Come and see what an electron microscope can reveal about the internal structure of metals and why that structure plays such a key role in determining material properties.
The Days of Electron Microscopy Brno 2026 festival will take place from 23 to 29 March 2026, and this year’s edition commemorates 75 years since the first Czechoslovak electron microscope was created in Brno. The Institute of Physics of Materials of the Czech Academy of Sciences is also joining the programme with two events open to the public.
The first of them, The Beauty of Metals under the Electron Microscope, will take place at the Institute of Physics of Materials of the Czech Academy of Sciences at Žižkova 22, Brno and will be held on two dates: 24 March 2026 at 10:30 and 26 March 2026 at 13:00. During the lecture, visitors will learn more about the development and study of materials using both experimental and computational methods, and they will see what the internal structure of metals looks like under an electron microscope. The programme also includes a visit to the Centre of Electron Microscopy, where participants will be introduced to the instruments as well as selected materials being studied there. Admission is free, but prior registration is required due to limited capacity.
According to the registration page, currently available dates include 26 March 2026 from 13:00 to 14:30.
The second event is the lecture How Can Materials Withstand So Much?, which will be held at the Brno Observatory and Planetarium. It focuses on why materials have different properties, how these properties are linked to their internal structure, and how that structure can be influenced so that materials become stronger, more durable, and at the same time reasonably manufacturable, cost-effective, and environmentally responsible. The lecture will be complemented by demonstrations and experiments and will be held on two dates: 25 March 2026 at 17:00 and 27 March 2026 at 17:00. Admission is free here as well, but advance booking is required.
Both events show that electron microscopy is not just a specialized scientific method used in laboratories. It helps us understand how materials work, why they sometimes fail, and how better, safer, and more durable solutions can be designed for practical use. This is one of the reasons why Days of Electron Microscopy has long been opening up the micro-world to students, families, and the wider public.
The Beauty of Metals under the Electron Microscope
Institute of Physics of Materials of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Žižkova 513/22, Brno
Dates: 24 March 2026 at 10:30 and 26 March 2026 at 13:00
Free admission, registration required: register via the IPM form
https://dem2026.ipm.cz/
How Can Materials Withstand So Much?
Brno Observatory and Planetarium, Kraví hora 2, Brno
Dates: 25 March 2026 at 17:00 and 27 March 2026 at 17:00
Free admission, registration required: book via Brno iD.
https://www.brnoid.cz/cs/hvezdarna-vstupenky?e=32086
https://www.brnoid.cz/cs/hvezdarna-vstupenky?e=32087
Full program of events: https://dembrno.cz/program/
