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The Stiftung Preussischer Kulturbesitz (Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation) is taking part in the Lange Nacht der Museen (Long Night of Museums), which will take place on Saturday 29 August 2026 under the theme ‘Crime in Berlin’. From 6 pm to 2 am, the museums at the Kulturforum, the institutions on Museum Island, PETRI Berlin on Fischerinsel, the Hamburger Bahnhof – National Gallery of Contemporary Art, the Stabi Kulturwerk, the Museum of Photography at Bahnhof Zoo and the Scharf-Gerstenberg Collection at Charlottenburger Schloß to an exciting programme. Whether it’s art forgery, art fraud or the search for forensic evidence – the SPK’s museums are exploring this year’s theme in a variety of ways, whilst also offering new perspectives on their collections.

“The Long Night of Museums is one of the highlights of Berlin’s cultural calendar. With thirteen venues, we are once again the biggest player this year. Our museums invite visitors to experience art, history and archaeology in a very special atmosphere. This year’s theme opens up exciting and surprising ways of engaging with our collections. I look forward to welcoming numerous visitors to the SPK’s museums,” says SPK President Marion Ackermann.

The Gemäldegalerie invites visitors to enjoy jazz by Canaletto or a trip to the Kulturforum tree nursery. At the Neue Nationalgalerie, alongside workshops and short guided tours of the exhibitions, the view from the tower of the neighbouring St Matthew’s Church offers a unique perspective on Ludwig Mies van der Rohe’s temple. The Museum of Decorative Arts adds a special touch with a light installation on its façade. The programme at the Museum of Musical Instruments, part of the State Institute for Music Research, is also criminally good: featuring a Pink Panther mystery concert for families, ‘Tango Noir’ with the Colombo Kociołek Frontini Trio – in collaboration with the Ibero-American Institute – guided tours of mysterious rooms, spectacular stories of forgeries, the first vampire film in cinematic history, and a dance and music show reminiscent of the legendary Café Moka Efti, aka the SIM Café. 

As every year, Museum Island will be a hotspot. At theAltes Museum, architectural and English-language guided tours are on the programme. The Alte Nationalgalerie offers tours every 20 minutes. At the Friedrichswerder Church, drop-in sessions invite visitors to explore illusions of materials in art and architecture. At theBode Museum, Germany’s best-known art investigator, René Allonge from the Art Crimes Unit of the State Criminal Police Office, and Stefan Simon, director of the Rathgen Research Laboratory, will talk about art thieves and forgers. A family workshop and a museum quiz round off the programme. With the “Flix-Inselpass”, guests can set off on a discovery tour: creative hands-on activities await at several stops. A DJ will be spinning records on the dance floor, and anyone needing a break can relax in the Flix beer garden in the Kolonnadenhof.

At PETRI Berlin, live restoration work and demonstrations, amongst other things, offer fascinating insights into archaeological research and restoration. At theHamburger Bahnhof – Nationalgalerie der Gegenwart, visitors can get creative themselves in a forger’s workshop. At theStabi Kulturwerk, guided tours focus, amongst other things, on press photography, in which crime and criminal cases have always been part of the news coverage. Furthermore, the open restoration studios offer fascinating insights into the work behind the scenes. At theMuseum of Photography, too, visitors can express themselves creatively on this night.

The Scharf-Gerstenberg Collection is taking part with a treasure hunt and hands-on activities.

The Long Night of the Museums will take place on 29 August 2026 from 6 pm to 2 am. A single ticket grants visitors access to 75 museums and more than 750 events. Tickets are available for 23 euros (concessions 17 euros). Children aged 12 and under get free entry but need their own ticket.

The full programme and tickets are available at https://www.langenachtdermuseen.berlin

The programme of the Berlin State Museums: https://www.smb.museum/nachrichten/detail/die-staatlichen-museen-zu-berlin-sind-dabei-lange-nacht-der-museen-am-29-august-2026/

Programme of the State Institute for Music Research at the Museum of Musical Instruments: www.simpk.de/lange-nacht-der-museen

The programme of the Stabi Kulturwerk: https://blog.sbb.berlin/termin/langenachtdermuseen2026/ 

Press photos: https://www.preussischer-kulturbesitz.de/newsroom/presse/pressebilder.html