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

The fascination of jewelry. 7000 years of jewelry art at the MAKK
Museum für Angewandte Kunst Köln, Köln
27. Nov 2025 - 30. Dec 2025
Discover the impressive exhibition 'Fascination Jewelry. 7000 years of jewelry history with 370 exhibits can be admired here.
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Monet – Meister des Impressionismus
Phoenix des Lumières, Dortmund
27. Nov 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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William Kentridge. Triumphs and laments
Museum Folkwang, Essen
27. Nov 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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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of the artist Yayoi Kusama at the Museum Ludwig, Cologne, sheds light on seven decades of her work, including unpublished and new works.
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Seeing Kollwitz anew
Käthe Kollwitz Museum Köln, Köln
27. Nov 2025 - 15. Mar 2026
Following extensive refurbishment, the Käthe Kollwitz Museum Cologne is presenting the opening exhibition "Kollwitz revisited", which features both classics and rarely shown works by the artist.
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The secret power of fragrances
Kunstpalast, Düsseldorf
27. Nov 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

After Hitler. The German confrontation with National Socialism
Haus der Geschichte der Bundesrepublik Deutschland, Bonn
27. Nov 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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Mahlzeit! Wie uns Essen verbindet
LWL-Museum für Archäologie und Kultur, Herne
27. Nov 2025 - 13. Sept 2026
Die Ausstellung 'Mahlzeit! Wie Essen uns verbindet' im LWL-Museum für Archäologie und Kultur in Herne untersucht die Kulturgeschichte des Essens und seine soziale Bedeutung.
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Democratic cultures in the Sauerland 1925-1975-2025
Sauerland-Museum, Arnsberg
27. Nov 2025 - 12. Apr 2026
The special exhibition at the Sauerland Museum sheds light on the social development of the Sauerland from 1925 to 2025, with a focus on democratic cultures.
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Think:times! 150 years of the Hermann Monument
Lippisches Landesmuseum, Detmold
27. Nov 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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Udo Lindenberg. Comet-like panic
Ludwiggalerie Schloss Oberhausen, Oberhausen
27. Nov 2025 - 18. Jan 2026
Discover the 'Udoversum' in a comprehensive exhibition about the musician and artist Udo Lindenberg in the Ludwiggalerie Schloss Oberhausen.
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SEX NOW
NRW-Forum, Düsseldorf
27. Nov 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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