Cologne
The square in front of Cologne's historical town hall has for years been ripped open as archaeologists unearthed fabulous finds from Roman times and the…
Cologne
The square in front of Cologne's historical town hall has for years been ripped open as archaeologists unearthed fabulous finds from Roman times and the…
Cologne
Credit for inventing eau de cologne is usually given to Johann Maria Farina and dated to 1709. This private museum in the original factory building takes…
Cologne & Northern Rhineland
The neo-Gothic Schloss Drachenburg looks medieval but was actually built in the 1880s. It houses exhibits on the building's history, the ongoing…
Düsseldorf
Spearing the sky at the southern end of the Rheinuferpromenade, the Rheinturm, which is brilliantly lit at night, and has an observation deck at the 164m…
Deutsches Sport & Olympia Museum
Cologne
In a 19th-century customs building, this museum is an imaginative Germany-focused tribute to the sporting life from antiquity to today. There are exhibits…
Bonn
If memories of math class give you nightmares, this museum may not be for you. If they don't, you may well find this expansive collection of mechanical…
Aachen
It's worth finding a comfy spot in which to sit and contemplate this deeply historic square. At the north end is the backside of the Rathaus; across from…
Münster
The Erbdrostenhof is a lavish mansion commissioned by a local baron and designed by Johann Conrad Schlaun (1695–1773), a master of the Westphalian baroque…
Bonn
The LandesMuseum charts the cultural history of the region back to the days of the Neanderthals. Each of the seven themed galleries brims with fascinating…
Siegerlandmuseum im Oberen Schloss
Cologne & Northern Rhineland
From Markt, Burgstrasse slopes up to the Oberes Schloss, a classic medieval fortress and the ancestral home of the rulers of Nassau-Oranien. Its labyrinth…
Dortmund
Dortmund is not only famous for its football team but also has a long tradition of beer-making. This museum is in the machine and production halls of the…
Cologne
Dating to the 15th century and much restored, the old city hall has fine bells that ring daily at noon and 5pm. The Gothic tower is festooned with statues…
Cologne & Northern Rhineland
This museum in the 1000-year-old abbey near the Dom brims with church treasures going back as far as the 5th century, including sculptures and paintings,…
Münster
This sometimes engaging chronicle of 1200 years of Münster milestones includes a room on the Anabaptist rebellion where you can see the once-red-hot tongs…
Düsseldorf
For a literary kick, swing by the Heinrich Heine Institut, where the 'Romanticism & Revolution' exhibit uses letters, portraits, first editions and…
Cologne
The Kölnisches Stadtmuseum, in the former medieval armoury, explores all facets of Cologne's history. Although the permanent exhibit remains closed while…
Mahn-und Gedenkstätte Düsseldorf
Düsseldorf
Just west of the central Marktplatz, this memorial trains the spotlight on local persecution and resistance during the Third Reich. It reopened in 2015…
Cologne
Winning top honours for Cologne's most handsome church exterior is Gross St Martin, with an ensemble of four slender turrets grouped around a central…
Cologne & Northern Rhineland
It took two centuries to complete this beautiful Gothic hall church whose four gables overlook the market square. Rebuilt after burning down during WWII,…
Mahn- und Gedenkstätte Steinwache
Dortmund
This municipal memorial uses the original rooms and cells of a Nazi prison as a backdrop for a grim exhibit about Dortmund during the Third Reich. Over 66…
Münster
The Überwasserkirche (officially known as Liebfrauenkirche) is a 14th-century Gothic hall church with handsome stained-glass windows in the apse. The…
Münster
The 1773 Schloss is the former residence of prince-bishops and now the main university building. It was blueprinted by baroque architect Johann Conrad…
Cologne & Northern Rhineland
Laurentiuskirche goes back to the 13th century, making it one of the oldest hall churches in the Rhineland. It's beautifully decorated with floral…
Münster
The 1753 St Clemens Church is a baroque beauty blueprinted by local starchitect of the day, Johann Conrad Schlaun. The interior is not accessible but you…
Bonn
The palatial 1705 Kurfürstliche Residenz was once the immodest home of the prince-electors of Cologne and has been part of Bonn’s university since 1818…
Domschatzkammer & Diözesanmuseum
Cologne & Northern Rhineland
For a century (as of 2018), the cathedral treasury has showcased paintings, sculptures, reliquaries and textiles dating from the 11th to the 18th…
Schlossturm & SchifffahrtMuseum
Düsseldorf
Looking a bit forlorn by the river, the Schlossturm is all that’s left of the electors’ palace, which burned down in 1872. Recently restored, it houses a…
Cologne & Northern Rhineland
Halfway up the hill looms Siegen’s signature landmark, the late Romanesque Nikolaikirche. It’s easily recognised by the golden crown atop the steeple,…
Düsseldorf
The historical Marktplatz is framed by the Renaissance Rathaus (1573) and accented by a bronze equestrian statue of Jan Wellem. The art-loving 17th…
Münster
On the top floor of Speicher II, an old warehouse in the rebooted harbour, this gallery presents cutting-edge art by international artists. Admission is…
Bonn
Overlooking the triangular Markt square, the rococo Altes Rathaus absolutely glistens with silver and gold trim. Politicians from Charles de Gaulle to…
Düsseldorf
This small musuem trains the spotlight on the technology, history and mystery of movie-making. Its Black Box art-house cinema presents retrospectives,…
Düsseldorf
The twisted tower of the 14th-century St Lambertuskirche shadows treasures that span several centuries. Look for the Gothic tabernacle, the Renaissance…
Bonn
This rococo gem is lavishly decorated with gilded faux marble, frescoes and a Balthasar Neumann–designed version of the Holy Steps.
Bonn
A buttercup-yellow baroque Palais (palace; now the post office) forms a photogenic backdrop for the Beethoven Monument, unveiled in 1845, 75 years after…
Düsseldorf
A Brutalist '60s cube built from prefabricated blocks of concrete houses the Kunsthalle, which hosts bleeding-edge contemporary art shows. The…
Cologne
This arch outside the Dom is a rare vestige of Cologne's ancient Roman city wall and once formed the northern gateway into the colony.
Cologne
This jaunty tower marks the northwest corner of the ancient Roman town fortifications, which stretched for 4km and had at least nine gates and 19 round…
Aachen
The Dom's visitor centre is your go-to stop for tour tickets, information and to peruse the displays and a short introduction to the cathedral.
Münster
Dinosaurs and the universe are the stars at this large state-run nature museum, which also has a popular planetarium (programs in German only).