julia Helmke. There is also a final opportunity to visit the special exhibition “The Berlin Beauties” at the Gemäldegalerie.
The museums are open from 10 am to 6 pm; the programme begins at 11 am. A day ticket for all museums at the Kulturforum costs 12 euros, or 6 euros with a concession. Children and young people are admitted free of charge; holders of an annual pass may bring one person with them free of charge. Guided tours and workshops are free of charge.