BERLIN.- This summer, the theme of the Long Night of Museums is "Castles, Parks and Gardens". More than 100 museums and collections have combed through their stocks and exhibitions for exhibits which fit the theme meanwhile exploring their own urban location and bringing myths to life - "Arcadia" is here and now.

Of course, this is easy for the participating castles (Britz, Charlottenburg, Köpenick): all they have to do is open their gates and present themselves as they are, in all their finery. This year's theme is also a walk in the park for venues surrounded by pretty grounds, the Liebermann House on Wannsee, for instance, from which we have borrowed our cover image of the woman sitting on the garden bench, or the Georg Kolbe Museum or the Brücke Museum. Many other museums have interpreted this exploration of gardens and landscapes in a highly individual manner, with special tours, lectures, concerts and artistic presentations - thus, offering unusual, sometimes surprising perspectives on a major theme.

Consistent with this year's theme, the Long Night of Museums will be opened by Klaus Wowereit, the current mayor of Berlin, among the columns of the Altes Museum with a view over the newly restored Lustgarten with its pristine lawn and beautiful flowerbeds. The Lustgarten is a place to build up your strength for the journey through the night by bringing a picnic, a point of call for those who decided to buy their tickets on the day and a central hub for those hopping on and off the shuttle buses along the five City routes.

Whereas as the winter editions of the Long Night of Museums keeps to the cultural highlights in the centre of town, the 23rd Long Night of Museums spans the whole city, covering an area of around 400km². Five peripheral shuttle bus routes will enable visitors to explore further afield.

Since last summer, the Berlin Long Night of Museums celebrates with a central closing party which is taking place this year in the Deutsches Historisches Museum's Schlüterhof, right across the road from the Lustgarten.

The Berliner Abendschau, long-standing partner of the Long Night of Museums, is also celebrating its 50th birthday on the night of 30th August