Current exhibitions

Wo?

The Fascination of Jewellery

7000 Years of Jewellery Art at the MAKK

Museum of Applied Arts.
from 18 December 2024

With The Fascination of Jewellery, the Cologne Museum of Applied Arts (MAKK) will be opening the first comprehensive exhibition of its outstanding jewellery collection. Featuring 370 selected exhibits, seven millennia of jewellery art will be presented in all their various facets, ranging from ancient oriental gems from the 5th millennium BC through to contemporary jewellery.

Where?

coming soon

(DE) Lebendige Bilder.

Museum of East Asian Art
6 November, 2026

(DE) Buddhistische Bildwerke entstanden meist in rituellem Kontext: Skulpturen oder Malereien von Gottheiten dienten als Kultbilder in Tempeln oder im Haus. Lack-, Metall- oder Keramikobjekte wurden in zeremoniellen Praktiken verwendet. Präsentiert werden Glanzstücke, wie die japanische Skulptur des Buddha Vairocana (frühes 12. Jh.), erstmalig gezeigte Abreibungen bedeutender chinesischer Steinreliefs sowie die Rekonstruktion der Weihe einer einer koreanischen Hägerolle.

Wolfgang Hahn Prize 2025

Evelyn Taocheng Wang

Museum Ludwig
8 November, 2026

Evelyn Taocheng Wang receives the Wolfgang Hahn Prize 2025 Evelyn Taocheng Wang (born 1981 in Chengdu, China; lives in Rotterdam) will be honoured with the 31st Wolfgang Hahn Prize of the Gesellschaft für Moderne Kunst am Museum Ludwig. The award ceremony will take place on Friday, 7 November 2025 at 18:30 during Art Cologne at Museum Ludwig.

(DE) Köln an einem Wintertag…

Cologne City Museum
11 November, 2026

(DE) Die Familienausstellung soll dazu einladen, den Kölner Winter neu zu entdecken. Vier Themenbereiche führen durch Geschichte und Gegenwart: Von eisiger Kälte über funkelnde Lichter und Feste in der dunklen Jahreszeit bis hin zu Wintersport, Spiel und geselligem Miteinander im winterlichen Köln. Zugleich stellt sich die Frage: Wie war der Winter früher – und was passiert, wenn das Klima immer wärmer wird?

(DE) Expedition Zeichnung

Wallraf-Richartz-Museum & Fondation Corboud
14 November, 2026

(DE) Welche Geheimnisse stecken in jahrhundertealten Zeichnungen? Wie bringt man die stummen Meisterwerke zum Sprechen? Und woran lassen sich Original und Kopie unterscheiden? Diese und weitere spannende Fragen beantwortet im Winter 2025/26 die Ausstellung „Expedition Zeichnung“.

(DE) Smile!

Museum Ludwig
15 November, 2026

(DE) Auf alten Porträtfotografien blicken Menschen oft sehr ernst in die Kamera. Ihre Mienen wirken aus heutiger Sicht, wo das Lächeln aus der Fotografie kaum wegzudenken ist, seltsam versteinert. Wie ist es zu diesem Wandel gekommen? Liegt es wirklich nur an der besseren Zahnpflege? Oder spielt die Werbung mit ihren Glücksversprechen vielleicht eine Rolle darin?

From Louise Bourgeois to Yoko Ono

Jewellery by Female Artists

Museum of Applied Arts
21 November, 2026

The exhibition presents jewellery works by around 40 internationally renowned female visual artists from the 1920s to the present day. Their jewellery pieces open up new, often surprising perspectives on their artistic production. Some exhibits captivate with minimalist elegance, others with their expressive, sculptural presence or playful humour, with each unique work consolidating an artistic vision into a small personal statement

Cologne Design Prize 2025

Museum of Applied Arts
27 November, 2025

The Cologne Design Prize is one of the most coveted awards for young graduates of design courses at Cologne universities. It honors the most innovative and outstanding graduation projects - the design of the future. This award is a significant contribution both to supporting young design talent and to promoting Cologne’s profile as a design centre of international importance.

