The Berlin Long Night of Museums (Lange Nacht der Museen) is one of the most exciting cultural events in the German capital. Once a year, museums and art galleries across the city open their doors from evening until the early morning, offering visitors the unique chance to explore them after dark. It’s a super interesting experience that’s well worth joining if you’re in the city – here’s everything you need to know!
If you’ve ever watched the Night at the Museum films, here’s your chance to bring that dream to life, though fair warning, the exhibits won’t be coming alive! Still, who wouldn’t want to experience a museum after dark!? Keep reading for everything you need to know!
Berlin Long Night of Museums 2025: Your ULTIMATE guide
What you need to know
- How many museums participate in the Berlin Long Night of Museums? Around 70
- Are the museums free to visit? You need to buy a ticket for the event. Once you have a ticket you can then use this to visit any participating museum.
- What time is the Berlin Long Night of Museums? It typically runs from 6 pm to 2 am.
What is the Berlin Long Night of Museums?
The Berlin Long Night of Museums involves, you guessed it, museums open at night! There’s a bit more to it than that though, here’s a rundown:
- Once a year, more than 70 of Berlin’s museums stay open from the late evening into the early hours, giving visitors a rare chance to explore after dark.
- Many venues put on special events for the occasion, including one-off exhibitions, workshops, behind-the-scenes guided tours, and artist talks. In previous years over 700 separate events have taken place throughout the night!
- It’s not just about the art and artefacts, though. You’ll also find live music, food and drink stalls, and even open bars at some locations.
The very first Berlin Long Night of Museums took place back in 1997 and actually inspired similar events across Europe. With over 150 museums and 400 galleries in Berlin, this event is the perfect opportunity for both locals and visitors to explore the city’s cultural scene.
Museum shuttle buses
So you’ve chosen all of the museums you want to visit, and you’re probably wondering how you’re going to reach them all. Don’t worry, you don’t even have to think about public transport, the Berlin Long Night of Museums team thought of everything! During the event shuttle buses run 5 routes through the city, dropping you off right outside of the museums. And the best part of all this, the buses are free to use with your Long Night of Museums ticket!
You can find everything you need to know about the shuttle buses, the routes they cover and which museums they stop by on the website here.
Museum Island Meeting Point
It wouldn’t be a post about museums in Berlin without mentioning Museum Island. If you’ve never been, yes, it’s quite literally an island with museums on. And not just any museums either – we’re talking about five of the city’s most iconic museums.
It’s no surprise, then, that Museum Island serves as a central hub during the Berlin Long Night of Museums.
Here you’ll find information stands, maps, guides, and plenty of help to navigate the night. There’s also an open-air music stage along with food and drink stalls, making it the perfect pit stop on your cultural adventure.
Berlin Long Night of Museums tickets
Tickets go on sale shortly before the event takes place and can be bought through the official website or at any of the visitBerlin Tourist Information offices. Tickets are also available on the night at the Museum Island Meeting Point or at some museums.
One ticket grants you free admission to all participating museums.
Tickets usually go on sale at the end of July and are typically around 12 euros for an adult. If you buy them later on this can increase to around 18 euros.
Berlin Long Night of Museums dates
The Berlin Long Night of Museums will be held on the
30th August 2025.
Most museums typically extend their opening hours between 6 pm and 2 am.
Participating museums
Over 70 Berlin museums usually participate in the Long Night of Museums showcasing everything from nature and history to art and culture.
The full programme is released shortly before the night itself which you can find here.
Summary
Exploring museums, eating great food, getting behind-the-scenes tours of cultural institutions and enjoying live music, there’s no better way I can think of to enjoy Berlin at night. It’s a highlight of the Kulturprojekte Berlin event calendar for good reason. If you’re in Berlin at the end of August be sure to stop by!
