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

Foto: Achim Kukulies, Ausstellungsansicht der Kunstsammlung Nordrhein-Westfalen

Kusama, Courbet and lots of Monet

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

Jaume Plensa - Invisible
Museum Küppersmühle für Moderne Kunst, Duisburg
29. Jul 2026 - 1. Nov 2026
The Küppersmühle Museum in Duisburg is presenting the most comprehensive solo exhibition to date by Spanish sculptor Jaume Plensa, featuring over 50 sculptures and special wall drawings.
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Rebecca Horn. Emotion in Motion
Cragg Foundation, Wuppertal
29. Jul 2026 - 30. Aug 2026
A comprehensive retrospective of the works of the late German artist Rebecca Horn is being presented at the Waldfrieden Sculpture Park in Wuppertal.
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The lunar year of the horse
Museum für Ostasiatische Kunst, Köln
29. Jul 2026 - 31. Jan 2027
The exhibition "The Lunar Year of the Horse" at the Museum of East Asian Art in Cologne sheds light on the cultural significance of the horse in China, Korea and Japan.
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Layers and Cuts: Chinese Lacquer Art
Museum für Ostasiatische Kunst, Köln
29. Jul 2026 - 31. Jan 2027
Kulturfans lernen die faszinierende Welt der chinesischen Lackkunst in der Sonderausstellung „Schichten und Schnitte“ im Museum für Ostasiatische Kunst Köln kennen.
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Franz Marc
Kunstsammlung Nordrhein-Westfalen, Düsseldorf
12. Sept 2026 - 24. Jan 2027
Art lovers can discover the vibrant 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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Anish Kapoor
Lehmbruck Museum, Duisburg
29. Jul 2026 - 30. Aug 2026
Discover Anish Kapoor's most extensive exhibition in Germany for over a decade, highlighting his life's work at the Lehmbruck Museum.
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Music, science, society

Beethoven by Warhol
Verein Beethoven Haus, Bonn
9. Sept 2026 - 5. Apr 2027
To mark the Beethoven Year 2027, the Beethoven House in Bonn is hosting the exhibition “Beethoven by Warhol,” which features Andy Warhol’s silkscreen series “Beethoven 1987” and other Beethoven-related works of art.
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ASIA POP
NRW-Forum, Düsseldorf
17. Sept 2026 - 23. May 2027
The exhibition 'ASIA POP' at the NRW-Forum Düsseldorf presents the diversity of East Asian pop culture with over 400 exhibits from September 18, 2026.
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From the wool
LVR-Industriemuseum / Tuchfabrik Müller, Euskirchen
29. Jul 2026 - 31. Dec 2026
The 'Von der Wolle' exhibition at the LVR Industrial Museum Tuchfabrik Müller sheds light on the history of wool production and its role in fashion, technology and industrialization.
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The power of rules
Stiftung Kloster Dalheim - LWL Landesmuseum für Klosterkultur, Lichtenau
29. Jul 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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Forest myth
Gasometer Oberhausen, Oberhausen
29. Jul 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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PLAYMOBIL – Journey Through Time: Neanderthal
Neanderthal Museum, Mettmann
21. Nov 2026 - 31. Oct 2027
The Neanderthal Museum presents the history of Neanderthals through detailed PLAYMOBIL dioramas in the special exhibition “PLAYMOBIL – A Journey Through Time to Neanderthal Times.”
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Top exhibitions

Jaume Plensa - Invisible

Rebecca Horn. Emotion in Motion

The lunar year of the horse

Layers and Cuts: Chinese Lacquer Art

Franz Marc

Anish Kapoor

Beethoven by Warhol

ASIA POP

From the wool

The power of rules

Forest myth

PLAYMOBIL – Journey Through Time: Neanderthal

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