Exhibition preview

AMAZÔNIA - Photographs by SEBASTIÃO SALGADO

Rautenstrauch-Joest-Museum – Cultures of the World October 29, 2025 to March 15, 2026

AMAZÔNIA - Photographs by SEBASTIÃO SALGADO

Rautenstrauch-Joest-Museum – Cultures of the World October 29, 2025 to March 15, 2026

KOLLWITZ NEU SEHEN

Käthe Kollwitz Museum October 11, 2025 to March 15, 2026

KOLLWITZ NEU SEHEN

Käthe Kollwitz Museum October 11, 2025 to March 15, 2026

Die Verleugneten

NS-Documentation Center of the City of Cologne October 9, 2025 to January 4, 2026

Die Verleugneten

NS-Documentation Center of the City of Cologne October 9, 2025 to January 4, 2026

Fünf Freunde:

Museum Ludwig October 3, 2025 to January 11, 2026

Fünf Freunde:

Museum Ludwig October 3, 2025 to January 11, 2026

Missionssammlungen ausgepackt

Rautenstrauch-Joest-Museum – Cultures of the World October 3, 2025 to February 8, 2026

Missionssammlungen ausgepackt

Rautenstrauch-Joest-Museum – Cultures of the World October 3, 2025 to February 8, 2026

WE … TOGETHER. gemeinsam. demokratisch. handeln.

NS-Documentation Center of the City of Cologne September 18, 2025 to March 1, 2026

WE … TOGETHER. gemeinsam. demokratisch. handeln.

NS-Documentation Center of the City of Cologne September 18, 2025 to March 1, 2026

“Le directeur est mort! Vive le directeur!”

In Honor of Roger Goepper on His 100th Birthday

Museum of East Asian Art July 30, 2025 to June 1, 2026

“Le directeur est mort! Vive le directeur!”

In Honor of Roger Goepper on His 100th Birthday

Museum of East Asian Art July 30, 2025 to June 1, 2026

B{L}OOMING

Wallraf-Richartz-Museum & Fondation Corboud June 6, 2025 to May 31, 2026

B{L}OOMING

Wallraf-Richartz-Museum & Fondation Corboud June 6, 2025 to May 31, 2026

Mythos Ming

Museum of East Asian Art May 22, 2025 to November 9, 2025

Mythos Ming

Museum of East Asian Art May 22, 2025 to November 9, 2025

Pauline Hafsia M’barek. Entropic Records

Museum Ludwig May 17, 2025 to November 9, 2025

Pauline Hafsia M’barek. Entropic Records

Museum Ludwig May 17, 2025 to November 9, 2025

Ink Roamings

Contemporary Works on Paper by Jianfeng Pan, 2014–2024

Museum of East Asian Art April 5, 2025 to November 9, 2025

Ink Roamings

Contemporary Works on Paper by Jianfeng Pan, 2014–2024

Museum of East Asian Art April 5, 2025 to November 9, 2025

Licht in dunklen Zeiten – Mittelalterliche Glasmalerei aus dem Khanenko Museum in Kyjiw

Museum Schnütgen April 3, 2025 to April 12, 2026

Licht in dunklen Zeiten – Mittelalterliche Glasmalerei aus dem Khanenko Museum in Kyjiw

Museum Schnütgen April 3, 2025 to April 12, 2026

Über die „Linie“

Museum of East Asian Art February 8, 2025 to December 31, 2025

Über die „Linie“

Museum of East Asian Art February 8, 2025 to December 31, 2025

The Fascination of Jewellery

7000 Years of Jewellery Art at the MAKK

Museum of Applied Arts December 18, 2024 to December 31, 2026

The Fascination of Jewellery

7000 Years of Jewellery Art at the MAKK

Museum of Applied Arts December 18, 2024 to December 31, 2026

Art Tells Its Own Story

New Ways to Discover the Collection

Museum Schnütgen December 6, 2024 to March 31, 2027

Art Tells Its Own Story

New Ways to Discover the Collection

Museum Schnütgen December 6, 2024 to March 31, 2027

Schultze Projects #4

Museum Ludwig September 20, 2024 to June 14, 2026

Schultze Projects #4

Museum Ludwig September 20, 2024 to June 14, 2026

Die neue Dauerausstellung – KÖLN NEU ERZÄHLT!

