Westphalia's major art museum on Münster's Domplatz: art and culture from the Middle Ages through August Macke to the present.
March 28, 2026 – January 3, 2027
Family exhibition in which Felix the plush rabbit leads visitors through six themed rooms on the coast, the city and faraway places, combining art from Macke to Piene with hands-on stations.
October 17, 2026 – January 17, 2027
The Istanbul-born artist explores abandoned places and stories missing from official historiography.
Special exhibition
The Zagreb museum displays personal objects and stories of failed relationships in the foyer; expected to open in January 2027.
Special exhibition
The sixth edition of the exhibition of art in public space, held every ten years, celebrates its 50th anniversary; curated by the collective WHW and planned for summer 2027.
The museum's roots lie in the 19th century: the Verein für Geschichte und Altertumskunde Westfalens (1825) and the Westfälischer Kunstverein (1831) collected art treasures from dissolved churches and monasteries to preserve them after secularization. These holdings formed the basis of the Landesmuseum (state museum) of the Province of Westphalia, which opened in March 1908 in a Neo-Renaissance building by Hermann Schaedtler on the Domplatz.
Directors such as Adolf Brüning and Max Geisberg shaped the early collection; Geisberg lost his post in 1934 because he opposed Nazi cultural policy. After the war, which destroyed parts of the building, Walther Greischel rebuilt the collection. An extension was added in 1974, and from 1977 the museum made Münster an international center for public art with the Skulptur Projekte, held every ten years since then. The August Macke exhibition in 1987 drew more than 400,000 people.
The 1970s extension was later replaced by a new building by the Berlin architect Volker Staab, with which the museum reopened under its new name in September 2014. Since then, a chronological tour has led through the history of art and culture from the Middle Ages to the present.
The museum is run by the Landschaftsverband Westfalen-Lippe; Hermann Arnhold has directed it since 2004. A major collection of lacquer art was added in 2025, and in 2026 two monumental paintings by Gerhard Richter arrived on permanent loan.
| Adults | €10 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | €5Recipients of benefits under SGB II/XII (German social security code), students under 30, apprentices, volunteer service participants, people with a disability rating (GdB) of 50 or more |
| Children & teens | freefree up to age 17 · Children and young people under 18 get free admission, including to special exhibitions. |
| Seniors | –No senior discount mentioned. |
| Visitors with disabilities | €5companion free · Reduced with a disability rating of 50 or more; the companion gets free admission with corresponding proof. |
| Students & apprentices | €5Students under 30. |
| Groups (16+ people) | €7 per personGroups of 16 or more; €9 per person including the special exhibition. Private guided tours (max. 15 people) €50 for 60 min., €75 for 90 min. |
| Families | –No family ticket; children and young people under 18 are free. |
| Collection + exhibition “Reiselustig” | €13Reduced: €6.50; groups of 16 or more €9 |
| Kunst nach Fünf (Art after Five, from 17:00) | €5Half-price admission from 17:00 |
| Gerhard Richter spotlight tour (Thu 17:00, admission included) | €9Reduced: €6.50 |
| LWL-MuseumsCard (annual pass) | €50€15 for students; “Ich&Du” partner card for two adults €70; valid at all LWL museums. |
Free admission: Every 2nd Friday of the month from 18:00
Online tickets through the museum's ticket shop; gift vouchers only at the museum ticket desk.
Certified under “Reisen für Alle” (since November 2022). Both entrances accessible, free loaner wheelchairs and folding stools, accessible restrooms on all floors, accessible parking spaces on the Domplatz and in the Aegidiimarkt parking garage. Induction loops and assistive listening systems, media guide with sign language videos, tactile orientation maps, Braille guides and audio-tactile books, guides in Easy Language; escort service can be booked through the visitor office.
Great for kids & families
| Kids’ admission | free up to age 17 |
|---|
On Sundays, family tours with a "Kulturbeutel" (ages 4–10) and family tours with an activity booklet; workshops for ages 2–10, parent-and-baby tours, holiday workshops (HolidayLab), and regular family days. Children's birthday parties (ages 4–15, 120 min.). Free admission up to and including age 17.
Domplatz
Bus to the “Domplatz” stop: from the Hauptbahnhof (main station) lines 1, 9, 12, 14 (bus platform B1) and 2, 4, 10, 11 (bus platform C1), about 7 minutes; about a 15-minute walk from the Hauptbahnhof.
Parking available
No parking lot of its own; Aegidiimarkt parking garage opposite the museum, Schlossplatz parking lot about a 10-minute walk away; accessible parking spaces at Domplatz.
By car via the A1 or A43, exit Münster-Süd or Münster-Nord, then toward the city center.
Get directionsRestaurant LUX with deli (Tue–Sun 10:00–16:00) and restaurant (Tue–Sun from 17:00). Museum shop of the Buchhandlung Walther König (Tue–Sun 10:00–18:00). Bicycle racks and e-bike charging station at the museum.
Up to 400 guests.
Foyer (approx. 700 m², up to 400 people standing), auditorium (approx. 230 seats), historic atrium (dinners, receptions), patio (open-air) and Skylobby (up to 30 people); for lectures, conferences, galas, dinners and concerts, with exclusive guided tours outside opening hours on request.
Inquiries & details| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| Audio guide | yes |
| School programs | yes |
| Good to know | Media guide available at the ticket desk. Spotlight tours on Gerhard Richter on Thursdays at 17:00 and Saturdays at 14:00; private group tours and workshops through the visitor office (+49 251 5907-201). |
All 14 museums in Münster All museums in North Rhine-Westphalia
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