10–25 October 2026
It’s Bubblemania time again – just in time for the autumn half-term holidays, we’re kicking off our soap bubble festival for the whole family. Come and discover what’s inside these dazzling wonders.
phaeno Holiday Programme · Autumn 2026
Floating, shimmering and fascinating: soap bubbles are far more than just a bit of fun for children – they are true marvels of physics and chemistry! Whether it’s the precise laws of surface tension, the creation of iridescent colours through the refraction of light, or the mysteries of minimal surfaces: these shimmering shells conceal fascinating scientific phenomena.
That’s exactly why the phaeno Science Centre is transforming the autumn half-term into a shimmering world of discovery: here, soap bubbles take centre stage in spectacular experiments, huge works of art and interactive discoveries. Immerse yourselves in a world where the joy of play meets tangible science, and let yourselves be enchanted by the magic of soap bubbles.
Week 1 of the holidays
A fun family theatre show featuring soap bubbles with Prof. Bubbles (Julian Bell from Australia)
In this performance for the whole family, you’ll see how ordinary soap bubbles become the starting point for a series of increasingly unusual experiments. Some discoveries are beautiful. Some are absurd. Some seem to take on a life of their own.
With physical comedy, poetic imagery and surprising soap-bubble creations, Prof. Bubbles whisks you away into a world where the rules of everyday life suddenly no longer quite apply.
A visually unique, theatrical performance that brings together generations, languages and cultures.
Second week of the holidays
The ‘Master of Soap Bubbles’, the American Tom Noddy, demonstrates in his show just what ‘his’ soap bubbles are capable of. Using simple methods, he creates beautiful works of art such as a caterpillar, a carousel or a tornado. How does he do it? Young and old alike are enchanted by his soap-bubble artworks and discover some of the tricks of the soap-bubble tamer!
Please note that seating at the Science Theatre is limited. Tickets are only available at the box office.
Have you always wanted to look through a giant soap film or make huge soap bubbles yourself? Then you’ve come to the right place. Here, you’ll also find crackling towers of foam inside Plexiglas columns and fascinating honeycomb structures made from soap films. And if you prefer something a bit more laid-back, you can simply let soap bubbles float in what appears to be an empty aquarium.
The Ideas Forum offers space for impressive experiments involving soap bubbles and foams, as well as fascinating exhibits: soap rings, floating soap bubbles, minimal surfaces made of soap films, giant soap bubbles, honeycomb structures made of soap, foam sausage – a rising column of foam in a Plexiglas cylinder
A view into the soap film, soap smiley, soap film & architecture, wasp waist, minimal surfaces (various wire models), striped soap bubbles, shortest paths. Mixing your own foams with different – physical – properties, small soap bubbles in a Petri dish.
At the Bubble Lab, soap bubbles and foams are examined in great detail. Using wire models, soap bubble enthusiasts construct arched walls themselves using soap films, or mix foams with amusing properties using two syringes. Fans of structural engineering and architecture will also find plenty to enjoy here. These wire models with soap film demonstrate how material can be incorporated between the wires in a way that, from a modern perspective, also saves money. This is because the soap film occupies exactly this surface area. And what do tiny soap bubbles do in a Petri dish? Give it a go!
