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

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

Thomas Schütte
K21 Kunstsammlung Nordrhein-Westfalen, Düsseldorf
14. Nov 2026 - 18. Apr 2027
Overview of the diverse work of the influential artist Thomas Schütte in the Kunstsammlung Nordrhein-Westfalen, including sculptures, watercolors and installations.
Learn more
The fascination of jewelry. 7000 years of jewelry art at the MAKK
Museum für Angewandte Kunst Köln, Köln
17. May 2026 - 30. Dec 2026
Discover the impressive exhibition 'Fascination Jewelry. 7000 years of jewelry history with 370 exhibits can be admired here.
Learn more
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.
Learn more
Marianna Simnett - Headless
Max Ernst Museum Brühl des LVR, Brühl
17. May 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.
Learn more
Yayoi Kusama. Works from 70 years
Museum Ludwig, Köln
17. May 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of the artist Yayoi Kusama at the Museum Ludwig, Cologne, sheds light on seven decades of her work, including unpublished and new works.
Learn more
I, Gustave Courbet
Museum Folkwang, Essen
17. Jul 2026 - 8. Nov 2026
From July 2026, the exhibition "I, Gustave Courbet - Painter and Rebel" at Museum Folkwang will shed light on the radical work and political commitment of the French painter Gustave Courbet.
Learn more

Music, science, society

The history of the Lower Rhine
LVR-Niederrheinmuseum Wesel, Wesel
17. May 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
Forest myth
Gasometer Oberhausen, Oberhausen
17. May 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
SUPERHEROES - The story of Musiala and Wirtz
Deutsches Fußballmuseum, Dortmund
17. May 2026 - 31. May 2026
In 2026, the German Football Museum presents the exhibition 'SUPERHEROES - The Story of Musiala and Wirtz', a multimedia tribute to the soccer stars.
Learn more
Waste. An exhibition about the global routes of waste
Dortmunder U, Dortmund
17. May 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.
Learn more
Meal time! How food connects us
LWL-Museum für Archäologie und Kultur, Herne, Herne
17. May 2026 - 13. Sept 2026
The exhibition 'Mahlzeit! How food connects us' at the LWL Museum of Archaeology and Culture in Herne examines the cultural history of food and its social significance.
Learn more
From the wool
LVR-Industriemuseum / Tuchfabrik Müller, Euskirchen
17. May 2026 - 31. Dec 2026
The 'Von der Wolle' exhibition at the LVR Industrial Museum Tuchfabrik Müller sheds light on the history of wool production and its role in fashion, technology and industrialization.
Learn more

Top exhibitions

Thomas Schütte

The fascination of jewelry. 7000 years of jewelry art at the MAKK

Katharina Sieverding & Joseph Beuys

Marianna Simnett - Headless

Yayoi Kusama. Works from 70 years

I, Gustave Courbet

The history of the Lower Rhine

Forest myth

SUPERHEROES - The story of Musiala and Wirtz

Waste. An exhibition about the global routes of waste

Meal time! How food connects us

From the wool

Newsletter