A museum landscape for explorers

The Lower Rhine has many more extraordinary museums waiting to be discovered. The ‘Haus des Bergmanns’ in Kamp-Lintfort, perhaps, where you can experience a dwelling typical of a mining family from 1910 and step into a mine gallery practically hidden behind the wardrobe. Or the Royal Air Force Museum in Weeze, which exhibits fighter planes, ejector seats and uniforms and commemorates the period when the British Air Force was based along the Lower Rhine. The Tractor Museum in Sonsbeck, where you can get behind the wheel of an agricultural vehicle, and the Rhine and Maritime Museum in Emmerich am Rhein, which even exhibits a small submarine, are also unusual but well worth seeing.

Moyland Castle Museum offers great contemporary art. The picturesque moated castle holds the world’s largest collection of works by Joseph Beuys, a controversial artist of world renown whose works like ‘Fettecke’ (Fat Corner) polarised and fascinated people. Impressive sculptures that harmoniously blend in with the gardens can be seen in the castle park.

Halls, hangars and bunker systems

Great art in harmony with nature: that’s what the Hombroich Museum Island on the outskirts of Neuss stands for. Sculptures without any barriers that can be walked on, notable collections and artists’ studios:  a refuge that is part of a former NATO missile base with halls, hangars and bunker systems. Art, architecture and landscape form a unique unit.

Contemporary art and outstanding architecture also form the basis of Abteiberg Museum in Mönchengladbach. Works by Andy Warhol, Gerhard Richter and Gregor Schneider can be seen in the futuristic building, which has been declared a ‘work of art for art’. The architecture won multiple awards; the building was named ‘Museum of the Year’ in 2016.

The city of Krefeld is closely linked to Bauhaus architecture. The Lange and Esters houses, former industrialists’ villas built in the Bauhaus style by architect Mies van der Rohe, are platforms for exhibiting modern living today. Buildings like the Kaiser Wilhelm Museum in Krefeld, Begas House in Heinsberg and Cleves Spa House offer classical art collections.

The Lower Rhenish Open-air Museum in Grefrath presents regional history in a family-friendly way and Xanten Rhineland Regional Authority (RRA) Archaeological Park ranks among the crowd-pullers. There, visitors can experience the old Roman city of Colonia Ulpia Traiana with an amphitheatre, harbour temple, old city wall and Roman hostel. But the RRA Roman Museum is also a must-see, as well as Rheydt Castle Museum, Clemens Sels Museum in Neuss, Linn Castle Museum Complex, the Wesel RRA Lower Rhine Museum and many more.

The Lower Rhine is full of culture. A museum landscape for explorers.