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

L'Art d'habiter. Die Kunst des Wohnens
Kunstmuseen Krefeld, Krefeld
22. Nov 2025 - 15. Mar 2026
Erste große Retrospektive der französischen Architektin Charlotte Perriand in Deutschland, die das moderne Wohnen revolutionierte, präsentiert von den Kunstmuseen Krefeld.
Learn more
Vincent van Gogh - Longing
Gaskessel Event GmbH, Wuppertal
22. 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.
Learn more
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.
Learn more
Nach Damaskus...
Museum Folkwang, Essen
6. Nov 2026 - 21. Feb 2027
Die Ausstellung „Nach Damaskus … Karl Ernst Osthaus und die islamischen Künste“ im Museum Folkwang beleuchtet die islamische Kunstsammlung des Museumsgründers und ihre Auswirkungen auf Design und Architektur.
Learn more
Seeing Kollwitz anew
Käthe Kollwitz Museum Köln, Köln
22. Nov 2025 - 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
The secret power of fragrances
Kunstpalast, Düsseldorf
22. 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.
Learn more

Music, science, society

Think:times! 150 years of the Hermann Monument
Lippisches Landesmuseum, Detmold
22. 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.
Learn more
The land of a thousand fires
,
22. Nov 2025 - 14. Feb 2026
The exhibition "The Land of a Thousand Fires" at the Ruhr Museum shows the fascination of heavy industry for artists since the 19th century.
Learn more
Udo Lindenberg. Comet-like panic
Ludwiggalerie Schloss Oberhausen, Oberhausen
22. Nov 2025 - 18. Jan 2026
Discover the 'Udoversum' in a comprehensive exhibition about the musician and artist Udo Lindenberg in the Ludwiggalerie Schloss Oberhausen.
Learn more
Behind Beauty
LWL-Museum Textilwerk, Bocholt
22. Nov 2025 - 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
Formula 1® exhibition
FKP Scorpio Entertainment GmbH, Oberhausen
22. Nov 2025 - 22. Mar 2026
The international Formula 1® exhibition in Oberhausen offers a multimedia experience with original racing cars, unpublished material and a racing simulator.
Learn more
1,250 years of Westphalia
LWL-Museum in der Kaiserpfalz, Paderborn
22. 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.
Learn more