All Renaissance art & Early modern art museums to visit in North Rhine – Westphalia

Experience the artistic revival of the Renaissance and early modern periods at 20 museums in North Rhine – Westphalia. These museums showcase masterpieces from a transformative era in art history.

Are you captivated by Renaissance and early modern art? These are the best museums to visit in North Rhine – Westphalia:

  1. Aachen Cathedral Treasury1

    Aachen Cathedral Treasury

     Aachen
    The Aachen Cathedral Treasury is recognized as one of the most significant ecclesiastical treasures in Europe. It houses a unique collection of precious objects from the Middle Ages, reflecting the rich history and cultural heritage of the region. Visitors can explore this vast collection, which offers a glimpse into the religious, artistic, and cultural practices of the past.
  2. Kunstmuseum Villa Zanders2

    Kunstmuseum Villa Zanders

     Bergisch Gladbach
    Villa Zanders, located in Bergisch Gladbach in the Rheinisch-Bergischen Kreis of North Rhine-Westphalia, is a former industrialist villa that belonged to the Zanders family. This three-story brick building is structured with natural stone in the style of the French Renaissance. The villa was built in 1873-1874 for Maria Zanders, the widow of Carl Richard Zanders, and was originally situated in the middle of a small park, of which only remnants remain.
  3. Burghofmuseum Soest3

    Burghofmuseum Soest

     Soest
    The Burghof is a historic patrician house located in Soest, which now houses a city history museum. This museum offers a deep dive into the rich history of the city, providing visitors with a unique opportunity to learn about the past. The Burghof also features a historic banquet hall, which adds to the charm and historical significance of the place.
  4. Stadtmuseum Siegburg4

    Stadtmuseum Siegburg

     Siegburg
    The Stadtmuseum Siegburg is a museum that focuses on archaeology, art, and cultural history. It provides a comprehensive documentation of the history of Siegburg, from its earliest times to the present day. The museum's exhibits cover a wide range of topics, making it a fascinating destination for anyone interested in learning more about the city's past.
  5. Suermondt-Ludwig-Museum5

    Suermondt-Ludwig-Museum

     Aachen
    The Suermondt-Ludwig-Museum, located in Aachen, Germany, is an art museum that was established in 1877. It is named after its founder, Barthold Suermondt, and art collectors Irene and Peter Ludwig. The museum is known for its extensive collection of artworks, which includes pieces from various periods and styles.
  6. Art and Exhibition Hall of the Federal Republic of Germany6

    Art and Exhibition Hall of the Federal Republic of Germany

     Bonn
    The Art and Exhibition Hall of the Federal Republic of Germany, also known as the Bundeskunsthalle, is a popular destination for tourists. It is located in Bonn, as part of the renowned 'Museum Mile'. This museum is one of the most frequented in Germany, attracting a large number of visitors each year.
  7. Kaiser-Wilhelm-Museum7

    Kaiser-Wilhelm-Museum

     Krefeld
    The Kaiser-Wilhelm-Museum is the primary building of the Krefeld Art Museums. The museum's focus is on art from the second half of the 20th century, offering a rich collection of modern and contemporary art. It is a significant cultural landmark in the city of Krefeld.
  8. Kolumba8

    Kolumba

     Cologne
    Kolumba is an art museum in Cologne. The museum is one of the oldest museums in Cologne and is located on the site of the former St. Columba church. The museum holds and exhibits a collection paintings, drawings, prints, sculptures, decorative art and religious icons from Late Antiquity to contempor
  9. Deutsches Glasmalerei-Museum Linnich9

    Deutsches Glasmalerei-Museum Linnich

     Linnich
    The Deutsches Glasmalerei-Museum in Linnich is a unique institution in Germany, dedicated to the art of stained glass. It houses a wide range of exhibits, both historical and contemporary, featuring works by renowned artists such as Georg Meistermann, Brian Clarke, and Otmar Alt. This museum provides a comprehensive overview of the evolution and diversity of stained glass art, making it a fascinating destination for art enthusiasts and history buffs alike.
  10. Katharinenhof Kranenburg10

