Bienenwaben Installation im Folkwang Museum in Essen
Tourismus NRW e.V., Bienenwaben Installation im Folkwang Museum in Essen
Ausstellungsansicht der Kunstsammlung Nordrhein-Westfalen
Foto: Achim Kukulies, Ausstellungsansicht der Kunstsammlung Nordrhein-Westfalen

Art heaven, Kant and the climate crisis

Top exhibitions

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

  • To Page Marianna Simnett - Headless

    Marianna Simnett - Headless

    Max Ernst Museum Brühl des LVR, Brühl
    31. Jan 2026 - 5. Jul 2026
    Discover the dreamlike and disturbing worlds of Berlin artist Marianna Simnett in the exhibition 'Headless' at the Max Ernst Museum Brühl.
    Learn more
  • To Page Monet - Master of Impressionism

    Monet - Master of Impressionism

    Phoenix des Lumières, Dortmund
    25. Jan 2026 - 30. Jun 2026
    The immersive exhibition 'Monet - Master of Impressionism' in Dortmund presents over 200 works by Claude Monet, complemented by a short format on Henri Rousseau.
    Learn more
  • To Page Women artists! From Monjé to Münter

    Women artists! From Monjé to Münter

    Kunstpalast, Düsseldorf
    25. Jan 2026 - 1. Feb 2026
    The exhibition at the Kunstpalast Düsseldorf honors 30 female artists of the 19th and 20th centuries who created important works despite social obstacles.
    Learn more
  • To Page Manifesta 16 Ruhr

    Manifesta 16 Ruhr

    Manifesta 16 Ruhr Office, c/o Regionalverband Ruhr, Essen
    21. Jun 2026 - 4. Oct 2026
    Manifesta 16 Ruhr, a major European traveling biennial for contemporary art, will take place in the Ruhr region in 2026 and will use empty post-war churches as exhibition venues.
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  • To Page Monet - Cézanne - Matisse. The Scharf Collection

    Monet - Cézanne - Matisse. The Scharf Collection

    Kunstpalast, Düsseldorf
    12. Mar 2026 - 9. Aug 2026
    Culture fans can explore the Scharf Collection in the Kunstpalast Düsseldorf, an impressive collection of French and international art from the 19th to the 21st century.
    Learn more
  • To Page Seeing Kollwitz anew

    Seeing Kollwitz anew

    Käthe Kollwitz Museum Köln, Köln
    25. Jan 2026 - 15. Mar 2026
    Following extensive refurbishment, the Käthe Kollwitz Museum Cologne is presenting the opening exhibition "Kollwitz revisited", which features both classics and rarely shown works by the artist.
    Learn more

Music, science, society

  • To Page Behind Beauty

    Behind Beauty

    LWL-Museum Textilwerk, Bocholt
    25. Jan 2026 - 1. Nov 2026
    The exhibition 'Behind Beauty' at the LWL-Museum Textilwerk Bocholt questions ideals of beauty, role models and the role of advertising in the beauty industry.
    Learn more
  • To Page 1,250 years of Westphalia

    1,250 years of Westphalia

    LWL-Museum in der Kaiserpfalz, Paderborn
    25. Jan 2026 - 28. Feb 2026
    Celebration of the 1250th anniversary of Westphalia in 2025 with an anniversary program and exhibitions at the LWL Museum in the Kaiserpfalz in Paderborn. The history and culture of the region are told here.
    Learn more
  • To Page Expedition oceans

    Expedition oceans

    Bundeskunsthalle, Bonn
    25. Jan 2026 - 6. Apr 2026
    The Bundeskunsthalle in Bonn is presenting an immersive exhibition about the world's oceans, their importance as an ecosystem and climate regulator, and the challenges they face.
    Learn more
  • To Page Forest myth

    Forest myth

    Gasometer Oberhausen, Oberhausen
    20. Mar 2026 - 30. Dec 2026
    The 'Mythos Wald' exhibition in the Gasometer Oberhausen shows the biodiversity of forests worldwide and raises awareness for their protection.
    Learn more
  • Waste. An exhibition about the global routes of waste

    Dortmunder U, Dortmund
    28. Mar 2026 - 26. Jul 2026
    Discover the special exhibition 'Müll' at Museum Ostwall, Dortmund, which highlights global waste flows and environmental issues through art since the 1960s.
    Learn more
  • To Page Formula 1® exhibition

    Formula 1® exhibition

    FKP Scorpio Entertainment GmbH, Oberhausen
    25. Jan 2026 - 12. Apr 2026
    The international Formula 1® exhibition in Oberhausen offers a multimedia experience with original racing cars, unpublished material and a racing simulator.
    Learn more
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