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

Top exhibitionsArt heaven, Kant and the climate crisis

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

Tourismus NRW e.V., On the grounds of the Peter Behrens Building, historical machines convey individual work processes in heavy industry
Peter Behrens - Art and technology
LVR-Industriemuseum Peter-Behrens-Bau, Oberhausen
29. Aug 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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Donata Wenders, Courtesy of Wenders Images, Wim Wenders, 2023
W.I.M. The art of seeing
Bundeskunsthalle, Bonn
27. Aug 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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Museum Ludwig, From left to right: Merce Cunningham, Robert Rauschenberg, John Cage, M.C. Richards, Bob Catoin and Jasper Johns, 1958
Five friends
Museum Ludwig, Köln
3. Oct 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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Museum für Ostasiatische Kunst Köln (MOK), Imperial Palace, Hamaguri Gate, etching and aquatint, 17 × 21 cm, 1995
Tanaka Ryōhei. From line to landscape
Museum für Ostasiatische Kunst, Köln
27. Aug 2025 - 21. Sept 2025
Discover the fascinating world of Japanese graphic artist Tanaka Ryōhei at the Museum of East Asian Art Cologne and take advantage of the MuseumsCard.
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William Kentridge, 2024, William Kentridge, drawing for the self-portrait As a Coffee Pot (2 Private Thoughts), 2021
William Kentridge. Triumphs and laments
Museum Folkwang, Essen
4. Sept 2025 - 18. Jan 2026
The exhibition 'William Kentridge. Triumphs and Lamentations' at the Museum Folkwang honors the South African artist on the occasion of his 70th birthday and presents his multifaceted work.
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Hulisz, Tourismus NRW e.V., The Phoenix des Lumières exhibition openings attract large numbers of visitors
In the realm of the pharaohs
Phoenix des Lumières, Dortmund
27. Aug 2025 - 31. Dec 2025
The immersive exhibition 'In the Realm of the Pharaohs' at the Phoenix des Lumières in Dortmund takes visitors back to ancient Egypt and presents impressive digital works of art.
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Culturespaces, Foto: Gregor Winert, The Phoenix des Lumières was launched in January 2023 as a digital art center in the former gas blower hall of the Phoenix West blast furnace plant
Asterix & Obelix. An immersive adventure
Phoenix des Lumières, Dortmund
27. Aug 2025 - 31. Dec 2025
The exhibition "Asterix and Obelix. An immersive adventure" in Dortmund allows visitors to accompany the comic heroes on their search for the druid Miraculix.
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The secret power of fragrances
museum kunst palast, Düsseldorf
29. Oct 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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Private collection, courtesy of The Fine Art Society Ltd, Gluck, Bank Holiday Monday, c.1937, Painting, oil on canvas, 23.7 × 18.7 cm
Queer Modernism. 1900 to 1950
Kunstsammlung Nordrhein-Westfalen, Düsseldorf
26. Sept 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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Music, science, society

Michael Sondermann, The collection of the LVR-LandesMuseum Bonn comprises countless objects from over 450,000 years of Rhenish life and cultural history
The Rhine. Life by the river
LVR-LandesMuseum Bonn, Bonn
27. Aug 2025 - 30. Sept 2025
The special exhibition 'The Rhine. Life on the River' at the LVR-LandesMuseum Bonn offers an archaeological journey through the history of the Rhineland from spring 2025.
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Teutoburger Wald Tourismus, Foto: Dominik Ketz, The almost completely preserved Dalheim monastery complex is home to the only state museum for monastic cultural history in Germany
The power of rules
Stiftung Kloster Dalheim - LWL Landesmuseum für Klosterkultur, Lichtenau
1. 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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Tobias Friedrich, The award-winning underwater photographer Tobias Friedrich has captured a blue shark in a picture. Guests can now marvel at the photo
Planet Ocean
Gasometer Oberhausen, Oberhausen
27. Aug 2025 - 30. Nov 2025
The 'Planet Ocean' exhibition in the Gasometer Oberhausen presents the beauty of the world's oceans through large-format photographs, films and immersive installations.
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LWL, Oblonczyk, Two permanent exhibitions and regular special shows provide insights into the animal and plant world at the LWL Museum of Natural History
Genes - diversity of life
LWL-Museum für Naturkunde, Münster
27. Aug 2025 - 31. Dec 2025
Discover the fascinating world of genes in the exhibition "Genes - Diversity of Life" at the LWL Museum of Natural History in Münster.
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Martin de Crignis, Martin de Crignis, the beauty & the boys, 2023, photograph from the series the beauty and the boys, poster print, 40 cm x 60 cm
SEX NOW
NRW-Forum Kultur und Wirtschaft, Düsseldorf
5. Sept 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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LWL-Museen für Industriekultur, A historic Braun men's razor is a product of the beauty industry. It is one of the exhibits in the Behind Beauty show
Behind Beauty
LWL-Museum Textilwerk, Bocholt
27. Aug 2025 - 1. Nov 2025
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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Udo Lindenberg. Comet-like panic
Ludwiggalerie Schloss Oberhausen, Oberhausen
27. Aug 2025 - 28. Sept 2025
Discover the 'Udoversum' in a comprehensive exhibition about the musician and artist Udo Lindenberg in the Ludwiggalerie Schloss Oberhausen.
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Schleiner + Partner Kommunikation, Poster for the exhibition After Hitler. The German confrontation with National Socialism
After Hitler. The German confrontation with National Socialism
Haus der Geschichte der Bundesrepublik Deutschland, Bonn
27. Aug 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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Bestand Erna Wagner-Hehmke, Stiftung Haus der Geschichte der Bundesrepublik Deutschland, Bonn, Erna Wagner-Hehmke dedicates an extensive series with 18 motifs to the four female members of parliament (from left to right), Helene Wessel (Center Party), Helene Weber (CDU), Friederike Nadig (SPD) and Elisabeth Selbert (SPD). Today they are regarded as the "Mothers of the Basic Law", Photo: Erna Wagner-Hehmke
The path to the Basic Law
kulturinfo rheinland, Oberhausen
27. Aug 2025 - 28. Sept 2025
The exhibition "The Road to the Basic Law" at the LVR Industrial Museum impressively shows the emergence of German democracy through photographs by Erna Wagner-Hehmke.
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Top exhibitionsArt heaven, Kant and the climate crisis

Art, design, architecture

Music, science, society

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