db.getCollection("experiment_scopes").aggregate([ { $match: {_id: "c45_v[5-45]_1"} }, { $unwind : "$instances" }, { $lookup: { from: "instances", localField: "instances", foreignField: "_id", as: "instance" } }, { $unwind: "$instance" }, { $replaceRoot: {newRoot: "$instance"} } ])