Moy­land Castle in Bed­burg-Hau

Since its res­tor­a­tion in the 1990s the neo-goth­ic wa­ter castle is a sig­ni­fic­ant mu­seum for mod­ern and con­tem­por­ary art. Be­sides oth­ers the found­a­tion mu­seum Schloss Moy­land pos­sesses the world’s largest col­lec­tion of art works from Joseph Beuys and is a re­search centre of in­ter­na­tion­al de­gree. Moreover his­tor­ic­al gar­dens stretch around the castle at the Lower Rhine.

The Schloss Moyland Museum in Bedburg-Hau in the Lower Rhine region is not just a museum of modern and contemporary art, but also an international centre of research into Joseph Beuys, one of the most important artists of the 20th century. The castle, which dates back to the early 14th century, provides the museum with an impressive backdrop. Once a medieval moated castle, Moyland Castle was converted to its current appearance in the 19th century by Cologne Cathedral architect Ernst Friedrich Zwirner, who transformed it in the Gothic Revival style. After being heavily damaged in World War II, it was only after the Stiftung Museum Schloss Moyland foundation was established that a comprehensive restoration was initiated, allowing the castle to serve its current purpose. The garden was also restored to its traditional, historic state. Between Baroque elements, such as avenues and moats, visitors will encounter a sculpture garden and herb garden. Events such as the annual Kräutergartenfest (Herb Garden Party) and the Kunsthandwerker-Weihnachtsmarkt (Artisans' Christmas Market) are held here.

Museum visitors can look forward to a diverse art collection at the Museum Schloss Moyland. The collection, which dates from the 19th century, comprises examples of the fine and applied arts movement. The collection’s focus lies with its graphic arts collection, as well as its collection of paintings, sculptures and objets d'art.  At the heart of the collection is the multifaceted work of Joseph Beuys. The collection houses nearly 6,000 works by Beuys, including drawings, watercolours, oil paintings, sculptural paintings and sculptures, alongside numerous archives covering his life and work. This means the Schloss Moyland Museum contains the largest collection of the artist’s work in the world. Other artists, many of them associated with Joseph Beuys, are also represented, with large collections of their works on display.

The museum is home to even more works by Joseph Beuys with its Joseph Beuys Archive, which is affiliated with the museum as an international research institute. This combination of the works of Joseph Beuys and the extensive archive collection all housed under one roof is one-of-a-kind. Registration allows visitors access to the archives.

In presenting items from the Joseph Beuys Archive in its temporary exhibitions, the museum takes care to exhibit the true diversity of the collection. Special exhibitions tie in with various aspects of the collection and the programme has an international focus. Classic and current issues in the arts and individual artistic items are presented here.