Bienenwaben Installation im Folkwang Museum in Essen
Tourismus NRW e.V., Bienenwaben Installation im Folkwang Museum in Essen

Top exhibitionsArt heaven, Kant and the climate crisis

The museums in North Rhine-Westphalia offer a wide range of exciting exhibitions with different focal points. Art and culture enthusiasts can look forward to works by renowned painters, sculptors and photographers. Institutions show exhibits on important music groups. Historical events, historical personalities and social phenomena also play a role. Below you will find an overview of the top exhibitions on offer this year. They are divided into the areas of "Art, Design, Architecture" and "Music, Science, Society".

Art, design, architecture

  • On the grounds of the Peter Behrens Building, historical machines convey individual work processes in heavy industry
    Tourismus NRW e.V., On the grounds of the Peter Behrens Building, historical machines convey individual work processes in heavy industry
    Peter Behrens - Art and technology
    LVR-Industriemuseum Peter-Behrens-Bau, Oberhausen
    4. Apr 2025 - 31. Dec 2028
    Discover the life and work of Peter Behrens, a pioneer of modern design, in the newly designed permanent exhibition at the LVR Industrial Museum in Oberhausen.
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  • Imperial Palace, Hamaguri Gate, etching and aquatint, 17 × 21 cm, 1995
    Museum für Ostasiatische Kunst Köln (MOK), Imperial Palace, Hamaguri Gate, etching and aquatint, 17 × 21 cm, 1995
    Tanaka Ryōhei. From line to landscape
    Museum für Ostasiatische Kunst, Köln
    4. Apr 2025 - 13. Apr 2025
    Discover the fascinating world of Japanese graphic artist Tanaka Ryōhei at the Museum of East Asian Art Cologne and take advantage of the MuseumsCard.
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  • The Kunstsammlung NRW presents top-class exhibitions at regular intervals
    Kunstsammlung NRW, Sebastian Drueen, The Kunstsammlung NRW presents top-class exhibitions at regular intervals
    Forgotten avant-garde - queer modernism
    Kunstsammlung Nordrhein-Westfalen, Düsseldorf
    20. Sept 2025 - 15. Feb 2026
    The exhibition "Forgotten Avant-Garde - Queer Modernism" at the K20 of the Kunstsammlung Nordrhein-Westfalen honors the revolutionary contribution of queer artists to modernism.
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  • The LWL Museum of Art and Culture is dedicated to a total of 1000 years of Western art and cultural history on 7500 square meters of exhibition space
    Elisabeth Deiters-Keul, The LWL Museum of Art and Culture is dedicated to a total of 1000 years of Western art and cultural history on 7500 square meters of exhibition space
    Kirchner. Picasso.
    LWL-Museum für Kunst und Kultur, Münster
    26. Sept 2025 - 18. Jan 2026
    The exhibition "Kirchner. Picasso." at the LWL Museum of Art and Culture examines the connections and differences between the works of these two exceptional artists.
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  • Maurice de Vlaminck, The Seine at Bougival, 1906, Hasso Plattner Collection
    VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn 2025, Maurice de Vlaminck, The Seine at Bougival, 1906, Hasso Plattner Collection
    Maurice de Vlaminck: Rebel of modernism
    Von der Heydt Museum, Wuppertal
    4. Apr 2025 - 18. May 2025
    First comprehensive retrospective of the French painter Maurice de Vlaminck in Germany, presented by the Von der Heydt-Museum and the Museum Barberini.
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  • William Kentridge, drawing for the self-portrait As a Coffee Pot (2 Private Thoughts), 2021
    William Kentridge, 2024, William Kentridge, drawing for the self-portrait As a Coffee Pot (2 Private Thoughts), 2021
    William Kentridge. Triumphs and laments
    ,
    2. Sept 2025 - 31. Jan 2026
    The exhibition 'William Kentridge. Triumphs and Lamentations' at the Museum Folkwang honors the South African artist on the occasion of his 70th birthday and presents his multifaceted work.
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  • Sumi Anjuman, I am the Mother too, 2019, on permanent loan from the Friends of the Kunstpalast
    Sumi Anjuman, Sumi Anjuman, I am the Mother too, 2019, on permanent loan from the Friends of the Kunstpalast
    MAMA. From Maria to Merkel
    Kunstpalast, Düsseldorf
    4. Apr 2025 - 3. Aug 2025
    The exhibition 'MAMA. From Maria to Merkel' at the Kunstpalast Düsseldorf sheds light on the facets and cultural concepts of motherhood through the centuries.
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  • The opening of the exhibition Dalí. The Endless Enigma was very well attended.
    Hulisz, Tourismus NRW e.V., The Phoenix des Lumières exhibition openings attract large numbers of visitors
    In the realm of the pharaohs
    Phoenix des Lumières, Dortmund
    4. Apr 2025 - 31. Dec 2025
    The immersive exhibition 'In the Realm of the Pharaohs' at the Phoenix des Lumières in Dortmund takes visitors back to ancient Egypt and presents impressive digital works of art.
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  • Eugène Boudin, Trouville, Beach scene 1880, oil on wood, Museum Langmatt, Langmatt Sidney and Jenny Brown Foundation, Baden, Switzerland
    Foto: Jean-Pierre Kuhn, Schweizerisches Institut für Kunstwissenschaft, Zürich, Eugène Boudin, Trouville, Beach scene 1880, oil on wood, Museum Langmatt, Langmatt Sidney and Jenny Brown Foundation, Baden, Switzerland
    Swiss treasures
    Wallraf-Richartz-Museum & Fondation Corboud, Köln
    4. Apr 2025 - 27. Jul 2025
    Discover the 'Swiss Treasures' at the Wallraf-Richartz-Museum, an exhibition of masterpieces of French Impressionism from the Museum Langmatt.
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Music, science, society

