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

Peter Behrens - Art and technology
LVR-Industriemuseum Peter-Behrens-Bau, Oberhausen
7. 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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Queer Modernism. 1900 to 1950
Kunstsammlung Nordrhein-Westfalen, Düsseldorf
7. Nov 2025 - 15. Feb 2026
The exhibition "Queer Modernism. 1900 to 1950" at the K20 of the Kunstsammlung Nordrhein-Westfalen honors the revolutionary contribution of queer artists to modernism.
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Women artists! From Monjé to Münter
Kunstpalast, Düsseldorf
7. Nov 2025 - 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.
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The secret power of fragrances
Kunstpalast, Düsseldorf
7. Nov 2025 - 8. Mar 2026
Guests follow the history of fragrance in a unique exhibition at the Kunstpalast in Düsseldorf, which combines art, culture and the olfactory experience.
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Jaana Caspary
Von der Heydt Museum, Wuppertal
7. Nov 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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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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Music, science, society

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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Genes - diversity of life
LWL-Museum für Naturkunde, Münster
7. Nov 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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Land and soil
K21 Kunstsammlung Nordrhein-Westfalen, Düsseldorf
29. Nov 2025 - 19. Apr 2026
The exhibition "Grund und Boden" at the K21 of the Kunstsammlung Nordrhein-Westfalen reflects on the use and management of resources in modern societies. It invites discussion about a sustainable future.
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Brave new world of work. 1890-1940
LVR-LandesMuseum Bonn, Bonn
13. Nov 2025 - 12. Apr 2026
The exhibition "Brave new world of work. 1890-1940" at the LVR-LandesMuseum Bonn sheds light on the changes in the world of work and their artistic treatment.
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1,250 years of Westphalia
LWL-Museum in der Kaiserpfalz, Paderborn
7. Nov 2025 - 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.
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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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