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

  • 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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  • To Page Manifesta 16 Ruhr

    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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  • To Page W.I.M. The art of seeing

    W.I.M. The art of seeing

    Bundeskunsthalle, Bonn
    14. Nov 2025 - 11. Jan 2026
    The Bundeskunsthalle in Bonn is honoring the renowned director Wim Wenders with an exhibition that sheds light on his multifaceted work and presents his artistic development.
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  • To Page L'Art d'habiter. Die Kunst des Wohnens

    L'Art d'habiter. Die Kunst des Wohnens

    Kunstmuseen Krefeld, Krefeld
    14. Nov 2025 - 15. Mar 2026
    Erste große Retrospektive der französischen Architektin Charlotte Perriand in Deutschland, die das moderne Wohnen revolutionierte, präsentiert von den Kunstmuseen Krefeld.
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  • To Page Seeing Kollwitz anew

    Seeing Kollwitz anew

    Käthe Kollwitz Museum Köln, Köln
    14. Nov 2025 - 15. Mar 2026
    Following extensive refurbishment, the Käthe Kollwitz Museum Cologne is presenting the opening exhibition "Kollwitz revisited", which features both classics and rarely shown works by the artist.
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  • To Page Five friends

    Five friends

    Museum Ludwig, Köln
    14. Nov 2025 - 11. Jan 2026
    The exhibition "Five Friends" at the Museum Ludwig sheds light on the relationships and influence of five influential artists of the 20th century on post-war art.
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Music, science, society

  • To Page

    Bundeskunsthalle, Bonn
    14. Nov 2025 - 6. Apr 2026
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  • To Page The history of the Lower Rhine

    The history of the Lower Rhine

    LVR-Niederrheinmuseum Wesel, Wesel
    14. Nov 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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  • To Page Amazônia. Indigene Welten

    Amazônia. Indigene Welten

    Bundeskunsthalle, Bonn
    13. Mar 2026 - 9. Aug 2026
    Die Bundeskunsthalle in Bonn präsentiert die Ausstellung „Amazônia. Indigene Welten“, die die Kultur und Lebensweise der indigenen Völker des Amazonasgebietes beleuchtet.
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  • To Page SEX NOW

    SEX NOW

    NRW-Forum, Düsseldorf
    14. Nov 2025 - 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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  • To Page AMAZONIA - Photographs by SEBASTIÃO SALGADO

    AMAZONIA - Photographs by SEBASTIÃO SALGADO

    Rautenstrauch-Joest-Museum: Kulturen der Welt, Köln
    14. Nov 2025 - 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 Land and soil

    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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