Bienenwaben Installation im Folkwang Museum in Essen
Tourismus NRW e.V., Bienenwaben Installation im Folkwang Museum in Essen
Ausstellungsansicht der Kunstsammlung Nordrhein-Westfalen
Foto: Achim Kukulies, Ausstellungsansicht der Kunstsammlung Nordrhein-Westfalen

Kusama, Courbet and lots of Monet

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

  • To Page Rebecca Horn. Emotion in Motion

    Rebecca Horn. Emotion in Motion

    Cragg Foundation, Wuppertal
    10. Apr 2026 - 30. Aug 2026
    A comprehensive retrospective of the works of the late German artist Rebecca Horn is being presented at the Waldfrieden Sculpture Park in Wuppertal.
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    Ludwiggalerie Schloss Oberhausen, Oberhausen
    20. Sept 2026 - 17. Jan 2027
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  • To Page Emma Talbot meets Johan Thorn Prikker

    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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  • To Page Marianna Simnett - Headless

    Marianna Simnett - Headless

    Max Ernst Museum Brühl des LVR, Brühl
    10. Apr 2026 - 5. Jul 2026
    Discover the dreamlike and disturbing worlds of Berlin artist Marianna Simnett in the exhibition 'Headless' at the Max Ernst Museum Brühl.
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  • To Page The lunar year of the horse

    The lunar year of the horse

    Museum für Ostasiatische Kunst, Köln
    10. Apr 2026 - 31. Jan 2027
    The exhibition "The Lunar Year of the Horse" at the Museum of East Asian Art in Cologne sheds light on the cultural significance of the horse in China, Korea and Japan.
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  • To Page Beautiful anarchy. Johan Thorn Prikker and his time

    Beautiful anarchy. Johan Thorn Prikker and his time

    Kunstmuseen Krefeld, Krefeld
    17. May 2026 - 27. Jun 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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Music, science, society

  • To Page Two million years of migration

    Two million years of migration

    Neanderthal Museum, Mettmann
    10. Apr 2026 - 1. Nov 2026
    The exhibition "Two Million Years of Migration" at the Neanderthal Museum in Mettmann sheds light on the deep-rooted mobility in human history.
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  • To Page Think:times! 150 years of the Hermann Monument

    Think:times! 150 years of the Hermann Monument

    Lippisches Landesmuseum, Detmold
    10. Apr 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.
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  • To Page SEX NOW

    SEX NOW

    NRW-Forum, Düsseldorf
    10. Apr 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.
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  • To Page Brave new world of work. 1890-1940

    Brave new world of work. 1890-1940

    LVR-LandesMuseum Bonn, Bonn
    10. Apr 2026 - 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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  • To Page Land and soil

    Land and soil

    K21 Kunstsammlung Nordrhein-Westfalen, Düsseldorf
    10. Apr 2026 - 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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  • To Page Waste. An exhibition about the global routes of waste

    Waste. An exhibition about the global routes of waste

    Dortmunder U, Dortmund
    10. Apr 2026 - 26. Jul 2026
    Discover the special exhibition 'Müll' at Museum Ostwall, Dortmund, which highlights global waste flows and environmental issues through art since the 1960s.
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