What is COPERNICUS FESTIVAL?

The Copernicus Festival is a popular science event where we show the connections between science and other areas of culture. Together with invited guests, we discuss how scientific discoveries and theories influence the contemporary view of the world, and we address questions that have always inspired people of science, philosophy and culture.

The festival is organised by the Copernicus Centre for Interdisciplinary Studies at the Jagiellonian University, the Copernicus Centre Foundation, the Tygodnik Powszechny Foundation and the publisher of Tygodnik Powszechny.

The Copernicus Festival is a free event open to everyone, which has been held in Krakow for over a decade. This year’s theme is ‘Complexity’ – between 19th and 25th May, we will immerse ourselves in the world of cosmic mysteries, the secrets of our ancestors’ DNA, the mysteries of animal communication, the human mind and artificial intelligence. On the programme: lectures, debates, films and meetings with outstanding scientists and thinkers. See you there!

Take part in the COPERNICUS FESTIVAL ‘26

All events are free of charge!

In person

Come to the free events in Krakow

Online

Visit the YouTube channel

Festival Lineup

Day 1

May 19, 2026

Faces of complexity

14:30

Archeology

Museum of Engineering and Technology in Krakow
Conversation

Free of charge

15:45

Climate

Museum of Engineering and Technology in Krakow
Year in science

Free of charge

17:00

Pseudoscience

Museum of Engineering and Technology in Krakow
Discussion

Free of charge

18:30

Meeting with Stefan Dziembowski

Museum of Engineering and Technology in Krakow
ERC Talks

Free of charge

19:45

The inner life of the brain

Museum of Engineering and Technology in Krakow
Lecture

Free of charge

Day 2

May 20, 2026

Linear and nonlinear systems

14:30

Gravitational waves

Museum of Engineering and Technology in Krakow
Conversation

Free of charge

15:45

TBA

Museum of Engineering and Technology in Krakow
Year in science

Free of charge

17:00

Does the Universe have an edge?

Museum of Engineering and Technology in Krakow
Discussion

Free of charge

18:30

Astronomical observations

Museum of Engineering and Technology in Krakow
ERC Talks

Free of charge

19:45

Background radiation

Museum of Engineering and Technology in Krakow
Lecture

Free of charge

Day 3

May 21, 2026

Information and structural order

14:30

Mathematical probability

Museum of Engineering and Technology in Krakow
Conversation

Free of charge

15:45

Complexity economics

Museum of Engineering and Technology in Krakow
Year in science

Free of charge

17:00

Emerging technologies

Museum of Engineering and Technology in Krakow
Discussion

Free of charge

18:30

AI applications and use cases

Museum of Engineering and Technology in Krakow
ERC Talks

Free of charge

19:45

Complex idea of complexity

Museum of Engineering and Technology in Krakow
Lecture

Free of charge

Day 4

May 22, 2026

Life

14:30

Tropical biology

Museum of Engineering and Technology in Krakow
Conversation

Free of charge

15:45

Genetics

Museum of Engineering and Technology in Krakow
Year in science

Free of charge

17:00

What exactly is life?

Museum of Engineering and Technology in Krakow
Discussion

Free of charge

18:30

Meeting with Kinga Maria Kamieniarz-Gdula

Museum of Engineering and Technology in Krakow
ERC Talks

Free of charge

19:45

Biology of the cell

Museum of Engineering and Technology in Krakow
Lecture

Free of charge

Day 5

May 23, 2026

Mind and consciousness

14:30

Why we still need philosophy today?

Museum of Engineering and Technology in Krakow
Conversation

Free of charge

15:45

Neuroscience

Museum of Engineering and Technology in Krakow
Year in science

Free of charge

17:00

How to study the brain?

Museum of Engineering and Technology in Krakow
Discussion

Free of charge

18:30

Algorithmic democracy

Museum of Engineering and Technology in Krakow
ERC Talks

Free of charge

19:45

Will we ever understand the consciousness?

Museum of Engineering and Technology in Krakow
Lecture

Free of charge

Day 6

May 24, 2026

Life in society

14:30

Mammoths

Museum of Engineering and Technology in Krakow
Conversation

Free of charge

15:45

Ancestors

Museum of Engineering and Technology in Krakow
Year in science

Free of charge

17:00

Relationships

Museum of Engineering and Technology in Krakow
Discussion

Free of charge

18:30

Meeting with Justyna Olko

Museum of Engineering and Technology in Krakow
ERC Talks

Free of charge

19:45

How did we become who we are?

Museum of Engineering and Technology in Krakow
Lecture

Free of charge