    Katharinenhof Kranenburg

     Kranenburg
    Museum Katharinenhof is an art museum situated in the historic city center of Kranenburg, in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia. The museum has been housed in a former sister convent since 1961, adding a unique historical charm to the establishment.
  11. Museum Abtei Liesborn11

    Museum Abtei Liesborn

     Liesborn
    The Museum Abtei Liesborn is a unique destination for art and cultural history enthusiasts. It is situated in the baroque abbot's residence of the former Liesborn Abbey of the Benedictines in Liesborn. This setting provides a rich historical backdrop for the museum's exhibits, adding to the overall visitor experience.
  12. Wewelsburg District Museum12

    Wewelsburg District Museum

     Büren
    Wewelsburg is a Renaissance castle situated in the village of the same name in Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany. The castle is surrounded on three sides by the village, which is now part of the city of Büren. The castle was built in its current form between 1603 and 1609 as the second home to Prince-Bishop Dietrich von Fürstenberg. Today, the castle appears as a remodeling and inclusion of earlier buildings on the site, with the first buildings erected as early as the 8th and 9th centuries.
  13. Clemens Sels Museum Neuss13

    Clemens Sels Museum Neuss

     Neuss
    The Clemens Sels Museum Neuss is an art museum situated in the city of Neuss. It is a modern multi-part building that houses a wide range of art collections from different periods and styles.
  14. Museum Kunstpalast14

    Museum Kunstpalast

     Düsseldorf
    The Kunstpalast Museum, also known as the Museum Kunst Palast is a museum in Düsseldorf. The museum is located on the site of an older museum from 1902 that was rebuilt twice. Paintings and sculptures from the period between the Middle Ages and the 21st century are exhibited in Museum Kunstpalast. I
  15. Von der Heydt-Museum15

    Von der Heydt-Museum

     Wuppertal
    The Von der Heydt Museum is a museum in Wuppertal, housed in the former city hall of Elberfeld. The museum is named after the Von der Heydt family which were important patrons. The museum's permanent collection contains paintings and sculptures from the sixteenth century to the present, including wo
  16. Domschatzkammer Essen16

    Domschatzkammer Essen

     Essen
    The Essener Domschatz is one of the most important collections of ecclesiastical art in Germany. The dom treasure goes back to the treasure of the former Essen Abbey, which after the secularization of the abbey in 1803 became the property of the associated parish. The collection is unique in that it
  17. Diözesanmuseum17

    Diözesanmuseum

     Paderborn
    The museum is home to one of the most comprehensive and important collections of Christian art in Germany. With over 12,000 works that span around 1,000 years, visitors can immerse themselves in a rich tapestry of religious art and history. The collection includes sculpture and goldsmith art from the Romanesque to the Baroque period.
  18. Museum unter Tage - MuT18

    Museum unter Tage - MuT

     Bochum
    The Museum unter Tage - MuT fulfills two functions: one third (about 500 m2) of the exhibition space is used for temporary exhibitions and two-thirds (approximately 1,000 m2) of the exhibition space serves to permanently present parts of the collection. This includes about 350 works of landscape art
  19. Westphalian State Museum of Art and Cultural History19

    Westphalian State Museum of Art and Cultural History

     Münster
    The Westphalian State Museum of Art and Cultural History, located in Münster, Germany, is a renowned institution dedicated to the preservation and exhibition of art and cultural artifacts. The museum offers a unique opportunity to explore a wide range of artistic styles and periods, providing a comprehensive understanding of the region's rich cultural history.
  20. Weserrenaissance-Museum20

    Weserrenaissance-Museum

     Lemgo
    The Weserrenaissance-Museum, which opened its doors in 1986, is a unique institution dedicated to the art and cultural history of the 16th and early 17th centuries in Northern and Western Germany. It is situated in the historic Schloss Brake in Lemgo, North Rhine-Westphalia. The museum offers a deep dive into the Renaissance period, showcasing the cultural richness and artistic achievements of the era.