Museum Folkwang

Current exhibitions

About the museum

The museum goes back to Karl Ernst Osthaus, the son of a Hagen banker, who opened the Folkwang Museum in Hagen in 1902; he borrowed the name from the Old Norse Edda. Advised by Henry van de Velde, Osthaus bought works of French modernism early on, such as Renoir's “Lise with a Parasol” in 1901; in 1905 his became the first German museum to hold a van Gogh exhibition, and he exhibited the Brücke and the Blauer Reiter. He presented art from Africa, Asia and the Islamic world on an equal footing alongside them.

After Osthaus's death, Essen citizens, companies and the city acquired the collection in 1922 and merged it with the Städtisches Kunstmuseum Essen (municipal art museum); since then it has been jointly owned by the city and the Folkwang-Museumsverein. Under Ernst Gosebruch, the museum was one of the leading museums of modern art until the Nazis confiscated more than 1,400 works in 1937 and bombs partly destroyed the buildings.

A new building opened in 1960, and directors such as Paul Vogt rebuilt the collection with reacquisitions and works of Abstract Expressionism. The photography collection was added in 1978, and the Deutsches Plakat Museum (German Poster Museum) in 2008. In 2010 the extension by David Chipperfield was inaugurated.

Since 2015 admission to the collection has been free thanks to the Alfried Krupp von Bohlen und Halbach-Stiftung; in 2020 the foundation and the city agreed to keep it that way permanently. In 2019 the German section of the art critics' association AICA named the Folkwang Museum of the Year. Peter Gorschlüter has headed the museum since 2018.

Highlights

• Pierre-Auguste Renoir: “Lise with a Parasol”
• Paul Cézanne: “The Bibémus Quarry”
• Vincent van Gogh: Portrait of Armand Roulin
• Barnett Newman: “Prometheus Bound” and other works of Abstract Expressionism
• Photography collection and Deutsches Plakat Museum
• Extension by David Chipperfield (2010)

Permanent exhibitions

• Neue Welten. Dialog der Künste – The free collection presentation tells stories of art from the 19th century to today across 29 rooms, spanning eras and media, with changing new acquisitions.

Founded

1902

Operated by

Stadt Essen (Sammlung gemeinsam mit dem Folkwang-Museumsverein e. V.)

Director

Prof. Peter Gorschlüter

Visitors per year

approx. 175,213 (2024)

Admission & discounts

Admission is free.

The permanent collection is free on all opening days; timed tickets can optionally be booked online. Major special exhibitions are subject to a charge, currently “Ich, Gustave Courbet. Maler und Rebell” (I, Gustave Courbet. Painter and Rebel; until November 8, 2026): €16, reduced €12 (children and young people aged 6–18, school students, university students, people with disabilities with a degree of disability (GdB) of 70 or more, Federal Volunteer Service participants, recipients of social assistance). Free admission to the special exhibition with, among others, an ICOM, CIMAM or press card, the Ehrenamtskarte NRW/Essen (volunteer card), and for members of the Folkwang-Museumsverein; RuhrKultur.Card once a year. Voluntary climate ticket €1. Audio guide to the collection €4, museum app free.

Accessibility

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

Main entrance via a gentle ramp, plus an elevator from outside and from the underground parking; all levels accessible. Four accessible restrooms, four accessible parking spaces in the underground parking. Magnifiers, folding stools and a limited number of wheelchairs available on loan. Regular tours in sign language and in easy-to-read language, as well as tour conversations for people with dementia; at events, hearing support via the Sennheiser MobileConnect app. Assistance dogs allowed.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops

Family tours and talks for families (Sundays), open family workshops on Saturdays for children aged 5 and up, an art workshop for schoolchildren, a holiday academy and family days twice a year. Children under 10 only when accompanied by an adult.

Getting there & parking

16 free bicycle parking spaces in the underground parking, more on Museumsplatz; e-bike charging stations against a key deposit.

Amenities & dining

• Café
• Restaurant
• Museum shop
• Coat check
• Wi-Fi

Restaurant-café “Edda” in the new building with terrace (Sat–Wed 11:00–17:00, Thu/Fri 11:00–19:00, closed Mon). Walther König bookstore at the main entrance, accessible without admission. Bags, umbrellas, jackets and backpacks must be left at the coat check; bag checks take place. Free Wi-Fi. Reading room Tue–Fri 10:00–18:00.

Events & venue rental

• Spaces for rent
• Private parties
• Corporate events
• Weddings / ceremonies

Up to 400 guests.

Rental and catering through the restaurant Edda in the museum: Hirschland-Saal (receptions up to 200, gala dinners up to 130 people), private dining room (up to 20), exclusive use of the restaurant (up to 80) and terrace; events of up to 400 people in total, including birthday parties and weddings.

Plan your visit