Villa Hügel

Current exhibitions

About the museum

Alfred Krupp, who had expanded his father's cast-steel works into one of the largest industrial companies of the 19th century, had the villa built between 1870 and 1873 on a hill above the Ruhr – largely to his own sketches and with close attention to building technology such as heating and ventilation. The family moved in in January 1873. With 399 rooms, the house served both as a residence and as a stage for receiving emperors, state guests and business partners.

Later generations reshaped the interior: from 1888, Friedrich Alfred and Margarethe Krupp furnished it more lavishly and laid the foundation for the art collection and the Flemish tapestries. Between 1913 and 1916, Bertha Krupp and Gustav Krupp von Bohlen und Halbach gave the house the appearance that still defines it today, including the grand halls. At times, more than 600 staff worked for the household.

After the end of the war, the Allies confiscated the estate in 1945; the family did not get it back until 1952 and never lived there again. Alfried Krupp von Bohlen und Halbach and his mother opened the house to the public, and the first major art exhibition took place here as early as 1953. In 1984, Berthold Beitz founded the Kulturstiftung Ruhr, which continues the exhibition tradition and runs the visitor operations.

Today the property belongs to the Alfried Krupp von Bohlen und Halbach-Stiftung. The Kleines Haus (Small House), restored in keeping with its listed status in 2005/06, houses the Historisches Archiv Krupp and a permanent exhibition on the history of the family, the company and the foundation.

Highlights

• Upper and Lower Hall with furnishings from 1913 to 1916
• Flemish tapestries from the Krupp family collection
• Historical Krupp exhibition in the Kleines Haus
• Hügelpark, around 40 hectares, with sculptures above Lake Baldeney
• Free "Hügel" app with augmented reality and 360-degree panoramas

Permanent exhibitions

• Historische Ausstellung Krupp – The Kleines Haus presents the Krupp family, the villa and park, the Krupp foundation and more than 200 years of company history – asking how the firm held its ground through crises, upheavals and wars.
• Großes Haus – The public rooms of the former residence, with their halls, salons and tapestries, can also be visited without a guide; guided tours and the "Hügel" app open up further areas.

Founded

1953

Operated by

Kulturstiftung Ruhr (Besucherbetrieb); Eigentümerin: Alfried Krupp von Bohlen und Halbach-Stiftung

Director

Volker Troche

Admission & discounts

Free admission: Every first Friday of the month (Tag des offenen Hügels – open house day)

The ticket is valid for the park; depending on opening times, the Großes Haus and the historical Krupp exhibition can be visited as well. Annual pass €60 (January–December) or €30 (July–December). Free admission for employees of the thyssenkrupp group and the Alfried Krupp Krankenhaus. Admission gift vouchers €9 (on site only). Tickets on site only; payment in cash, by Girocard, Mastercard or VISA. 2026 prices.

Accessibility

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

The public areas are accessible via ramps and elevators (Großes Haus, historical Krupp exhibition); the exhibition area that only opens for temporary exhibitions is not accessible. Historic cobblestones outdoors and at the entrance. "Behind the scenes" tours are not possible for wheelchair or rollator users. Two accessible parking spaces in front of the main house; accessible restrooms in the Großes Haus and Kleines Haus and in the park. The Essen-Hügel S-Bahn station and the bus stop are not accessible.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide

Public discovery tour for 8- to 12-year-olds accompanied by parents (last Saturday of the month, 60 minutes, children free); the free "Hügel" app includes a kids' tour. No dogs on the grounds.

Getting there & parking

GPS address: Haraldstraße, 45133 Essen (A 52, exit Essen-Haarzopf or Essen-Rüttenscheid, then follow the signs). Car access via Gate 3 (Freiherr-vom-Stein-Straße, toward the S-Bahn) or Gate 4 (Haraldstraße, toward bus 194); Gate 2 is closed.

Amenities & dining

• Café: not available
• Restaurant: not available
• Coat check
• Lockers
• Wi-Fi

No café: food truck outside (March–October, Tue–Sun 11:00–17:00, no seating); eating and drinking not allowed inside the buildings, restaurants on Lake Baldeney. Unattended coat check and lockers in the Großes Haus and Kleines Haus. Free Wi-Fi in all rooms and parts of the park. Free "Hügel" app with a self-guided tour and a highlights tour. Dogs (except registered assistance dogs) are not allowed on the grounds, not even in cars.

Events & venue rental

As far as we know, the museum does not rent out spaces for external events.

Villa Hügel is used exclusively for projects of the Krupp foundation; private and commercial requests for parties, weddings, photo shoots or filming are declined as a matter of principle.

Plan your visit