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 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

  • To Page L'Art d'habiter. The art of living

    L'Art d'habiter. The art of living

    Kunstmuseen Krefeld, Krefeld
    14. 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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  • To Page Monet - Cézanne - Matisse. The Scharf Collection

    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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  • To Page The fascination of jewelry. 7000 years of jewelry art at the MAKK

    The fascination of jewelry. 7000 years of jewelry art at the MAKK

    Museum für Angewandte Kunst Köln, Köln
    14. 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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  • To Page Jon Rafman. Main Stream Media

    Jon Rafman. Main Stream Media

    K21 Kunstsammlung Nordrhein-Westfalen, Düsseldorf
    30. May 2026 - 27. Sept 2026
    The Kunstsammlung Nordrhein-Westfalen is presenting the first solo museum exhibition in Germany by Canadian media artist Jon Rafman, which introduces his experimental AI project 'Mainstream Media Network'.
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    Ludwiggalerie Schloss Oberhausen, Oberhausen
    20. Sept 2026 - 17. Jan 2027
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  • To Page I, Gustave Courbet

    I, Gustave Courbet

    Museum Folkwang, Essen
    17. Jul 2026 - 8. Nov 2026
    From July 2026, the exhibition "I, Gustave Courbet - Painter and Rebel" at Museum Folkwang will shed light on the radical work and political commitment of the French painter Gustave Courbet.
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Music, science, society

  • To Page AMAZONIA - Photographs by SEBASTIÃO SALGADO

    AMAZONIA - Photographs by SEBASTIÃO SALGADO

    Rautenstrauch-Joest-Museum: Kulturen der Welt, Köln
    14. Feb 2026 - 15. Mar 2026
    The exhibition 'AMAZONIA - Photographs by Sebastião Salgado' at the Rautenstrauch-Joest-Museum in Cologne presents haunting black and white images of the Amazon region and its inhabitants, accompanied by a sound installation by Jean-Michel Jarre.
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  • To Page Waste. An exhibition about the global routes of waste

    Waste. An exhibition about the global routes of waste

    Dortmunder U, Dortmund
    28. Mar 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.
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  • To Page Forest myth

    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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  • To Page Expedition oceans

    Expedition oceans

    Bundeskunsthalle, Bonn
    14. Feb 2026 - 6. Apr 2026
    The Bundeskunsthalle in Bonn is presenting an immersive exhibition about the world's oceans, their importance as an ecosystem and climate regulator, and the challenges they face.
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  • To Page 1,250 years of Westphalia

    1,250 years of Westphalia

    LWL-Museum in der Kaiserpfalz, Paderborn
    14. Feb 2026 - 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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  • To Page Germaine Krull: Chien Fou

    Germaine Krull: Chien Fou

    Museum Folkwang, Essen
    14. Feb 2026 - 15. Mar 2026
    The exhibition "Germaine Krull: Chien Fou" at Museum Folkwang presents the multifaceted work of the photographer and author, with around 400 exhibits from her estate.
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