Exhibition Opening, Reading & Performance, DJ, Taster Courses, Picture Book Cinema for Children, and Creative Space |Welcome to the Goethe-Institut, the German cultural institute in Ireland!
For Culture Night 2026 we invite you to a German cultural evening in our building at 37 Merrion Square. All events will take place continuously from 4.30-10 p.m. unless otherwise noted.
Stories, imagination, and creativity come together in this special Culture Night event for children. Enjoy a picture-book cinema about the life of Astrid Lindgren, explore some of her most famous characters, and then become an author yourself by creating your own story and mini book to take home.
Book in a Bag returns to Goethe-Institut Irland as part of Culture Night 2026.
A few hundred green and orange bags will be placed around 37 Merrion Square, throughout the Georgian building which houses the library, and around the modern building dedicated to the Language Department. The bags contain gems from different genres: the free treasures could be a great story, poems, an audio book, a music CD, a history book or a book on art.
After they have picked their bag, Culture Night visitors can browse the shelves of the Goethe-Institut Irland’s library. This beautiful space with a spectacular ceiling and cosy seating is open to the public and offers a wide range of media in German or English translation – including a corner just for kids and young adults. On Culture Night, visitors can apply for their free library card and borrow language learning material, movies, books, and more.
Courses & Exams Overview
Language Department, Room 4, 5-7:30 p.m.
Our teachers will give you a brief overview of Goethe-Institut Irland's German language courses and exams and be on hand to advise you and answer all your questions about our digital programme and our educational projects.
German Taster Classes
Language Department, Room 3, 6 p.m., and 7 p.m.
Come along to German Taster Classes offered by Goethe-Institut Irland especially for Culture Night Dublin 2026. The 30-minute sessions will start Culture Night visitors on their journey learning another European language, as well as giving them an opportunity to gain insight into Goethe-Institut Irland's classroom setup and teaching methods.
Suitable for beginners. Two drop-in sessions will take place on Culture Night, one at 6 p.m. and one at 7 p.m.
Creative Space Language Department, Room 5, 5-7:30 p.m.
The whole family, young and old and every age in between, can come take part in the German creative space at Goethe-Institut Irland as part of Culture Night.
There will be language games, for all ages, offering a playful way to learn German through board games, memory quizes, and digital tools. The artists in the family can get stuck into the creative corner, where they'll be invited to craft or write using simple German words as prompts - how about making your own very first German comic book? Or you can listen to readings from German books (also for kids) and German music at listening stations. And to finish up, add to the photowall, where Goethe-Institut Irland wants you to artistically tell them why you (want to) learn German.
Exhibition Opening: Sister Weather and DJ Set
Return Gallery, 6 p.m.
Goethe-Institut Irland, in collaboration with the Crespo Foundation, is delighted to unveil Sister Weather — an exhibition by Mimicri, a collaborative project of German artists Susanne Bürner, Annette Kelm, Alexandra Leykauf, and Ines Kaag. During their three‑month residency at Glenkeen Garden in West Cork, the artists immersed themselves in the spirit of ArtNature / NatureArt, creating works that respond to the landscape, the weather, and the quiet magic of the place. The results are imaginative and deeply atmospheric.
DJ Set: Dublin x Berlin Café Space, 8:15 - 9:45 p.m.
Once you’ve explored the artworks, stay with us, as from 8.15 pm the Goethe-Institut Irland transforms into a club with a special DJ set and dance the night away! Dublin-based German-Irish DJ Duo Endancement will take you on a musical journey from the vibrant electronic music scene in Ireland to the legendary world of Berlin Techno.
Dublin x Berlin: A Tale of Two Cities with Cursed Murphy
Auditorium, 6-8 p.m.
@ Caolan Barron
The practice of Peter Murphy, author, musician, and journalist, has been deeply informed by German culture, particularly the subcultures of Berlin. In a talk entitled Dublin x Berlin: A Tale of Two Cities, Peter will explore the cultural conversation between Dublin and Berlin, with a specific interest in cabaret as the progenitor of punk. This discussion will be followed by a performance with his band, Cursed Murphy, which brings together iconic German influences, such as Kraftwerk, Bertolt Brecht, and Kurt Weill in a genre-bending experience of spoken word and music.
German Pretzels, German Beer, and German Soft Drinks
Courtyard (and café) from 5 p.m.
One of the best ways to get to know another culture is to sample their food and drinks - so, grab a pretzel and a glass of beer, a bottle of Club Mate or fritz-kola, and feast like a German!
The buffet is free of charge, but if you’re eager to try the best pretzels in Ireland, the recommendation is to pop in early on – legend has it that they go faster than a Porsche on the Autobahn…
Further information about the Goethe-Institut's programme at Culture Night 2026 is available here.
The Goethe-Institiut’s Culture Night programme is part of European Culture Trail, an initiative by EUNIC Ireland (European Union National Institutes for Culture) in cooperation with the European Commission Representation in Ireland for Culture Night.
When you are coming out to town to enjoy Culture Night this year, immerse yourself in the diversity of European languages and cultures on the European Culture Trail, where delights from different European countries await you.
You are invited to download and print our “European Culture Trail Treasure Hunt” passport here and collect stamps or signatures at each stop. Those passports with the most stamps at the end of the night will be entered into a raffle for the chance to win some wonderful prizes.
