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

Queer Modernism. 1900 to 1950
Kunstsammlung Nordrhein-Westfalen, Düsseldorf
11. Feb 2026 - 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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Katharina Sieverding & Joseph Beuys
Museum Schloss Moyland, Bedburg-Hau
11. Oct 2026 - 7. Feb 2027
The special exhibition "Katharina Sieverding & Joseph Beuys - Jeder Mensch ein Künstler..." at Museum Schloss Moyland sheds light on the artists' time together at the Düsseldorf Art Academy and their political and social concerns.
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Monet - Cézanne - Matisse. The Scharf Collection
Kunstpalast, Düsseldorf
12. Mar 2026 - 9. Aug 2026
Culture fans can explore the Scharf Collection in the Kunstpalast Düsseldorf, an impressive collection of French and international art from the 19th to the 21st century.
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The fascination of jewelry. 7000 years of jewelry art at the MAKK
Museum für Angewandte Kunst Köln, Köln
11. Feb 2026 - 30. Dec 2026
Discover the impressive exhibition 'Fascination Jewelry. 7000 years of jewelry history with 370 exhibits can be admired here.
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After Damascus...
Museum Folkwang, Essen
6. Nov 2026 - 21. Feb 2027
The exhibition "After Damascus ... Karl Ernst Osthaus and the Islamic Arts" at Museum Folkwang sheds light on the museum founder's Islamic art collection and its impact on design and architecture.
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L'Art d'habiter. The art of living
Kunstmuseen Krefeld, Krefeld
11. Feb 2026 - 15. Mar 2026
First major retrospective in Germany of the French architect Charlotte Perriand, who revolutionized modern living, presented by the Kunstmuseen Krefeld.
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Music, science, society

Land and soil
K21 Kunstsammlung Nordrhein-Westfalen, Düsseldorf
11. Feb 2026 - 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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SEX NOW
NRW-Forum, Düsseldorf
11. Feb 2026 - 3. May 2026
The "SEX NOW" exhibition at the NRW-Forum Düsseldorf sheds light on the transformation of the sex industry, sexual self-determination and the role of digital technologies in sexuality.
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Brave new world of work. 1890-1940
LVR-LandesMuseum Bonn, Bonn
11. Feb 2026 - 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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Behind Beauty
LWL-Museum Textilwerk, Bocholt
11. Feb 2026 - 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.
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Two million years of migration
Neanderthal Museum, Mettmann
11. Feb 2026 - 1. Nov 2026
The exhibition "Two Million Years of Migration" at the Neanderthal Museum in Mettmann sheds light on the deep-rooted mobility in human history.
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The land of a thousand fires
Ruhr Museum, Essen
11. Feb 2026 - 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.
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