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

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

Vincent van Gogh - Longing
Gaskessel Event GmbH, Wuppertal
24. Dec 2025 - 31. Dec 2025
Explore the virtual art presentation of Vincent van Gogh's works at the Visiodrom in the Gaskessel Wuppertal, North Rhine-Westphalia, on Europe's largest 360-degree screen.
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Comrade Sun
Dortmunder U, Dortmund
23. Dec 2025 - 18. Jan 2026
Culture fans can explore the 'Comrade Sun' exhibition at the Dortmunder U, which combines art, astronomy and theory and sheds light on the role of the cosmos in historical processes.
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Jaana Caspary
Von der Heydt Museum, Wuppertal
23. Dec 2025 - 8. Feb 2026
The Von der Heydt-Museum in Wuppertal is honoring the sculptor Jaana Caspary with a comprehensive exhibition of her abstract sculptures based on everyday objects.
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Kirchner. Picasso.
LWL-Museum für Kunst und Kultur, Münster
23. Dec 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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Thomas Schütte
K21 Kunstsammlung Nordrhein-Westfalen, Düsseldorf
7. Nov 2026 - 18. Apr 2027
Overview of the diverse work of the influential artist Thomas Schütte in the Kunstsammlung Nordrhein-Westfalen, including sculptures, watercolors and installations.
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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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Music, science, society

Meal time! How food connects us
LWL-Museum für Archäologie und Kultur, Herne
23. Dec 2025 - 13. Sept 2026
The exhibition 'Mahlzeit! How food connects us' at the LWL Museum of Archaeology and Culture in Herne examines the cultural history of food and its social significance.
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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.
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Genes - diversity of life
LWL-Museum für Naturkunde, Münster
23. Dec 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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AMAZONIA - Photographs by SEBASTIÃO SALGADO
Rautenstrauch-Joest-Museum: Kulturen der Welt, Köln
23. Dec 2025 - 15. Mar 2026
The exhibition 'AMAZONIA - Photographs by Sebastião Salgado' at the Rautenstrauch-Joest-Museum in Cologne presents haunting black and white images of the Amazon region and its inhabitants, accompanied by a sound installation by Jean-Michel Jarre.
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The history of the Lower Rhine
LVR-Niederrheinmuseum Wesel, Wesel
23. Dec 2025 - 31. Dec 2026
The new permanent exhibition at the LVR-Niederrheinmuseum Wesel sheds light on the history of the Lower Rhine and links regional developments with global themes.
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The power of rules
Stiftung Kloster Dalheim - LWL Landesmuseum für Klosterkultur, Lichtenau
1. May 2026 - 30. May 2027
The exhibition "The power of rules!" at Dalheim Monastery examines the role of rules in society and invites reflection.
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