Long Night of Museums at the Nikolaikirche

In Berlin’s oldest surviving church building, you’ll experience an atmospheric journey into Berlin’s past, blending sound, history, and crime.

• Organist Jack Day will play famous melodies from film, television, and the underworld on the organ—from Hitchcock to *Tatort*.
• Guided tours on Berlin’s legal history explore the historic setting for court proceedings and punishment.
• The “criminal case” of St. Nicholas Church pastor Paul Gerhardt depicts a bitter conflict between the church and state power.

A program full of suspense, dark stories, and evocative sounds in a historic setting—and an extraordinary journey through Berlin’s criminal and cultural past.

• Hours: Open continuously from 6 p.m. to 2 a.m.!

Tickets and prices:

Tickets will be available online starting August 3, 2026.

• August 3–16: Regular 15 euros | Reduced 12 euros | Children under 12 free
• Starting August 17: Regular 23 euros | Reduced 17 euros | Children under 12 free

PROGRAM

6 p.m. + 8 p.m. + 10 p.m. + midnight + 1 a.m. | 30 minutes | at the museum

Music

Crime! Organ Music from Film, Television, and Crime

Organist Jack Day invites you to an evening of organ music blending cinema, TV, and the underworld. He’ll play melodies that every crime drama fan likely associates with suspense and mystery—Kurt Weill’s “Mackie Messer,” Johann Sebastian Bach’s “Toccata and Fugue in D Minor,” and the theme tunes from “Tatort” and “Polizeiruf 110.”

7:00 p.m. + 11:00 p.m. + 12:30 a.m. | 30 minutes | at the city model

Short Tours

Between the Pillory and the Gallows

Where the Red City Hall stands today, the old Berlin City Hall once stood, with the court arbour attached to it. Here, guilt or innocence was publicly debated; here, verdicts of life or death were handed down. Thieves were chained to the pillory and mocked; others were hanged. Art historian Claudia Wasow-Kania guides visitors through fascinating stories using the large-scale model of the medieval city.

Language: German

9:00 p.m. | 30 minutes | Meeting point: Ticket office

Short Tour

A Lutheran Against the State

In 1613, the Elector of Brandenburg converted from Lutheranism to Calvinism. This divided Berlin between the Calvinist court and a Lutheran population. His grandson and successor sought to impose Calvinism. When he promoted like-minded individuals to the highest offices, Lutheran preachers resisted, including Paul Gerhardt, pastor of St. Nicholas Church. Art historian Claudia Wasow-Kania recounts the Berlin Church Dispute, a religious “criminal case.”

Language: German

A collaboration with the Berlin Museums and Kulturprojekte Berlin

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