Universum Science Center Bremen

The Universum Bremen is a hands-on science center in northern Bremen where visitors of all ages learn by touching, testing and experimenting. Its striking stainless-steel building, often compared to a whale or a giant mussel, sits beside a pond near the University of Bremen. Inside are more than 300 interactive exhibits on technology, the human body and nature, and outside a large wind-and-water park. If you are looking for things to do in Bremen with kids, this is the top pick.

About the Science Center

The Universum opened on September 9, 2000, developed together with the University of Bremen. Local architect Thomas Klumpp designed the main hall, clad in some 40,000 stainless-steel shingles. Around 2.5 million people visited in its first five years, and since 2013 the City of Bremen has run it.

What to See and Do

• Permanent exhibition with over 300 stations covering technology, people and nature
• Outdoor area of about 5,000 square meters themed around wind and water, with a climbing wall, crawl tunnel, a river you build yourself and a water dome you can stand under without getting wet
• Tower of the Winds (Turm der Lüfte), a 27-meter tower with experiments on every level and a view over the city
• Special exhibition in the cube-shaped annex, currently about flight and flying
• Milchstraße, a play-and-discover area for young children

Opening Hours and Tickets

The Universum is open Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and on weekends and public holidays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; the outdoor area closes at 5 p.m. in winter. Day tickets cost €18 for adults and €12 reduced (including children 6 and up), and a family ticket for two adults and up to two children is €42 (as of October 2026). Book online to save time, although lines are still possible on busy days.

Plan carefully if you travel this winter: from November 16, 2026, to March 21, 2027, the permanent exhibition is closed for redesign. Only the special exhibition and outdoor area stay open, at a reduced price of €9. Dogs are not allowed, except assistance dogs.

How to Get There

Bremen is about an hour from Hamburg by Deutsche Bahn intercity train, and the Deutschlandticket covers regional trains and Bremen's trams. From Bremen Hauptbahnhof, take tram line 6 toward Universität for about 15 minutes to Universität-Süd, then walk about five minutes. Line 6 also serves Bremen Airport, so you can reach the Universum without a car. Drivers take the A27 exit Bremen-Universität and park at the university lots for €1 per day.

Is it worth visiting? For families and science fans, yes: allow three to five hours, and there is a restaurant and café on site.

Nearby

• Rhododendron Park and botanika, with a combined ticket available on site
• Bürgerpark and Stadtwald, Bremen's large city park
• Bremen's old town, with the Market Square and Schnoor, about 20 minutes by tram