Fluorescently labeled dibenzodiazepinone-type muscarinic acetylcholine receptor (MR) antagonists, including dimeric ligands, were prepared using red-emitting cyanine dyes. Probes containing a fluorophore with negative charge showed high M R affinities (pK i (radioligand competition binding): 9.10-9.59). Binding studies at M 1 and M 3 -M 5 receptors indicated a M 2 R preference. Flow cytometric and high-content imaging saturation and competition binding (M 1 R, M 2 R and M 4 R) confirmed occupation of the orthosteric site. Confocal microscopy revealed that fluorescence was located mainly at the cell membrane (CHO-hM 2 R cells). Results from dissociation and saturation binding experiments (M 2 R) in the presence of allosteric M 2 R modulators (dissociation: W84, LY2119620 and alcuronium; saturation binding: W84) were consistent with a competitive mode of action between the fluorescent probes and the allosteric ligands. Taken together, these lines of evidence indicate that these ligands are useful fluorescent molecular tools to label the M 2 R in imaging and binding studies, and suggest that they have a dualsteric mode of action.