The Little Culture Night: Treasure Hunt, Lanterns and a Science Show

At The Little Culture Night, we invite children and the young at heart to explore the many forms of light at the Round Tower. From stars and astronomical instruments to rainbows, lasers, and lightning.

This year marks the 350th anniversary of the Danish astronomer Ole Rømer’s discovery that light has a speed, and we are celebrating this at the Round Tower with Lightyear 2026. The Little Culture Night will therefore also be dedicated to light.

In the tower’s iconic Spiral Walk, visitors can hunt for the astronomical instruments and celestial objects that Ole Rømer used in his observations. Here, the Round Tower’s astronomy communicator, Cecilie Herluf, will talk about the stars and about the light that has traveled through space to reach us here on Earth.

For creative souls, the Library Hall opens its doors to a cozy lantern workshop, where children can make their own lanterns inspired by the Round Tower. Here, they can decorate with colors, fabric, and feathers before taking their lantern on an atmospheric walk up through the Spiral Walk.

Reserve Tickets for the Science Light Show

During the evening, we will also be visited by physicist Jonathan Gammeltoft, who will present a spectacular science light show. Through a range of experiments, he explores the properties of light – from colors and rainbows to lasers and impressive bolts of lightning from a Tesla coil.

There will be two shows, one at 5:00 PM and another at 6:30 PM, and each show lasts approximately 45 minutes. The show is included in the culture pass, but (as the only activity that evening) requires advance registration. Tickets can be reserved here on the website. Be aware that the science-show will be in danish.

Please note that the Library Hall and the two exhibitions Ad Lucem and Ole Rømer and the Great Discovery will be closed while the two science light shows are taking place.

Experience the Current Exhibitions

In the Library Hall, halfway up the tower, visitors can also experience the two exhibitions Ad Lucem and Ole Rømer and the Great Discovery during the evening (except during the two science light shows).

In Ad Lucem, audiences can immerse themselves in cyanotypes – deep blue photographic works that unite art and science, exploring how light from distant galaxies connects us across time and space.
The exhibition Ole Rømer and the Great Discovery takes visitors through the full story of the world-famous Rømer, former director of the Round Tower, who discovered that light has a speed by observing Jupiter’s innermost moon, Io.

At the top of the tower, the observatory cannot be visited this year, as it is currently under restoration. Instead, visitors can experience the light installation While the Light Hesitates. The work is based on Ole Rømer’s observations of Io and unfolds over three acts through scale, space, and time.

About The Little Culture Night

During The Little Culture Night, the Round Tower is accessible only to guests with a valid culture pass. These can be purchased on the Culture Night website starting March 2.

A culture pass costs DKK 125 for adults (aged 13 and up). The pass includes free admission for two children (up to 12 years old).