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Five Years Open

Anniversary with five days of activities
Sat, 27 June – Sun, 19 July 2026
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Free admission

In summer 2026, the Humboldt Forum celebrates the fifth anniversary of its opening. On this occasion, we will look back on moments from recent years and would like to celebrate together with you!

From June 27 to July 19, 2026, under the motto Five Years Open, the four partners invite you to rediscover the diversity of the Humboldt Forum. Five special action days with many free offers showcase what makes this place, its collections, and its programmes so unique: behind-the-scenes insights, a creative family festival in the workshops, the BERLIN GLOBAL Festival in the Schlüter Courtyard, a Sunday with free admission to all exhibitions, and vibrant science at the Humboldt Lab.

Celebrate with us—we look forward to welcoming you!

Programmme
Open at last!
June 2021 – After all the controversial debates, nine years of construction, and pandemic-related delays, the cultural programme kicked off with performances, installations, and six different exhibitions.
Humboldting!
June 2021 – Seventy-one school students from the Märkisches Viertel area of Berlin have been exploring the Humboldt Forum since the summer of 2021.
Direct link to Australia
June 2022 – The exhibition “Songlines: Tracking the Seven Sisters” was opened via a live video link.
Sauer Power Klubnacht
September 2022 – With a 24-hour celebration, the ethnological collections at the Humboldt Forum were fully opened.
Food for all
Since 2021 – Each year, Kunstwerkstatt Kreuzberg comes together with BERLIN GLOBAL to transform the Schlüter Courtyard into a public space dedicated to creativity and community, incorporating a soup kitchen.
Code Week
Oktober 2022 – October 2022 – In cooperation with the Association of Public Libraries in Berlin (VÖBB), the annual Hands-On Festival at the Humboldt Forum attracts inventors, hackers, and programmers.
Statue of Limitations
March 2022 – One part of this artwork by Kang Sunkoo is situated in the Humboldt Forum and recalls the victims of colonialism; the other part has been placed on Manga-Bell-Platz, which is in the African Quarter of the Berlin district of Wedding.
Benin-Bronzes
August 2022 – The transfer of ownership of the Benin objects from the collection of the Ethnologisches Museum to Nigeria is being completed. Around one third will remain at the Ethnologisches Museum on loan, forming the foundation for intensive collaboration in addressing colonial injustice.
Vinyago. Dancing Beyond Colonial Biographies
November 2022 – Thirteen artists from East Africa set the tone with a performance and installation that critically addressed colonialism, coloniality, and museum practice.
Sanchi Gate
December 2022 – On the northern side of Schlossplatz, this copy of an ancient Indian gate is juxta-posed with the reconstructed Baroque facades while also referring to the diversity wit-hin the Humboldt Forum.
in_finite. Living with Death
April 2023 – This immersive exhibition addresses approaches to death, mourning, and remembrance in various cultures, showing just how wide-ranging ideas about death can be, and how closely associated they are to life.
Against the Current
November 2023 – “We are still here!” was the core message of this Omaha temporary exhibition, curated with the team of Nebraska Indian Community College.
Kimsooja – (Un)Folding Bottari
October 2023 – In the Museum für Asiatische Kunst and the Ethnologisches Museum, the South Korean artist presented her contemporary works in dialogue with the collections, thereby revealing new way of looking at objects from the past.
Fiesta de Día de Muertos
November 2023 – The first Fiesta de Día de Muertos at the Humboldt Forum delighted 10,000 attendees, introducing new associations and approaches to the ethnological collections.
Teachers’ Night
November 2024 – Once a year, the Humboldt Forum invites teachers, childcare professionals, and all who are interested to find out more about its cultural education activities – with short tours, performances, and mini-workshops.
Histories of Tanzania
November 2024 – This exhibition combines perspectives from Tanzania and Berlin, illuminating colonial entangle-ments and its consequences through to the present day. The project is supplemented by works of art, films, and an international project with school students.
Build up! Tear down!
May 2024 – A sensory multifaceted journey through time was at the heart of this theatrical spectacle with 120 perfor-mers, allowing viewers to experience the significance of the Palace of the Republic as a cultural and political setting that defined identities.
Global Climate Call
June 2024 – For the Long Night of the Sciences, the Humboldt Labor set up a live link to research projects around the world – from the Arctic via the Amazon to Australia. The “Call a Scientist” activity enabled visitors to chat with researchers directly.
Transkontinentale
November 2024 – This recently established festival for dance, theatre, and performance presents current guest performances from Africa, Asia, Australia, and South America, creating a dialogue between the continents, histories, and bodies.
From Declaration to Action
June 2025 – International experts convene for the Global Cultural Assembly, with the aim of developing new kinds of cooperation and co-determination, providing impetus for a more participatory, inclusive, and decolonial museum practice.
Objects Talk Back
June 2025 – International authors create new stories about objects from the collections, questioning colonial perspectives and continuing the dialogue in an accompanying series of publications.
Completion of construction
June 2025 – The installation of nineteen Baroque-style figures for the balustrade of the historical facade completed its construction. The occasion was celebrated with a diverse programme of tours, talks, and insights into the building’s architecture, tech-nology, and history.
Revolution: The Foe of an Arrow Wound in Shanghai
September 2025 – This production devised and performed by Paper Tiger Theater Studio is a multifaceted exploration of colonial history, power, and resistance. Its four guest performances at the ACT Festival in Shanghai all sold out.
Durchlüften
August 2025 – In the summer, the Schlüter Courtyard turns into a giant stage for global music and cultural exchange. Last year, this free music festival attracted a record 85,000 attendees.
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Programme overview
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