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

The fascination of jewelry. 7000 years of jewelry art at the MAKK
Museum für Angewandte Kunst Köln, Köln
3. Apr 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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Monet - Master of Impressionism
Phoenix des Lumières, Dortmund
3. Apr 2026 - 30. Jun 2026
The immersive exhibition 'Monet - Master of Impressionism' in Dortmund presents over 200 works by Claude Monet, complemented by a short format on Henri Rousseau.
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Thomas Schütte
K21 Kunstsammlung Nordrhein-Westfalen, Düsseldorf
14. 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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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of the artist Yayoi Kusama at the Museum Ludwig, Cologne, sheds light on seven decades of her work, including unpublished and new works.
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From Louise Bourgeois to Yoko Ono. Jewelry by female artists
Museum für Angewandte Kunst Köln, Köln
3. Apr 2026 - 26. Apr 2026
The MAKK is presenting a special exhibition of jewelry designs by female artists of the 20th and 21st centuries, including works by Louise Bourgeois and Yoko Ono.
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Rupprecht Geiger. Color - Light - Energy
Kunstquartier Hagen, Hagen
3. Apr 2026 - 7. Jun 2026
The exhibition 'Rupprecht Geiger - Color - Light - Energy' at the Emil Schumacher Museum in Hagen presents 70 works by the important color field painter until June 2026.
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Music, science, society

The power of rules
Stiftung Kloster Dalheim - LWL Landesmuseum für Klosterkultur, Lichtenau
20. May 2026 - 30. May 2027
The exhibition "The power of rules!" at Dalheim Monastery examines the role of rules in society and invites reflection.
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SEX NOW
NRW-Forum, Düsseldorf
3. Apr 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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Two million years of migration
Neanderthal Museum, Mettmann
3. Apr 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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SUPERHEROES - The story of Musiala and Wirtz
Deutsches Fußballmuseum, Dortmund
3. Apr 2026 - 31. May 2026
In 2026, the German Football Museum presents the exhibition 'SUPERHEROES - The Story of Musiala and Wirtz', a multimedia tribute to the soccer stars.
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Behind Beauty
LWL-Museum Textilwerk, Bocholt
3. Apr 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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Meal time! How food connects us
LWL-Museum für Archäologie und Kultur, Herne, Herne
3. Apr 2026 - 13. Sept 2026
The exhibition 'Mahlzeit! How food connects us' at the LWL Museum of Archaeology and Culture in Herne examines the cultural history of food and its social significance.
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Top exhibitions

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

Monet - Master of Impressionism

Thomas Schütte

Yayoi Kusama. Works from 70 years

From Louise Bourgeois to Yoko Ono. Jewelry by female artists

Rupprecht Geiger. Color - Light - Energy

The power of rules

SEX NOW

Two million years of migration

SUPERHEROES - The story of Musiala and Wirtz

Behind Beauty

Meal time! How food connects us

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