Cologne City Museum March 23, 2024 to December 31, 2025

Die neue Dauerausstellung – KÖLN NEU ERZÄHLT!

Cologne City Museum March 23, 2024 to December 31, 2025

The Recognition Machine

Rautenstrauch-Joest-Museum – Cultures of the World March 7, 2024 to December 31, 2025

The Recognition Machine

Rautenstrauch-Joest-Museum – Cultures of the World March 7, 2024 to December 31, 2025

Rautenstrauch-Joest-Museum – Cultures of the World
October 29, 2025 to March 15, 2026

Rautenstrauch-Joest-Museum – Cultures of the World
October 29, 2025 to March 15, 2026

Käthe Kollwitz Museum
October 11, 2025 to March 15, 2026

Käthe Kollwitz Museum
October 11, 2025 to March 15, 2026

NS-Documentation Center of the City of Cologne
October 9, 2025 to January 4, 2026

NS-Documentation Center of the City of Cologne
October 9, 2025 to January 4, 2026

Museum Ludwig
October 3, 2025 to January 11, 2026

Museum Ludwig
October 3, 2025 to January 11, 2026

Rautenstrauch-Joest-Museum – Cultures of the World
October 3, 2025 to February 8, 2026

Rautenstrauch-Joest-Museum – Cultures of the World
October 3, 2025 to February 8, 2026

NS-Documentation Center of the City of Cologne
September 18, 2025 to March 1, 2026

NS-Documentation Center of the City of Cologne
September 18, 2025 to March 1, 2026

Museum of East Asian Art
July 30, 2025 to June 1, 2026

Museum of East Asian Art
July 30, 2025 to June 1, 2026

Wallraf-Richartz-Museum & Fondation Corboud
June 6, 2025 to May 31, 2026

Wallraf-Richartz-Museum & Fondation Corboud
June 6, 2025 to May 31, 2026

Museum of East Asian Art
May 22, 2025 to November 9, 2025

Museum of East Asian Art
May 22, 2025 to November 9, 2025

Museum Ludwig
May 17, 2025 to November 9, 2025

Museum Ludwig
May 17, 2025 to November 9, 2025

Museum of East Asian Art
April 5, 2025 to November 9, 2025

Museum of East Asian Art
April 5, 2025 to November 9, 2025

Museum Schnütgen
April 3, 2025 to April 12, 2026

Museum Schnütgen
April 3, 2025 to April 12, 2026

Museum of East Asian Art
February 8, 2025 to December 31, 2025

Museum of East Asian Art
February 8, 2025 to December 31, 2025

Museum of Applied Arts
December 18, 2024 to December 31, 2026

Museum of Applied Arts
December 18, 2024 to December 31, 2026

Museum Schnütgen
December 6, 2024 to March 31, 2027

Museum Schnütgen
December 6, 2024 to March 31, 2027

Museum Ludwig
September 20, 2024 to June 14, 2026

Museum Ludwig
September 20, 2024 to June 14, 2026

Cologne City Museum
March 23, 2024 to December 31, 2025

Cologne City Museum
March 23, 2024 to December 31, 2025

Rautenstrauch-Joest-Museum – Cultures of the World
March 7, 2024 to December 31, 2025

Rautenstrauch-Joest-Museum – Cultures of the World
March 7, 2024 to December 31, 2025

Rautenstrauch-Joest-Museum – Cultures of the World
April 29, 2022 to December 31, 2025

Rautenstrauch-Joest-Museum – Cultures of the World
April 29, 2022 to December 31, 2025