Struggling to see the stars in these urban skies? Well don’t worry: you can gaze at distant galaxies at the Zeiss Planetarium in Prenzlauer Berg. Opened in 1987 and renovated 2014–16, this high-spec auditorium is a beautiful place to sit back in comfortable armchairs in the dark and enjoy the starry sky – perhaps with a special someone. And with various lectures in the program, you’ll learn something too. Tomorrow (14.02.2019) at 17h the “Fantastic Universe” show illuminates the cosmos from antiquity to today, while at 18h30 “Earth – Birth of a Planet” looks at origin of our world and its relationship to our solar system. Finally, at 20h, science enthusiasts can go on a journey through our galaxy in “Starry Night for Lovers“, a Valentine’s special for finding love amongst the constellations. See you in outer space. (Text: Hanna Komornitzyk / Photos: Natalie Toczek)

Zeiss Planetarium, Prenzlauer Allee 80, 10405 Berlin–Prenzlauer Berg; map
Tue 9–14h, Wed & Thu 9–20h, Fri 9–21h30, Sat 11h30–21h30, Sun 10–18h30
Tickets for all events are available online.

Beer is, of course, the German national drink. And almost as much fun as enjoying a refreshing ale or pilsner is brewing one yourself. Alas, producing a good brew at home can be quite a challenge, which is why Tim Hauke and Christian Gläser opened their own open-access brewery, Mash Pit, at beginning of 2019. Anyone with the time and passion can come to their bright and airy premises in Neukölln’s Graefekiez and do some brewing. The only requirement before you can work at one of their six brewing stations is to complete a six-hour workshop. There Christian will tell you everything you need to know about barley, hops and fermentation. Did you know, for example, that the color and taste of beer depends on how the barley is germinated and dried? By the end you can proudly hold your very own self-made beer in your hands before it goes into the cooler for four to six weeks. And if you can’t wait that long, there are a range of home-brewed beers available on tap for instant consumption. (Text: Hanna Komornitzyk / Photos: Savannah van der Niet)

Mash Pit, Graefestr.71, 10967 Berlin–Kreuzberg; map
Wed–Sat 12–22h, Sun 12–20h

Workshops in German and English.
@mashpitbrewery