THE LABORATORY OF FRANKENSTEIN

Frankenstein is a myth – but who was the man who inspired it?

In 1673, Dr. Johann Konrad Dippel was born at Castle Frankenstein and became an alchemist in Berlin by 1704. The scientist developed a particular fascination with life and death. He began experimenting with human remains.
Even the Brothers Grimm were told that he had dug up graves to obtain body parts. Apparently, the tale wasn’t fairy-tale enough for them.

1814 – Together with fellow writers, Mary Shelley traveled to Lake Geneva. One day, the weather was so dreadful they decided to stay indoors and hold a writing contest instead. Alongside The Vampyre by John William Polidori – later an inspiration for Dracula – Mary Shelley wrote Frankenstein, inspired by the atrocities of Dr. Johann Konrad Dippel. The title was never more than the birthplace of the scientist.

• Who is the doctor inviting you?
• Witness a live experiment
• The castle will be electrified – will we create life, or…

What you'll discover:

• Who exactly was Dippel?
• How did he inspire Dr. Frankenstein?
• What does poetry mean to our doctor?

The history behind it

ince its opening in 2013, this room served as the white lady and was redesigned in 2025 exclusively for the Frankenstein special show.
However, the show was such a hit with you that we’ve now made it a permanent part of our program.

A warm welcome to the Berlin Dungeon, Dr. Frankenstein!