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

Monet – Cézanne – Matisse. The Scharf Collection
Kunstpalast, Düsseldorf
12. Mar 2026 - 9. Aug 2026
Kulturfans erkunden die Scharf Collection im Kunstpalast Düsseldorf, eine beeindruckende Sammlung französischer und internationaler Kunst vom 19. bis 21. Jahrhundert.
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Peter Behrens - Art and technology
LVR-Industriemuseum Peter-Behrens-Bau, Oberhausen
5. Dec 2025 - 31. Dec 2028
Discover the life and work of Peter Behrens, a pioneer of modern design, in the newly designed permanent exhibition at the LVR Industrial Museum in Oberhausen.
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Five friends
Museum Ludwig, Köln
2. Dec 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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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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Monet – Meister des Impressionismus
Phoenix des Lumières, Dortmund
2. Dec 2025 - 30. Jun 2026
Die immersive Ausstellung 'Monet – Meister des Impressionismus' in Dortmund präsentiert über 200 Werke von Claude Monet, ergänzt durch ein Kurzformat zu Henri Rousseau.
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The secret power of fragrances
Kunstpalast, Düsseldorf
2. 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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Music, science, society

SEX NOW
NRW-Forum, Düsseldorf
2. Dec 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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AMAZONIA - Photographs by SEBASTIÃO SALGADO
Rautenstrauch-Joest-Museum: Kulturen der Welt, Köln
2. Dec 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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Land and soil
K21 Kunstsammlung Nordrhein-Westfalen, Düsseldorf
2. 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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The history of the Lower Rhine
LVR-Niederrheinmuseum Wesel, Wesel
2. Dec 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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Think:times! 150 years of the Hermann Monument
Lippisches Landesmuseum, Detmold
2. Dec 2025 - 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.
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Brave new world of work. 1890-1940
LVR-LandesMuseum Bonn, Bonn
2. Dec 2025 - 12. Apr 2026
The exhibition "Brave new world of work. 1890-1940" at the LVR-LandesMuseum Bonn sheds light on the changes in the world of work and their artistic treatment.
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