With lots of music, theatre and a few festivals, this weekend will really heat you up in the coldest month of the year. From the CTM Festival to the new show at the Chameleon Theatre and the drag show at the Admiralspalast, there's sure to be something for everyone. But serious and important topics and values will also be addressed, for example at Kultur gegen das Vergessen or the Aufklärung NOW Festival Vol. 2.
Tip 1: Discover new sounds at the CTM Festival
Journey through the experimental sound and art experiments at this year's CTM Festival. Various stages and clubs in the city will be playing, from Silent Green and Volksbühne to Berghain, Oxi, RSO.Berlin and Alter Münze. In addition to DJ sets and concerts, talks and performances will also reflect on how traditional art forms and aesthetics can be interpreted in a new way - and above all free of stereotypes and away from mass cultural constraints.
When: 23 January to 2 February. February
Where: various locations in Berlin
CTM Festival
Tip 2: Spend a day on Museum Island
Wander among ancient treasures and sculptures and spend a day exploring the historic ensemble of museums on Spree Island. In the Houses of Museum Island, you will find eight internationally outstanding collections that will guide you through the development of art and culture in Europe. Stroll through the history of mankind, from Egypt to Ancient Rome and Byzantium to Asia - and enjoy the historical architecture of the museum buildings. In the James Simon Gallery, the focus is currently on African archaeology. Your day trip to Museum Island will be a real trip around the world!
When: 24-26 January. January 2025, 10 am - 6 pm
Where: Museum Island Berlin, Mitte
Tip 3: Celebrate the Enlightenment!
At the "Aufklärung NOW Festival Vol. 2", the German Historical Museum becomes a stage for discussions, art and parties. The question "What is enlightenment?" will be catapulted into the 21st century. Young Berliners invite you to see topics such as human rights, equality and racism through their eyes. Look forward to a lively programme in the atmospherically lit glass foyer of the Pei Building. Start with a performative guided tour through the exhibition "What is Enlightenment?", dance to electronic beats by Bøgen, try your hand at the wheel of fortune or create your own zines and linoleum prints: Friday, 24 January 2025, 5pm-2pm
Where: Deutsches Historisches Museum, museum entrance: Pei Bau, Hinter dem Gießhaus 3, Mitte
Bosch and contemporary artists
Immerse yourself in the surreal world of Bosch in an exhibition that uses cutting-edge technology to guide you through his bizarre worlds.Find out how Bosch's ideas are being reinterpreted by contemporary artists.
Tip 4: Go to the culture against forgetting
Since 2005, the International Day of Remembrance initiated by the United Nations on 27 January commemorates the liberation of the concentration camps. January commemorates the liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp. For this year's Day of Remembrance, a group of artists have come together to commemorate the victims of the Holocaust in Berlin Mitte with an exhibition, films and readings as part of Culture against Forgetting. January at 7pm with a reading by Josef Bierbichler (Mittelreich) at the Tor218Artlab.
- The cinema in the Kulturbrauerei will be showing the film "Die Ermittlung2" on 25 January at 5pm, followed by a discussion.
- Accompanied by a sound collage, the reading Aesthetics of Resistance at the Sophienkirche on 26 January at 3pm will be a special event. January, 3 pm will be a very special experience.
When: 24 - 26 January
Where: various locations in Berlin
Tip 5: See art treasures from Odessa
The artistic dialogue between East and West is explored in the special exhibition "Auftakt. From Odessa to Berlin" in the Gemäldegalerie. On display are 85 European masterpieces from four centuries, 60 of them from the Museum of Western and Eastern Art in Odessa and 25 from Berlin collections. The exhibition is a statement in favour of solidarity with Ukraine, but at the same time also builds bridges between different art eras and styles. In nine exhibition sections, you will gain an insight into the historical and cultural context of the works on display.
When: from 24 January
Where: Paintings in Odessa. January
Where: Gemäldegalerie, Matthäikirchplatz, Tiergarten
Tip 6: Visit the coolest wedding fair
Say "yes" to the coolest wedding fair in Germany. With Love Circus BASH Berlin, the organisers are bringing the newest trends and most exciting innovations for this one big day to the Kantgaragen. Look forward to fashion shows full of passion, inspiring workshops and creative ideas for your wedding planning. Perfect for newlyweds and everyone who is involved with the topic of weddings.
When: 25 & 26. January from 11am
Where: Kantstraße 126 - 127, Charlottenburg
Tip 7: Play Dead will make you shudder
Desire a mix of shivers and laughs? Then Play Dead is just the thing for your weekend! The production by the Canadian company People Watching at the Chameleon Theatre takes you on a journey through a macabre yet humorous world, in which gravity seems to be suspended. Look forward to an impressive combination of drama, magic and variety theatre and plunge into the absurdity of human existence with the eight dancers.
When: 24 to 26 January at 8 pm. January, 8 pm each night
Where: Rosenthaler Straße 40/41 (in the Hackesche Höfe), Mitte
Tip 8: Be surprised at the Déjà-vu Museum
At the Déjà-vu Museum Berlin, everything is upside down - time and space merge into a thrilling sensory experience. Let amazing illusions and interactive installations take your breath away. Dare to visually plunge into a bottomless abyss or enjoy the magic of the infinite expanse of the universe in the Star Room. From detailed dioramas to fascinating holograms - every room will surprise you anew. A fascinating journey through space, time and fantasy that you will remember for a long time to come!
When: daily 10 am - 8 pm
Where: Rochstraße 14c, Mitte
Tip 9: Last chance: See Macbeth
Dive into the dark world of power, ambition and tragedy with Shakespeare's masterpiece "Macbeth". This Deutsche Oper production gives the classic a modern twist and brings the play to the stage with a powerful visual language and intense emotions. The legendary rise and fall of the Scottish king is reinterpreted in a dynamic and gripping production that will captivate you from the first to the last minute.
When: 25 January, 6 p.m.
Where: Deutsche Oper, Bismarckstraße 35, Charlottenburg
Tip 10: "TYPEN" questions identity
The play "TYPEN" at Theater Strahl is dedicated to the topic of identity in a rousing and touching way. Inspired by real biographies and stories, the performance questions what it means to be a type - a person who is characterised by expectations, clichés and their own decisions. With a mixture of dance, theatre and live music, the ensemble brings powerful moments to the stage that tell of individuality, self-discovery and social constraints. An intergenerational experience between stage and auditorium for people aged 12 and over.
When: 24 January, 10 a.m. January, 10 am
Where: Theater Strahl, Ostkreuz, Marktstraße 9, Lichtenberg
Types
Tip 11: Look forward to glamour & comedy with Bob the Drag Queen
Look forward to an evening that is more than just comedy: Bob The Drag Queen brings "This Is Wild!", a show that will make you laugh, marvel and celebrate. The alter ego of the non-binary comedian and actor Caldwell Tidicue combines humour, glamour and an incomparable stage presence. Since winning season 8 of "RuPaul's Drag Race", Bob has been wowing crowds with her witty punchlines and charismatic personality. Whether on HBO, Netflix or live, Bob is a star who is redefining the boundaries of entertainment.
When: 20 January 2025
Where: Admiralspalast, Friedrichstraße 101, Mitte
