Highlights

Art and science are the two factors that have made Dresden great and have given its inhabitants their sense of self-confidence. Visitors to Dresden are immediately aware of the city's artistic treasures, but it doesn't take long before they discover the contribution it has also made to science. This will become even more self-evident as we move into 2012.

Gerhard Richter: ATLAS - Special 80th anniversary exhibition

ATLAS is a key to the work of Gerhard Richter. The name refers to 800 wall panels and 15,000 photographs, newspaper clippings, sketches and designs by the artist. The Gerhard Richter Archive is putting together this diverse collection of items for an exhibition to celebrate the 80th birthday of the artist.

Special exhibition: Centenary of the death of Karl May

Radebeul keeps the memory alive of its most famous resident, Karl May. The annual Karl May Festival and the Karl May Museum will be commemorating the centenary of his death in the form of a memorial event, a special exhibition and a symposium dealing with the life of the writer.

First Dresden 'Long Night of Theatre'

Dresden's theatre landscape comprises 30 venues offering a programme of drama, opera, operetta, dance and cabaret. Each mini-performance lasts 30 minutes, and a shuttle service operates between the different locations. The evening culminates in a mega party!

The Sistine Madonna - Raphael's iconic image turns 500

On the occasion of its 500th anniversary, the Sistine Madonna by Raphael goes on display alongside the most famous masterpieces of the Italian Renaissance in an exhibition that also pays tribute to the 'solo career' embarked upon by the two cherubs at the bottom of the Sistine portrait.

140 Years of Dresden Porcelain

Dresden porcelain is manufactured in Freital, its home for the past 140 years. On the occasion of the factory's forthcoming anniversary, it is bringing out two limitededition pieces. And of course, there will also be a celebration in the form of an exhibition at Schloss Burgk in Freital and a 'Porcelain Potpourri' open day.

10th Dresden 'Long Night of Science'

Choosing one of the six science routes on offer won't be easy, but trying to cover them all would simply not be feasible. The various faculties of the TU Dresden, the University of Fine Arts and the University of Music, together with a number of other institutions, will be showcasing their areas of expertise, and each of these venues will be organising a programme to fill the whole evening.

60 Years of the Dresden Transport Museum

The first German jet-powered airliner - the '152' - was constructed in Dresden. It has therefore been allocated a generous display area in the new permanent aviation exhibition of the Transport Museum. But the Dresdeners have also acquired a reputation for ingenuity in the design and construction of railway vehicles, automobiles, two-wheelers and boats.