Jena Lokal - Local News, Events & Culture
Your update on city life, tips, and upcoming events in Jena.
Current event tips, concerts, exhibitions, and cultural highlights in Jena. Find out what’s happening at the Kulturarena, Theaterhaus, and the clubs of the ‘Lichtstadt’.
Jena, 15.04.2026 – The Jena art scene celebrates one of its most influential figures: Gerlinde Böhnisch-Metzmacher was honored by friends and companions on the occasion of her 90th birthday. For this festive occasion, the Verlag der Jenaer Bücherstube has published a new anniversary book.
Colorful awakening in the center of Jena: This year’s butterfly season has officially begun at the Botanischer Garten. Visitors can now once again observe a wide variety of tropical butterflies up close in the climate-controlled greenhouse.
Jena, 14.04.2026 – On April 23, 2026, the Beutenberg Campus in Jena will open its doors for the “Forsche Schüler Tag”. Young people from the eighth grade onwards can come into direct contact with science and try out experiments in physics and the life sciences for themselves.
A special kind of convoy will stop in Jena on April 24: During the “Trucker for Kids” star rally, drivers from all over Germany will provide 63 seriously ill children with a day full of unforgettable moments of happiness.
Football fans in Jena can look forward to a high-profile guest: German coaching legend Felix Magath will visit the Sportgymnasium Jena for a discussion evening on May 28, 2026, together with long-time kicker editor Harald Kaiser.
Jena, 14.04.2026 – A new, trilingual photo book highlights the facets of the Saalestadt. Under the title “Jena – Die Lichtstadt,” photographer Frank Liebold and author Marion Gebauer present a visual journey through the history and present of the municipality.
On April 28, the Ernst-Abbe-Hochschule Jena will host Space Night 2026, offering insights into Thuringia’s role in international aerospace technology and current NASA missions.
The renowned and controversial artist Jonathan Meese brings his radical vision to Jena. The new exhibition at the Kunstsammlung Jena features around 300 works exploring myths and the world of Richard Wagner.
On April 11, 2026, the 23rd Thuringian Wood Market attracted thousands of visitors to Jena’s city center, transforming Eichplatz and Marktplatz into a hub for traditional craftsmanship and sustainable materials.
A significant historical find enriches the city’s art collection: A lithograph by the expressionist Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, lost during the Nazi era, has returned to Jena after unexpectedly appearing on the art market.