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

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.
Learn more
Anish Kapoor
Lehmbruck Museum, Duisburg
24. Apr 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.
Learn more
The lunar year of the horse
Museum für Ostasiatische Kunst, Köln
3. Apr 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.
Learn more
Marianna Simnett - Headless
Max Ernst Museum Brühl des LVR, Brühl
3. Apr 2026 - 5. Jul 2026
Discover the dreamlike and disturbing worlds of Berlin artist Marianna Simnett in the exhibition 'Headless' at the Max Ernst Museum Brühl.
Learn more
Yayoi Kusama. Works from 70 years
Museum Ludwig, Köln
3. Apr 2026 - 2. Aug 2026
Comprehensive retrospective of the artist Yayoi Kusama at the Museum Ludwig, Cologne, sheds light on seven decades of her work, including unpublished and new works.
Learn more
Chained to the Rhythm. Of man and nature
Museumsverein Morsbroich e.V., Leverkusen
3. Apr 2026 - 7. Jun 2026
The Museum Morsbroich is celebrating its 75th anniversary with a unique exhibition that combines nature and culture and challenges traditional museum rules.
Learn more

Music, science, society

Formula 1® exhibition
FKP Scorpio Entertainment GmbH, Oberhausen
3. Apr 2026 - 12. Apr 2026
The international Formula 1® exhibition in Oberhausen offers a multimedia experience with original racing cars, unpublished material and a racing simulator.
Learn more
Think:times! 150 years of the Hermann Monument
Lippisches Landesmuseum, Detmold
3. Apr 2026 - 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
Democratic cultures in the Sauerland 1925-1975-2025
Sauerland-Museum, Arnsberg
3. Apr 2026 - 12. Apr 2026
The special exhibition at the Sauerland Museum sheds light on the social development of the Sauerland from 1925 to 2025, with a focus on democratic cultures.
Learn more
Wanderlust. On the road with Felix the rabbit
LWL-Museum für Kunst und Kultur, Münster
3. Apr 2026 - 13. Sept 2026
The exhibition 'Wanderlustig. On the road with Felix the rabbit' at the LWL-Museum Münster offers an interactive journey around the world through art, culture and sustainable tourism.
Learn more
The history of the Lower Rhine
LVR-Niederrheinmuseum Wesel, Wesel
3. Apr 2026 - 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.
Learn more
Waste. An exhibition about the global routes of waste
Dortmunder U, Dortmund
3. Apr 2026 - 26. Jul 2026
Discover the special exhibition 'Müll' at Museum Ostwall, Dortmund, which highlights global waste flows and environmental issues through art since the 1960s.
Learn more