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

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.
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Emma Talbot meets Johan Thorn Prikker
Kaiser Wilhelm Museum, Krefeld
3. May 2026 - 24. Jan 2027
In her latest exhibition, British artist Emma Talbot explores Johan Thorn Prikker's monumental mural cycle "Ages of Life", which is on display at the Kaiser Wilhelm Museum in Krefeld.
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Monet - Master of Impressionism
Phoenix des Lumières, Dortmund
28. Dec 2025 - 30. Jun 2026
The immersive exhibition 'Monet - Master of Impressionism' in Dortmund presents over 200 works by Claude Monet, complemented by a short format on Henri Rousseau.
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Comrade Sun
Dortmunder U, Dortmund
28. Dec 2025 - 18. Jan 2026
Culture fans can explore the 'Comrade Sun' exhibition at the Dortmunder U, which combines art, astronomy and theory and sheds light on the role of the cosmos in historical processes.
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Yayoi Kusama. Works from 70 years
Museum Ludwig, Köln
14. Mar 2026 - 2. Aug 2026
Comprehensive retrospective of the artist Yayoi Kusama at the Museum Ludwig, Cologne, sheds light on seven decades of her work, including unpublished and new works.
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Katharina Sieverding & Joseph Beuys
Museum Schloss Moyland, Bedburg-Hau
11. Oct 2026 - 7. Feb 2027
The special exhibition "Katharina Sieverding & Joseph Beuys - Jeder Mensch ein Künstler..." at Museum Schloss Moyland sheds light on the artists' time together at the Düsseldorf Art Academy and their political and social concerns.
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Music, science, society

ASIA POP
NRW-Forum, Düsseldorf
18. Sept 2026 - 30. May 2027
The exhibition 'ASIA POP' at the NRW-Forum Düsseldorf presents the diversity of East Asian pop culture with over 400 exhibits from September 18, 2026.
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Brave new world of work. 1890-1940
LVR-LandesMuseum Bonn, Bonn
28. 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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Land and soil
K21 Kunstsammlung Nordrhein-Westfalen, Düsseldorf
28. 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 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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SEX NOW
NRW-Forum, Düsseldorf
28. 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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After Hitler. The German confrontation with National Socialism
Haus der Geschichte der Bundesrepublik Deutschland, Bonn
28. 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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