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

Ich, Gustave Courbet
Museum Folkwang, Essen
17. Jul 2026 - 8. Nov 2026
Die Ausstellung „Ich, Gustave Courbet – Maler und Rebell“ im Museum Folkwang beleuchtet ab Juli 2026 das radikale Schaffen und politische Engagement des französischen Malers Gustave Courbet.
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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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Vincent van Gogh - Longing
Gaskessel Event GmbH, Wuppertal
23. Nov 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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W.I.M. The art of seeing
Bundeskunsthalle, Bonn
23. Nov 2025 - 11. Jan 2026
The Bundeskunsthalle in Bonn is honoring the renowned director Wim Wenders with an exhibition that sheds light on his multifaceted work and presents his artistic development.
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Peter Behrens - Art and technology
LVR-Industriemuseum Peter-Behrens-Bau, Oberhausen
23. Nov 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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Franz Marc
Kunstsammlung Nordrhein-Westfalen, Düsseldorf
12. Sept 2026 - 24. Jan 2027
Art fans discover the bright colors and deeply moving themes of Franz Marc, one of the most important painters of German Expressionism, in an exhibition at the K20 in Düsseldorf.
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Music, science, society

Planet Ocean
Gasometer Oberhausen, Oberhausen
23. Nov 2025 - 30. Nov 2025
The 'Planet Ocean' exhibition in the Gasometer Oberhausen presents the beauty of the world's oceans through large-format photographs, films and immersive installations.
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Think:times! 150 years of the Hermann Monument
Lippisches Landesmuseum, Detmold
23. Nov 2025 - 26. Apr 2026
To mark the 150th anniversary of the Hermann Monument, the Lippisches Landesmuseum Detmold is presenting a multimedia exhibition that sheds light on the colossal statue as a symbol of German identity and history.
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AMAZONIA - Photographs by SEBASTIÃO SALGADO
Rautenstrauch-Joest-Museum: Kulturen der Welt, Köln
23. Nov 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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Mahlzeit! Wie uns Essen verbindet
LWL-Museum für Archäologie und Kultur, Herne
23. Nov 2025 - 13. Sept 2026
Die Ausstellung 'Mahlzeit! Wie Essen uns verbindet' im LWL-Museum für Archäologie und Kultur in Herne untersucht die Kulturgeschichte des Essens und seine soziale Bedeutung.
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Democratic cultures in the Sauerland 1925-1975-2025
Sauerland-Museum, Arnsberg
23. Nov 2025 - 12. Apr 2026
The special exhibition at the Sauerland Museum sheds light on the social development of the Sauerland from 1925 to 2025, with a focus on democratic cultures.
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The Rhine. Life by the river
LVR-LandesMuseum Bonn, Bonn
23. Nov 2025 - 30. Nov 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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