Debrecen has been a centre for natural science research for centuries, and is an important international hub for nuclear physics to this day. Hortobágy, a border town of Debrecen has the lowest level of light pollution in the entire continent, which makes it the only place where the glowing universe is still visible to the naked eye. Moreover, light art also has a decades-old connection to the city, as Béla Tilles built the country’s first ever lumino kinetic sculpture here in 1975.

The Lighthouse in Debrecen was established to become an international centre for light culture, preserve the heritage of Hungarian science and art while providing a space for contemporary projects and take an active role in developing the future. A place where science, technology, innovation, education and art can meet and work together, where nature and scientific-, educational- and cultural institutes and persona can create an inspiring ecosystem dedicated to the aspects of thinking about and working with light.