Exhibition tip: Lina Lapelytė’s „We Make Years Out of Hours“
Looking for something a little different to do in Berlin? We have a great cultural tip for you: Lina Lapelytė’s We Make Years Out of Hours at Hamburger Bahnhof.
This is not an exhibition where you simply walk from one artwork to the next and look at things from a distance. Here, you are invited to become part of the artwork yourself.
The huge Historic Hall of Hamburger Bahnhof has been transformed into a constantly changing landscape made up of thousands of wooden blocks. Visitors can move them, rearrange them and build their own structures. Walls, paths, towers and new shapes appear and disappear throughout the day. The result is different every time you visit — and every visitor becomes part of the process.
The installation also comes to life through performances, sound and collective singing, bringing together sculpture, performance and the people in the room. It is visually striking, playful and surprisingly immersive. We visited the exhibition ourselves and really enjoyed the experience.
But there is another reason why we think this is a particularly nice place to visit if you are new to Berlin: it gives you an opportunity to connect with other people. You can join in, build something together, watch what others are creating and simply be part of the space. You don’t need to know anything about contemporary art, and you don’t have to be an expert or even particularly artistic. Just come along and get involved.
For our students, this can be a lovely way to experience Berlin from the inside — not just as a visitor, but as someone who takes part in the city’s cultural life. It is a chance to meet people, share an experience and perhaps start a conversation with someone you wouldn’t otherwise have met.
So if you’re looking for something cultural, interactive and a little out of the ordinary, we definitely recommend putting We Make Years Out of Hours on your Berlin list. 💙
Lina Lapelytė: We Make Years Out of Hours is on view at Hamburger Bahnhof – Nationalgalerie der Gegenwart until 10 January 2027.
