A sample manipulation device for removing lids from sample containers and/or placing lids onto sample containers, the sample manipulation device comprising: a sample unit; and a manipulation unit having at least one manipulation tool, said manipulation tool being configured to remove and place a lid on a sample container, wherein the sample unit and the manipulation unit are movable relative to each other along a movement direction; wherein the sample unit comprises a sample carrier receptacle for receiving at least one sample carrier for holding one or more sample containers, said sample carrier extending in a longitudinal direction and a transverse direction orthogonal to said longitudinal direction; wherein the sample unit further is transferable between a first orientation in which the longitudinal direction of a sample carrier adapted to be received in the sample carrier receptacle is parallel to the movement direction between the sample unit and the manipulation unit, and a second orientation in which the transverse direction of a sample carrier adapted to be received in the sample carrier receptacle is parallel to the movement direction between the sample unit and the manipulation unit; wherein the sample unit comprises a sample carriage that is displaceable in the movement direction, and wherein the sample carrier receptacle is rotatably supported in the sample carriage that is displaceable in the movement direction; wherein the sample carriage comprises a sample lid carrier receptacle in which a sample lid carrier associated with the respective sample carrier can be received, wherein the sample lid carrier receptacle is formed such that, both in the first orientation of the sample unit and in the second orientation of the sample unit, the respectively associated sample lid carrier can be received in the correct position in relation to the respective sample carrier adapted to be received in sample carrier receptacle, with correct position meaning that the sample carrier receptacle and the sample lid carrier receptacle have the same orientation; and wherein the sample lid carrier receptacle - in a plan view - has an outline resulting from a combination of the outlines of two sample carrier receptacles rotated relative to each other by an angle of 90 degrees about a common axis of rotation thereof. a sample unit; and a manipulation unit having at least one manipulation tool, said manipulation tool being configured to remove and place a lid on a sample container, wherein the sample unit and the manipulation unit are movable relative to each other along a movement direction; wherein the sample unit comprises a sample carrier receptacle for receiving at least one sample carrier for holding one or more sample containers, said sample carrier extending in a longitudinal direction and a transverse direction orthogonal to said longitudinal direction; wherein the sample unit further is transferable between a first orientation in which the longitudinal direction of a sample carrier adapted to be received in the sample carrier receptacle is parallel to the movement direction between the sample unit and the manipulation unit, and a second orientation in which the transverse direction of a sample carrier adapted to be received in the sample carrier receptacle is parallel to the movement direction between the sample unit and the manipulation unit; wherein the sample unit comprises a sample carriage that is displaceable in the movement direction, and wherein the sample carrier receptacle is rotatably supported in the sample carriage that is displaceable in the movement direction; wherein the sample carriage comprises a sample lid carrier receptacle in which a sample lid carrier associated with the respective sample carrier can be received, wherein the sample lid carrier receptacle is formed such that, both in the first orientation of the sample unit and in the second orientation of the sample unit, the respectively associated sample lid carrier can be received in the correct position in relation to the respective sample carrier adapted to be received in sample carrier receptacle, with correct position meaning that the sample carrier receptacle and the sample lid carrier receptacle have the same orientation; and wherein the sample lid carrier receptacle - in a plan view - has an outline resulting from a combination of the outlines of two sample carrier receptacles rotated relative to each other by an angle of 90 degrees about a common axis of rotation thereof.