LNDW Visual 2024

Long Night of the Sciences

Visit us on June 6, 2026

We show you things and places that are otherwise only accessible to our scientists: At the Long Night of Sciences, we open our laboratories and buildings on June 6, 2026 – like many other scientific and science-related institutions in Berlin.

The event is made for science enthusiasts of all ages, there are:

  • laboratory tours
  • hands-on experiments
  • lectures
  • science shows
  • … and much more

More details will follow.

The Long Night of Sciences takes place once a year on a Saturday in June. With our locations on the Buch Campus and in Berlin-Mitte we participated on June 6, 2026.

© Header: elekktronaut x studio gid 

Highlights Buch

Our program ranges from interactive experiments and shows to the opportunity to look over the shoulder of scientists in the laboratory. Some of the highlights are presented here. 

Highlights – Campus Berlin-Buch

Lab tour
Can stem cells help cure diabetes?
17:30 · 20:00 · 21:30 · Ages 12 and up · Location: MDC.C
More info
How does diabetes develop and how can we better treat it? The Sander Lab investigates how insulin-producing pancreatic beta cells develop and function to uncover the causes of diabetes. Using human stem cell-based organoids, genetic tools, and computational approaches, the team develops new models of the disease to explore the molecular mechanisms behind beta cell formation, maintenance, and dysfunction. The research paves the way for innovative therapies to restore beta cell function and improve diabetes care.

Sander Lab
Lab tour
Misfolded is toxic for the brain
17:30 · 19:00 · 21:00 · Ages 12 and up · Location: MDC.C
More info
Huntington’s, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases all have one thing in common – misfolded proteins are deposited in the brain and poison nerve cells. We use the common vinegar fly as a model for neurodegenerative diseases to get to the bottom of the causes and effects of misfolded proteins on a molecular level.

Wanker Lab
Hands-on
Translational research – from models to humans
17:00 – 22:00 · Ages 12 and up
More info
What is translational research? What happens in a clinical trial? We, scientists from the Experimental and Clinical Research Centre (ECRC), answer these and many other exciting questions about the bridge between experimental and clinical cardiovascular research. We show what measurements can be useful in cardiovascular disease research.

ECRC (Müller/​Dechend)
Hands-on
Please don’t touch
16:00 – 23:00 · DE/EN · Location: MDC.C foyer
More info
Our laboratory delves into the intricacies of the somatosensory system and its neuronal circuits. How do we perceive touch and temperature? And how can we accurately measure neurological signals? Through interactive scenarios, we make our research tangible and accessible.

Poulet Lab
Exhibit
The walk-through vein
16:00 – 23:00 · Location: MDC.C foyer
More info
Spanning a total length of about 150,000 kilometers, our blood vessels form a vast network. Visitors can explore a six-meter-long walk-through vein model and learn about vascular research. 
Talk
Beautiful world, where are you? The art of making science visible
18:30
More info
Science seeks to explain the unknown, while art helps us see it. Art has always been the quiet backbone of science documentation and communication, helping us understand both the microscopic and the cosmic. From early anatomical illustrations to modern-day sophisticated microscopy, this talk explores how art has always been central to visualizing science and making the invisible world understandable. 
Exhibit
Making science visible: Helmholtz Imaging
16:00 – 23:00
More info
Each year, researchers submit striking images that offer insights into a wide range of research fields. From microscopic structures to outer space, explore the top scientific images and discover the intersection of science and visual storytelling. 

Highlights Mitte

Our program ranges from interactive experiments and shows to the opportunity to look over the shoulder of scientists in the laboratory. Some of the highlights are presented here. 

Highlights – MDC-BIMSB

Lab tour NEW
Into the muscle-verse: Exploring disease one cell at a time
18:00 · 20:00 · 22:30 · Ages 12 and older · Location: BIMSB labs
More info
To understand genetic diseases such as muscular dystrophies, we zoom in from whole muscle tissue to individual cells and genes. On this tour, you will examine nuclei of muscle cells under the microscope, see how single nuclei are isolated into multi-well plates, and learn how we prepare DNA for sequencing using robotic systems. We’ll explain how genes switch on and off to shape cell function, and how computational analysis reveals the diversity of muscle cells and what goes wrong in disease.

Robson Lab
Lab tour NEW
A day in a developmental biology lab
17:00 · 19:30 · 21:30 · Ages 10 and older · Location: BIMSB labs
More info
Step into the world of biology and discover how we explore life in minute detail! During this interactive lab tour, you’ll see the model systems we use to understand embryo development and health. Observe fluorescent zebrafish embryos under the microscope, gently handle human cells in a petri dish, and explore how we use bioinformatics and single-cell genomics to turn vast amounts of data into meaningful discoveries that uncover the hidden mechanisms of life.

