Long Night of Sciences Jena

Jena as a City of Science

Jena has been one of Central Europe's most important science cities since the university was founded in 1558 (today Friedrich Schiller University). It is home to the Carl Zeiss Foundation, the Jenoptik company, several Fraunhofer Institutes, and Max Planck Institutes. The Long Night of Sciences (LNdW) has been held since 2005 — it is organized every two years and is considered one of the city's flagship events.

What Visitors Can Experience

On a Friday evening in November, Jena transforms into a single open science workshop. Over 50 partners — institutes, universities, clinics, companies — open their doors and offer:

• Lectures on current research, presented in an easily understandable way
• Lab tours in areas normally not accessible to the public
• Experiments and hands-on stations for children, teenagers, and adults
• Live demonstrations of scientific methods — from microscopy and robotics to biomedicine
• Science shows with pyrotechnics, optics demonstrations, computer visualizations
• Family programs for young scientists

Distributed Venues

The LNdW takes place at several locations simultaneously: Beutenberg Campus (research), Jenoptik in Göschwitz, EAH Jena (Ernst Abbe University of Applied Sciences), FSU Jena (University), University Hospital Jena. Shuttle buses connect the locations throughout the evening. One ticket is valid for all venues.

Jubilee Edition 2026

In 2026, the LNdW will be designed as a jubilee edition — over 50 partners, a diverse program with numerous interactive formats. It is the 11th edition since its launch in 2005. Advance ticket sales start in October 2026 at the Jena Tourist Information and the University Shop.