  • Conrad Felixmüller, Child in front of a blast furnace, 1927
    LVR-LandesMuseum Bonn, Foto: Jürgen Vogel, Conrad Felixmüller, Child in front of a blast furnace, 1927
    Brave new world of work. 1890-1940
    LVR-LandesMuseum Bonn, Bonn
    13. Nov 2025 - 12. Apr 2026
    The exhibition "Brave new world of work. 1890-1940" at the LVR-LandesMuseum Bonn sheds light on the changes in the world of work and their artistic treatment.
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  • Two permanent exhibitions and regular special shows provide insights into the animal and plant world at the LWL Museum of Natural History
    LWL, Oblonczyk, Two permanent exhibitions and regular special shows provide insights into the animal and plant world at the LWL Museum of Natural History
    Genes - diversity of life
    LWL-Museum für Naturkunde, Münster
    4. Apr 2025 - 31. Dec 2025
    Discover the fascinating world of genes in the exhibition "Genes - Diversity of Life" at the LWL Museum of Natural History in Münster.
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  • The LVR-LandesMuseum Bonn is one of the oldest museums in Germany. Its façade radiates modernity
    LVR-LandesMuseum Bonn, The LVR-LandesMuseum Bonn is one of the oldest museums in Germany. Its façade radiates modernity
    MUSIC! feel the beat
    LVR-LandesMuseum Bonn, Bonn
    4. Apr 2025 - 27. Apr 2025
    The "MUSIC! Feel the Beat" exhibition at the LVR-LandesMuseum Bonn shows the unifying power of music and the development of music technology.
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  • The collection of the LVR-LandesMuseum Bonn comprises countless objects from over 450,000 years of Rhenish life and cultural history
    Michael Sondermann, The collection of the LVR-LandesMuseum Bonn comprises countless objects from over 450,000 years of Rhenish life and cultural history
    The Rhine. Life by the river
    LVR-LandesMuseum Bonn, Bonn
    10. Apr 2025 - 30. Sept 2025
    The special exhibition 'The Rhine. Life on the River' at the LVR-LandesMuseum Bonn offers an archaeological journey through the history of the Rhineland from spring 2025.
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  • Lucian Freud, Head of a Woman, 1988-1990, MGKSiegen, Lambrecht-Schadeberg Collection
    The Estate of Lucian Freud Bridgeman Images, Lucian Freud, Head of a Woman, 1988-1990, MGKSiegen, Lambrecht-Schadeberg Collection
    Look, the looks
    Museum für Gegenwartskunst Siegen, Siegen
    4. Apr 2025 - 15. Jun 2025
    The exhibition "Schau, die Blicke" at the Museum für Gegenwartskunst Siegen explores the theme of "seeing and being seen" through various artistic media.
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  • Poster for the exhibition After Hitler. The German confrontation with National Socialism
    Schleiner + Partner Kommunikation, Poster for the exhibition After Hitler. The German confrontation with National Socialism
    After Hitler. The German confrontation with National Socialism
    Haus der Geschichte der Bundesrepublik Deutschland, Bonn
    4. Apr 2025 - 25. Jan 2026
    The exhibition "After Hitler" at the Haus der Geschichte in Bonn examines Germany's confrontation with National Socialism over generations.
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  • Room attendant in the plenary chamber of the German Bundestag, 17.6.1971
    J.H. Darchinger/Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung, Room attendant in the plenary chamber of the German Bundestag, 17.6.1971
    Jupp Darchinger. The eye of the republic
    LVR-LandesMuseum Bonn, Bonn
    12. Jun 2025 - 14. Sept 2025
    The anniversary exhibition "Jupp Darchinger. The Eye of the Republic" at the LVR-LandesMuseum Bonn honors the photographer who documented the Bonn Republic.
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  • Udo Lindenberg. Comet-like panic
    Ludwiggalerie Schloss Oberhausen, Oberhausen
    29. Jun 2025 - 28. Sept 2025
    Discover the 'Udoversum' in a comprehensive exhibition about the musician and artist Udo Lindenberg in the Ludwiggalerie Schloss Oberhausen.
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  • At the LWL State Museum of Monastic Culture, old walls meet modern architecture, 800 years of history meet extraordinary exhibitions, ora meets labora, orders meet people, gardens meet nature lovers and idyll meets adventure
    Teutoburger Wald Tourismus, D. Ketz, Dominik Ketz, At the LWL State Museum of Monastic Culture, old walls meet modern architecture, 800 years of history meet extraordinary exhibitions, ora meets labora, orders meet people, gardens meet nature lovers and idyll meets adventure
    And forgive us our trespasses? Churches and monasteries under National Socialism
    Stiftung Kloster Dalheim - LWL Landesmuseum für Klosterkultur, Lichtenau
    4. Apr 2025 - 18. May 2025
    The special exhibition at Dalheim Monastery examines the relationship between the Christian churches and National Socialism, between collaboration and resistance.
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