Special Exhibitions in 2026: LIGHT

Next year, the Round Tower will host four special exhibitions as well as a permanent themed exhibition, all centered around the concept of “light.”

In 2026, the Round Tower marks the 350th anniversary of astronomer and former Observatory director Ole Rømer’s discovery and measurement of the speed of light. Therefore, the overarching theme for the 2026 exhibitions is “LIGHT.”

During the summer of 2025, the Round Tower held an Open Call and received 380 applications from those wishing to exhibit in the Library Hall.

From these, four exhibitions have been selected, each interpreting and communicating the theme of light in different ways — offering a diverse perspective through research, contemporary art, and photography.

In addition, the Round Tower will present a smaller themed exhibition focusing on Ole Rømer’s story and his discovery of the speed of light. This exhibition will be on display from February 6, 2026, to January 4, 2027.

AD LUCEM

February 6 – April 6

The year begins with a collaboration between Swedish photographer Cecilia Ömalm and fellow Swede, astrophysicist Göran Östlin, beautifully merging art and science. Visitors will experience a series of captivating photo works created using cyanotype—a historical photographic technique from the 19th century that uses sunlight and iron salts to develop images, resulting in distinctive and beautiful blue hues.

In Ad Lucem, original works inspired by astronomy, such as from the Paris Observatory, are developed, creating a visual bridge between the observations of the past and today’s artistic interpretations of light and time.

AFTERGLOW · CONVERSATIONS ABOUT LIGHT

April 17 – June 21

This exhibition is a tribute to light as a phenomenon and to the connection between art and science. Several artists explore the significance of light through their works.

The selected artists represent a diverse and experimental approach to visual art. They work with light in a creative space where it is not merely seen as a physical element, but as a phenomenon that can influence our perception and experience. The artists explore how light shapes space, form, and atmosphere, and how it interacts with our senses and consciousness.

The exhibition is curated by Biba Fibiger and Veronica Rigét.

FRACTURES IN THE ICE

June 26 – September 20

By using polarized light, ice can change color and reveal hidden information that offers insights into questions of heredity and environment, reaching far back in time. In this way, we can shed new light on our understanding of climate development and the challenges we face today.

In Fractures in the Ice, Visual Science Studio collaborates with the Niels Bohr Institute’s Centre for Ice and Climate, closely following two researchers in their work of “reading” the ice. The exhibition conveys complex climate science through an artistic visual universe, combining sensory and aesthetic experiences with knowledge and insight, to foster dialogue and emotional engagement with the planet’s climate issues.

LIGHT ECHOES

October 2, 2026 – January 3, 2027

It can be a challenge for researchers to convey their discoveries to a broader audience, and art can play a crucial role in communicating and visualizing such findings. In this exhibition, artists, curators, and astrophysicists explore how the relationship between light and time affects cosmic phenomena such as the expansion of the universe, the observation of distant galaxies, and the explosion of massive stars. They do this through four installations and a soundscape.

The exhibition’s title refers to the astronomical phenomenon known as a light echo—where light from a distant stellar explosion, initially dispersed in all directions, is now reflected by interstellar dust. At the same time, the light echo serves as a metaphor for the artists’ work and their collaboration with other disciplines. By mirroring scientific discoveries through artistic expression, new ways of seeing and understanding the universe emerge.

The exhibition brings together participants from various disciplines, including artists Jo Verwohlt & Pieter Maria Steyaert (DK/BE), Ligia Bouton (USA), Lea Porsager (DK), and Semiconductor (UK); curator and researcher Irene Campolmi, and astrophysicists from DARK, the research unit for cosmology and the exploration of the Universe at the Niels Bohr Institute in Copenhagen: Jo Verwohlt, Jens Hjorth, Christa Gall, Marianne Vestergaard, and Radoslaw Jan Wojtak.