05.09.2017
“A Day in the Future” at the Futurium on 16 September 2017
For one whole day, on 16 September, the Futurium is opening its doors to visitors who want to discover its numerous facets and gain insights into the world of tomorrow. With its Open House programme “A Day in the Future”, the Futurium will be celebrating the completion of its building.
On 16 September 2017, the Futurium will temporarily open itself up to visitors for one day. With the event “A Day in the Future. Open House at the Futurium”, the Futurium wants to celebrate jointly with the public the completion of its building. Visitors can expect an extensive interdisciplinary programme from 11:00 until well into the night. Scientific lectures and discussions, a Robotics Lab, dance and music performances, interactive installations, films about the future, a children’s programme and a late-night Lounge Party will take place throughout the building. Admission is free of charge.
With our Open House programme ‘A Day in the Future’ we would like to invite all those with an interest in the future and a passion for shaping it.
“With our Open House programme ‘A Day in the Future’ we would like to invite all those with an interest in the future and a passion for shaping it. I am delighted that we are able to introduce our impressive building to the public with an event that takes place in all parts of the building. We have developed a diverse programme that ranges from science and technology to societal debates and artistic confrontations with the future,” explains Dr Stefan Brandt, Director of the Futurium.
The programme will be opened at 11:00 by Dr Stefan Brandt and the keynote speaker Professor Dr Dr h.c. Klaus Töpfer, a former German Federal Minister. Other speakers include Professor Dr h.c. Jutta Allmendinger, Professor Dr Antje Boetius, Professor Dr Reinhold Popp, Christian Schwägerl and Professor Dr Lucian Hölscher. The thematic spectrum of the scientific lectures ranges from the city of the future, self-driving cars and the future of the seas to developments in the field of artificial intelligence. In interactive Pecha Kucha presentations and “Speakdating” sessions visitors can enter into direct dialogue with the Futurium team and the building’s architects.
The Robotics Lab in the basement will entice visitors to participate in the RoboCup, a soccer tournament of intelligent robots. All those who want to build robots themselves will have the chance to do so and then have their creations compete against each other in the Hebocon scrap-robot competition. On the exhibition floor, a Pepper Robot will explain to all those with interest the scenarios of the future that are likely to be the subject of future exhibitions. Throughout the day, and in the same area set aside for future exhibitions, members of the cultural centre Radialsystem V will be inviting visitors to their musical interventions. In the foyer, several interactive points – from the virtual-reality flight simulator Icaros and the Database of Hopes to the Worldbuilding Studio – will be available for visitors. The film museum Deutsche Kinemathek will present a selection of classic science fiction films. In cooperation with the “Haus der kleinen Forscher” (Little Scientists’ House) Foundation, the Futurium will give its youngest visitors the opportunity to discover the future in a playful way. The spectacular rooftop offers a 360-degree view of Berlin. Of course, catering will be provided throughout the day for the visitors.
The robot band “Compressorhead: Made of Metal, Built to Rock” will perform in front of the building, while the Urban Dance Company Flying Steps Academy will welcome visitors with its own danced interpretation of the themes “Urban Life”, “Robot World” and “Nature”. Guided tours of the building with architects Richter Musikowski who designed it are also part of the programme. The Lounge Party, starting at 22:00, will be opened with a performance by the internationally renowned artist and musician alva noto aka Carsten Nicolai and the beats provided by DJ Ipek. In the early morning hours, those who feel a need for rest and relaxation after a day of experiences and encounters can round off the programme with the Chill-Out Session starting at 03:00.
The event “A Day in the Future. Open House at the Futurium” marks the beginning of a multi-stage opening schedule, which Dr Stefan Brandt, the Futurium’s new Director, developed together with the Futurium team after taking office on 1 June 2017. In the second phase in May 2018, as part of interdisciplinary Programme Weeks, the Futurium will present its three scheduled focus areas for exhibitions, namely, our future relationship with technology, with nature and with ourselves as human beings. In addition, the Futurium Lab will invite visitors to participate on selected weekends from May to October 2018. The opening of the Futurium in its entirety is scheduled for spring 2019.
About the Futurium:
The Futurium is simultaneously stage, museum, laboratory and forum of the future. Situated in the heart of Berlin, this arena for interdisciplinary dialogue unites under the same roof an exhibition with vivid scenarios, an interactive laboratory in which visitors can make their own explorations, and an events venue. The Futurium is open to all those with an interest in the future and a passion for shaping it. Explore, discuss, test – the Futurium allows its visitors a glimpse into the world of tomorrow. It shows the challenges, opportunities and risks of the future, but also the building blocks with which it can be shaped. In doing so, the Futurium is likewise a location of encounters: players from the spheres of politics, science and business, the arts and society come together to exchange their concepts of the future. More than 3,000 square metres on three floors are available for this purpose.