Tourismus NRW e.V., Bienenwaben Installation im Folkwang Museum in Essen

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

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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The secret power of fragrances
Kunstpalast, Düsseldorf
23. Dec 2025 - 8. Mar 2026
Guests follow the history of fragrance in a unique exhibition at the Kunstpalast in Düsseldorf, which combines art, culture and the olfactory experience.
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Franz Marc
Kunstsammlung Nordrhein-Westfalen, Düsseldorf
12. Sept 2026 - 24. Jan 2027
Art fans discover the bright colors and deeply moving themes of Franz Marc, one of the most important painters of German Expressionism, in an exhibition at the K20 in Düsseldorf.
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Queer Modernism. 1900 to 1950
Kunstsammlung Nordrhein-Westfalen, Düsseldorf
23. Dec 2025 - 15. Feb 2026
The exhibition "Queer Modernism. 1900 to 1950" at the K20 of the Kunstsammlung Nordrhein-Westfalen honors the revolutionary contribution of queer artists to modernism.
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Women artists! From Monjé to Münter
Kunstpalast, Düsseldorf
23. Dec 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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The fascination of jewelry. 7000 years of jewelry art at the MAKK
Museum für Angewandte Kunst Köln, Köln
23. Dec 2025 - 30. Dec 2025
Discover the impressive exhibition 'Fascination Jewelry. 7000 years of jewelry history with 370 exhibits can be admired here.
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Music, science, society

After Hitler. The German confrontation with National Socialism
Haus der Geschichte der Bundesrepublik Deutschland, Bonn
23. Dec 2025 - 25. Jan 2026
The exhibition "After Hitler" at the Haus der Geschichte in Bonn examines Germany's confrontation with National Socialism over generations.
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Udo Lindenberg. Comet-like panic
Ludwiggalerie Schloss Oberhausen, Oberhausen
23. Dec 2025 - 18. Jan 2026
Discover the 'Udoversum' in a comprehensive exhibition about the musician and artist Udo Lindenberg in the Ludwiggalerie Schloss Oberhausen.
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1,250 years of Westphalia
LWL-Museum in der Kaiserpfalz, Paderborn
23. Dec 2025 - 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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Land and soil
K21 Kunstsammlung Nordrhein-Westfalen, Düsseldorf
23. Dec 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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Behind Beauty
LWL-Museum Textilwerk, Bocholt
23. Dec 2025 - 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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Germaine Krull: Chien Fou
Museum Folkwang, Essen
23. Dec 2025 - 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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