Bienenwaben Installation im Folkwang Museum in Essen
Tourismus NRW e.V., Bienenwaben Installation im Folkwang Museum in Essen
Ausstellungsansicht der Kunstsammlung Nordrhein-Westfalen
Foto: Achim Kukulies, Ausstellungsansicht der Kunstsammlung Nordrhein-Westfalen

Art heaven, Kant and the climate crisisTop 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

  • Marianna Simnett – Headless
    Max Ernst Museum Brühl des LVR, Brühl
    31. Jan 2026 - 5. Jul 2026
    Entdecken Sie die traumhaften und verstörenden Welten der Berliner Künstlerin Marianna Simnett in der Ausstellung 'Headless' im Max Ernst Museum Brühl.
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  • The Kaiser Wilhelm Museum is adorned with the 1.7-ton bronze group Genius of the Arts
    Johannes Höhn, Tourismus NRW e.V., The Kaiser Wilhelm Museum is adorned with the 1.7-ton bronze group Genius of the Arts
    Emma Talbot meets Johan Thorn Prikker
    Kaiser Wilhelm Museum, Krefeld
    3. May 2026 - 24. Jan 2027
    In her latest exhibition, British artist Emma Talbot explores Johan Thorn Prikker's monumental mural cycle "Ages of Life", which is on display at the Kaiser Wilhelm Museum in Krefeld.
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  • Mathilde Dietrichson, Self-portrait, 1865, oil on canvas, 49.6x37.2 cm, Oslo Museum
    Foto: Rune Aakvik, Oslo Museum, Mathilde Dietrichson, Self-portrait, 1865, oil on canvas, 49.6x37.2 cm, Oslo Museum
    Women artists! From Monjé to Münter
    Kunstpalast, Düsseldorf
    16. Oct 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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  • K21 of the Kunstsammlung NRW
    Düsseldorf Tourismus GmbH, Max Wallasch, The K21 of the Kunstsammlung Nordrhein-Westfalen is surrounded by the Ständerhauspark with a small pond
    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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  • St. Thomas Church, Gelsenkirchen
    Manifesta 16 Ruhr, Foto: Dirk Rose, St. Thomas Church, Gelsenkirchen
    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.
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  • Jianfeng Pan (*1973), Northern Ocean, 2023, ink, xuan paper, 138 x 204 cm
    Foto: Jianfeng Pan / Museum für Ostasiatische Kunst, Jianfeng Pan (*1973), Northern Ocean, 2023, ink, xuan paper, 138 x 204 cm
    Ink walks
    Museum für Ostasiatische Kunst, Köln
    16. Oct 2025 - 9. Nov 2025
    The exhibition 'Ink Walks' at the Museum of East Asian Art in Cologne presents the impressive works on paper by contemporary Chinese artist Jianfeng Pan.
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Music, science, society

  • Conrad Felixmüller, Child in front of a blast furnace, 1927
    LVR-LandesMuseum Bonn, Foto: Jürgen Vogel, Conrad Felixmüller, Child in front of a blast furnace, 1927
    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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  • The Hermann Monument is a symbol that has taken on a number of different roles over the course of 150 years
    Tourismus NRW e.V., Foto: Maximilian Hulisz, The Hermann Monument is a symbol that has taken on a number of different roles over the course of 150 years
    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.
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  • Two permanent exhibitions and regular special shows provide insights into the animal and plant world at the LWL Museum of Natural History
    LWL, Oblonczyk, Two permanent exhibitions and regular special shows provide insights into the animal and plant world at the LWL Museum of Natural History
    Genes - diversity of life
    LWL-Museum für Naturkunde, Münster
    16. Oct 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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  • The award-winning underwater photographer Tobias Friedrich has captured a blue shark in a picture. Guests can now marvel at the photo
    Tobias Friedrich, The award-winning underwater photographer Tobias Friedrich has captured a blue shark in a picture. Guests can now marvel at the photo
    Planet Ocean
    Gasometer Oberhausen, Oberhausen
    16. Oct 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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  • Members of the Artists' Association of Congolese Plantation Workers (CAPTC) in Lusanga, Congo. from left to right: Olele Mulela Mabamba, Irène Kanga, Huguette Kilembi, Jérémie Mabiala, Jean Kawata, Mbuku Kimpala, Ced'art Tamasala and Matthieu Kasiama. In the background the exhibition space White Cube
    Human Activities, 2020, Members of the Artists' Association of Congolese Plantation Workers (CAPTC) in Lusanga, Congo. from left to right: Olele Mulela Mabamba, Irène Kanga, Huguette Kilembi, Jérémie Mabiala, Jean Kawata, Mbuku Kimpala, Ced'art Tamasala and Matthieu Kasiama. In the background the exhibition space White Cube
    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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  • The LVR-Niederrheinmuseum Wesel is the place to go for culture fans who want to find out more about the history of the Lower Rhine region
    LVR-Niederrheinmuseum Wesel, The LVR-Niederrheinmuseum Wesel is the place to go for culture fans who want to find out more about the history of the Lower Rhine region
    The history of the Lower Rhine
    LVR-Niederrheinmuseum Wesel, Wesel
    16. Oct 2025 - 31. Dec 2026
    The new permanent exhibition at the LVR-Niederrheinmuseum Wesel sheds light on the history of the Lower Rhine and links regional developments with global themes.
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