The night of all nights for art and culture enthusiasts is just around the corner. Of course, there are exciting exhibitions to discover in Berlin all year round, but on this one night, the insights you’ll gain into the city’s museums are truly special. The Long Night of Museums Berlin will take place on Saturday, August 29, 2026, from 6 p.m. to 2 a.m. This year’s theme is “Crime in Berlin.” With just one ticket, you can spend the night exploring 75 museums and around 750 events —and discover the criminal, mysterious, and dark sides of the capital.
During the Long Night of Museums, it’s not just traditional museums that open their doors. Exhibition spaces, memorials, planetariums, and special Berlin cultural venues also take part in the event. In addition to the regular exhibitions, visitors can look forward to an extensive special program featuring express tours, workshops, concerts, readings, artist talks, performances, and DJ sets. In total, around 750 events will take place across 75 museums and cultural venues that evening.
The theme “Crime in Berlin” runs through a large part of the 2026 program. Visitors can explore real historical criminal cases, police work, espionage, prisons, forgeries, and crimes from different eras of Berlin’s history. However, the theme isn’t just explored from a historical perspective—it’s also interpreted in a playful way. The program includes, among other things, crime karaoke, music, performances, and various hands-on activities.
The wide range of criminal cases and topics covered is particularly exciting. At the Police History Collection, for example, a staged reading focuses on the hunt for a serial killer and the work of the famous Berlin criminal investigator Ernst Gennat, who played a decisive role in shaping modern homicide investigations in Berlin. At the GDR Museum, the program explores crime and police work in the GDR. Visitors can participate in an investigative quiz and learn more about topics such as banned literature and Western-style jeans. At 11 p.m., the 1987 DEFA crime film *Interrogation of the Witnesses* will also be shown. The Futurium, on the other hand, focuses on the future of crime fighting. Topics here include IT forensics and future investigative technologies, as well as the question of whether it might one day be possible to predict crime.
Some program highlights take you even further back in time. At PETRI Berlin, the focus is on three male skeletons that archaeologists discovered during excavations at Petriplatz. Investigations revealed that the three men had died violent deaths. Families can also learn about coin counterfeiting in a fun , interactive way and watch a live restoration demonstration showing how medieval ceramics are pieced back together.
However, the “Crime in Berlin” theme isn’t limited to murder cases, the police, and historical crimes. The art world also becomes a crime scene. At the Academy of Arts on Pariser Platz, for example, the focus is on crimes depicted in works of art, as well as works of art that have themselves become the targets of crime. As part of the event, even areas such as the art collection’s underground storage facility will be open to the public.
You only need one ticket for the entire Long Night. Regular admission costs 23 euros, while the reduced-price ticket is available for 17 euros . Children up to and including age twelve can participate for free but need a free children’s ticket. The ticket grants access to all participating venues and also includes the Long Night’s special shuttle service.
