Kaiser Wilhelm Museum

About the museum

The Kaiser Wilhelm Museum opened in 1897 on what was then Karlsplatz and was both a museum and a monument to Kaiser Wilhelm I. Under founding director Friedrich Deneken it quickly became one of the most progressive houses for fine and applied arts: paintings, posters, ceramics, and Japanese woodblock prints were meant to shape the taste of Krefeld's middle class. In 1912 a south and a north wing were added, and in 1923 Johan Thorn Prikker created the mural "Lebensalter" (Ages of Life) on the upper floor.

The building survived the Second World War undamaged. In the 1960s director Paul Wember had it modernized; in the process the Kaisertreppe (imperial staircase) and the grand exterior staircase disappeared, and since then one enters the building at ground level from the square. Under Wember the museum became a showcase of contemporary art, and the emperor's statue was placed in front of the building in 1979.

From 2012 to 2016 the building was renovated from the basement to the roof and equipped to current standards for climate control and security. It is the main building of the Kunstmuseen Krefeld, which also include Haus Lange and Haus Esters, villas designed by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe. The collection comprises around 24,000 works from the late Middle Ages to the present; part of it can be seen on the second floor in the regularly rearranged presentation "Sammlung in Bewegung" (Collection in Motion). In 2022 the German section of the art critics' association AICA named the Kunstmuseen Krefeld Museum of the Year.

Highlights

• Mural "Lebensalter" by Johan Thorn Prikker (1923)
• "Sammlung in Bewegung" with 15 themed rooms
• Permanently installed works by Joseph Beuys and Yves Klein, among others
• Around 24,000 works from the late Middle Ages to the present
• K+ Café, designed by designer Robert Stadler

Permanent exhibitions

• Sammlung in Bewegung – Changing presentation of the museum's own collection in 15 rooms on the second floor, in which painting, sculpture, photography, and design come together in thematic stories.

Founded

1897

Operated by

Stadt Krefeld

Director

Katia Baudin

Admission & discounts

Free admission: On the first Thursday of the month, evening program "KunstImPuls" with free admission (alternating between the Kaiser Wilhelm Museum and Haus Lange Haus Esters).

Public tours €4 plus admission. Free admission also for members of ICOM/CIMAM, IAA, the German Museums Association, and the Freunde der Kunstmuseen Krefeld.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible
• Elevator
• Accessible restroom: no information
• Accessible parking: no information
• Service dogs welcome: no information
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

All floors and exhibition rooms can be reached independently via elevators and ramps; café, shop, and restrooms are at ground level. Tactile guidance system in the foyer, induction loops for audio-based tours. Visits can be announced at 02151 97558-137 or by email to servicekunstmuseen@krefeld.de.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Stroller-friendly: not available
• Kids’ birthday parties

Monthly "Museumsspaß" with creative workshops for children aged 5 and up, holiday courses, interactive tours for children and adults, and children's birthday parties. Personal strollers are not allowed in the museum; the museum provides buggies.

Getting there & parking

By car: A 57 exit Krefeld-Zentrum, via Berliner Straße toward the center, then Ostwall, Südwall, and Westwall to Joseph-Beuys-Platz.

Amenities & dining

• Café
• Museum shop
• Coat check

K+ Café in the KWM (Tue–Sun 10:00–18:00) with breakfast, cake, and light meals. Museum shop in the foyer. Umbrellas, backpacks, and larger bags must be checked.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this – please ask the museum directly.

Plan your visit