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

Ludwiggalerie Schloss Oberhausen, Oberhausen
20. Sept 2026 - 17. Jan 2027
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Manifesta 16 Ruhr
Manifesta 16 Ruhr Office, c/o Regionalverband Ruhr, Essen
29. Jul 2026 - 4. Oct 2026
Manifesta 16 Ruhr, a major European traveling biennial for contemporary art, will take place in the Ruhr region in 2026 and will use empty post-war churches as exhibition venues.
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Anish Kapoor
Lehmbruck Museum, Duisburg
29. Jul 2026 - 30. Aug 2026
Discover Anish Kapoor's most extensive exhibition in Germany for over a decade, highlighting his life's work at the Lehmbruck Museum.
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Emma Talbot meets Johan Thorn Prikker
Kaiser Wilhelm Museum, Krefeld
29. Jul 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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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.
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Peter Behrens - Art and technology
LVR-Industriemuseum Peter-Behrens-Bau, Oberhausen
31. Jul 2026 - 29. Dec 2030
Discover the life and work of Peter Behrens, a pioneer of modern design, in the permanent exhibition at the LVR Industrial Museum in Oberhausen.
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Music, science, society

Meal time! How food connects us
LWL-Museum für Archäologie und Kultur, Herne, Herne
29. Jul 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.
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Behind Beauty
LWL-Museum Textilwerk, Bocholt
29. Jul 2026 - 1. Nov 2026
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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Survival
Ruhr Museum, Essen
29. Jul 2026 - 5. Sept 2027
The state paleontology exhibition “überLeben” in North Rhine-Westphalia offers insights into prehistoric worlds and shows how life and landscapes have changed over millions of years.
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Amazônia. Indigenous worlds
Bundeskunsthalle, Bonn
29. Jul 2026 - 9. Aug 2026
The Bundeskunsthalle in Bonn is presenting the exhibition "Amazônia. Indigenous Worlds", which sheds light on the culture and way of life of the indigenous peoples of the Amazon region.
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Beethoven by Warhol
Verein Beethoven Haus, Bonn
9. Sept 2026 - 5. Apr 2027
To mark the Beethoven Year 2027, the Beethoven House in Bonn is hosting the exhibition “Beethoven by Warhol,” which features Andy Warhol’s silkscreen series “Beethoven 1987” and other Beethoven-related works of art.
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Wanderlust. On the road with Felix the rabbit
LWL-Museum für Kunst und Kultur, Münster
29. Jul 2026 - 13. Sept 2026
The exhibition 'Wanderlustig. On the road with Felix the rabbit' at the LWL-Museum Münster offers an interactive journey around the world through art, culture and sustainable tourism.
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Top exhibitions

Manifesta 16 Ruhr

Anish Kapoor

Emma Talbot meets Johan Thorn Prikker

Thomas Schütte

Peter Behrens - Art and technology

Meal time! How food connects us

Behind Beauty

Survival

Amazônia. Indigenous worlds

Beethoven by Warhol

Wanderlust. On the road with Felix the rabbit

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