From 7 April to 6 June 2026, the Bremen State and University Library (SuUB) will be showing an exhibition on the life and work of the Bremen astronomer and physician Wilhelm Olbers (1758–1840). Admission is free.

Olbers, one of the most famous Bremeners of his time, made the Hanseatic city a European centre of astronomy around 1800. Among his most important discoveries are the minor planet Pallas in 1802 and Vesta in 1807. He also discovered several comets and made significant contributions to comet research.

He also remained known for Olbers’ paradox, which is named after him and still touches on a central question in cosmology today: Why is the night sky dark, although the universe could contain an infinite number of stars? In addition to his astronomical work, Olbers practiced as a doctor in Bremen for almost four decades. He dealt with the so-called animal magnetism and, as a physician, was involved in two cases of the “poisoner” Gesche Gottfried.

The focus of the exhibition is Olbers’ scientific estate, which comprises around 4000 documents and is kept in the SuUB. It contains handwritten documents, letters, manuscripts, mathematical calculations and scientific sketches. The extensive correspondence with personalities such as Johann Hieronymus Schroeter, Friedrich Wilhelm Bessel, Carl Friedrich Gauss and Alexander von Humboldt shows the importance of scientific networks in this era.

The show sheds light on how scientific findings are created through exchange between people, institutions and cultural contexts. It is aimed at scientists, students and a broad interested audience interested in Bremen’s city history and the scientific culture of the 18th and 19th centuries.

The exhibition is accompanied by the publication “Astronomer – Arzt – Bremer. Wilhelm Olbers (1758–1840) und sein Nachlass in der SuUB Bremen” (Edition Falkenberg, Bremen 2026).

The opening will take place on Tuesday, April 7, at 4:30 p.m. in the SuUB. After a welcome by director Maria Elisabeth Müller, curator Maria Hermes-Wladarsch will introduce the exhibition. PD Dr. Günter Oestmann gives a short lecture on Olbers’ life and work.

The exhibition can be seen at the headquarters of the Bremen State and University Library, Bibliothekstraße 9, 28359 Bremen. It is open Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Editor: X-Press Journalistenbüro GbR

Gender Notice. The personal designations used in this text always refer equally to female, male and diverse persons. Double/triple naming and gendered designations are used for better readability. ected.