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

L'Art d'habiter. The art of living
Kunstmuseen Krefeld, Krefeld
13. 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.
Learn more
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'.
Learn more
Queer Modernism. 1900 to 1950
Kunstsammlung Nordrhein-Westfalen, Düsseldorf
13. Feb 2026 - 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.
Learn more
Beautiful anarchy. Johan Thorn Prikker and his time
Kunstmuseen Krefeld, Krefeld
17. May 2026 - 31. Aug 2027
The exhibition "Beautiful Anarchy. Johan Thorn Prikker and his time" at the Kaiser Wilhelm Museum pays tribute to the Dutch artist with a major retrospective.
Learn more
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.
Learn more
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.
Learn more

Music, science, society

Think:times! 150 years of the Hermann Monument
Lippisches Landesmuseum, Detmold
13. Feb 2026 - 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.
Learn more
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.
Learn more
SEX NOW
NRW-Forum, Düsseldorf
13. Feb 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.
Learn more
The history of the Lower Rhine
LVR-Niederrheinmuseum Wesel, Wesel
13. Feb 2026 - 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.
Learn more
AMAZONIA - Photographs by SEBASTIÃO SALGADO
Rautenstrauch-Joest-Museum: Kulturen der Welt, Köln
13. 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.
Learn more
Expedition oceans
Bundeskunsthalle, Bonn
13. 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.
Learn more