Mittnenzweig, Ohler & Junker Labs
Lab tour NEW
Escape room lab tour
17:00 · 18:30 · 20:00 · 21:30 · Ages 15 and older · Location: BIMSB labs
More info
What is it like to work as a scientist? Did you ever ask yourself how a laboratory looks from the inside? Then we are happy to invite you to the Escape room in our laboratory at the MDC-BIMSB. We invite you to an immersive experience. Witness firsthand what a typical day in the lab looks like, experience our experimental methods and work together as a team to decipher a mysterious virus.

Landthaler Lab
Lab tour
Mini-brains from the petri dish and big data
17:00 · 19:00 · 21:30 · Ages 12 and older · Location: BIMSB labs
More info
Organoids recapitulate the cellular complexity and functionality of human organs in a petri dish. We combine organoids and 3D cell cultures derived from tumor tissue with advanced spatial transcriptomics and bioinformatics tools. These technologies allow us to uncover the molecular mechanisms underlying diseases as well as the impact of microplastics in the brain. We can map gene activity within intact tissue, revealing where specific cells are located and how they interact in their environment.

Rajewsky Lab / Organoid Platform
Hands-on
Rainbow in a test tube
17:00 – 21:00 · Children’s program · Location: Ground floor foyer
More info
To create a rainbow in a test tube, we need sugar solutions of different colors. In our experiment, we’ll ​‘stack’ these solutions. At our booth, we’ll show you why this works and what role the density of these sugar solutions plays in the process.

Berlin Cosmopolitan School
Hands-on
Dive into Light Microscopy
17:00 – 22:30 · Ages 10 and older · Location: 2nd floor foyer
More info
Experience microscopy data up close! Instead of viewing flat, 2D images of nerves and other cells on a screen, you will be able to use virtual reality headsets to literally immerse yourself in the data and view it from new angles.

Zinzen Lab
Other
Art and culture over the rooftops of Berlin
20:00 – 22:00 · Location: BIMSB rooftop terrace
More info
On this night, there will be two special attractions in store for you at the BIMSB rooftop terrace: From 8 to 10 p.m., DJ d0erte will spin electronic music. And from 9 to 11 p.m., Alexandra Huchet will be showcasing her abstract video mapping art. 

Retrospect

Café Scientifique
Institute & Campus 

Looking back: Long Night of the Sciences 2023

For one night only, we opened our doors to the interested public: On June 17th, 2023, visitors could visit tour laboratories, perform hands-on experiments, and explore connections between art and science. Here are some of the highlights. 
Girls with program
Institute & Campus 

That was the Long Night of Science at MDC

We talked, explained, danced, experimented and told stories together: About 3000 visitors came to the Long Night of Science on July 2 at the Max Delbrück Center in Buch and in Mitte. A recap in pictures – and on the focus on science and art. 
LNDW Banner 2022 ohne Text
Press Release No. 31  Berlin 

Long Night at the MDC: Science meets art

Why is it useful to fish in Berlin’s sewage? What do Beethoven’s locks of hair disclose? And what does cancer have to do with obesity? All of this will be discussed on July 2, 2022, when MDC researchers will open their laboratories during the Long Night. Another focus: science and art. 
Lange Nacht der Wissenschaften 2021
Press Release No. 31  Berlin 

Reality TV, quiz, and talk – Long Night of the Sciences 2021

It’s nice that virtual events are now second nature to us. So this year, too, science enthusiasts won’t have to miss out on the ​“smartest night of the year.” On June 5, 2021, the MDC will offer a glimpse into its research – completely digitally. 
Banner mit Nierenkanälchen: Lange Nacht der Wissenschaften 2018 auf dem Campus Buch
Science

From 3D body scanners to the first weighing scales

Science under the stars: This year’s Long Night of the Sciences brought more than 6,000 interested members of the public to the Berlin-Buch campus – despite the intense summer heat. 
Institute & Campus 

Not just another day in the lab

Once again the Long Night of Sciences brought thousands of curious visitors streaming onto campus and into the MDC for a glimpse into daily life in our laboratories. The event was an opportunity for exchange for both the scientists who offered tours and the public who will eventually benefit from their work. 
Long Night of Sciences
Institute & Campus 

Sugar and spice and all things mice

On June 11, 2016, the MDC held a Long Night of the Sciences (Lange Nacht der Wissenschaften). Science fans of all ages took the opportunity to go on guided tours of the MDC laboratories, trying out fun activities like sampling ​“molecule meringues.” 
Long Night of Sciences
Science

That was the Long Night of Science 2015 on Campus Buch

Sun, rain, thunder and lightning – the Long Night of Sciences was pretty diverse and not just from a meteorological perspective. Beating heart cells in a dish, fluorescent worms, cells under the smartphone microscope and a crime scene investigation with the help of DNA samples were only some of the events organized by the MDC, the Leibniz-Institute for Molecular Pharmacology (FMP) and the Gläserne Labor. 

More news about the Long Night of Sciences at the MDC

Videos

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