Walking with your children along the banks of the Rhine in Düsseldorf, look out for the main attraction, the Ehrenhof, a kind of portal to a world where art reigns supreme. This museum complex was built in the 1920s and consists of several buildings and halls:
- The Palace of Arts;
- A historical and local history exhibition;
- Gallery of Contemporary Art;
- Tonhalle Concert Hall;
- Art Café.
The architectural ensemble is horseshoe-shaped and contains a luxurious fountain and modern sculptures, the most notable of which is an enormous rhinoceros.
At the centre of the fountain is the Greek god Triton, engaged in a deadly duel with a monstrous fish. The courtyard of the museum complex is full of families walking with their children in the shade of the trees on a summer's day, or relaxing on the benches along the flowery alleys.
On the roof, in the centre of the composition, is the statue of Aurora, the work of the controversial Arno Breker, Hitler's personal sculptor and Germany's most sought-after artist until his death in 1991. The museum opened in 1926 with a major exhibition that was visited by over 7.5 million people. In the same year, Düsseldorf was officially proclaimed a "free city and centre of European art.
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The most noteworthy galleries and exhibits
The fascinating journey through the Ehrenhof museum complex begins in the exquisite entrance hall, decorated with a stained glass window by Johan Thorn Prikker, the Dutch artist, master of glass painting and monumental painting. What can you see in the Palais des Arts?
- Paintings from the 17th (Rubens, Lucas Cranach the Elder), 19th (German and Swiss schools) and 20th (Rolfs, Kirchner, Nolde) centuries.
- Graphics — 70,000 works from various periods, including masterpieces by Michelangelo, Veronese, Raphael, Altdorfer.
- A gallery of sculptures and examples of applied arts.
- There are highly artistic works of glass from ancient times to the present day. The crystal cutlery and tableware from the royal courts of Europe, still sparkling with the scattering of diamonds, will captivate you. There are a total of 3,000 pieces on display in the gallery.
The first diamonds in the treasure trove of the Kunsthalle Düsseldorf were found long before the museum was founded. In the 18th century, Elector Johann Wilhelm and his wife Anne de Medici had already amassed an impressive collection of Renaissance and Baroque art.
Concert hall in Ehrenhof
Built as a separate building, the Tonhalle is a philharmonic hall that hosts up to 450 music concerts a year. Its unusual architecture can be explained by the fact that it was originally designed by the famous Wilhelm Kreis to house a planetarium. In 2005, the hall was renovated to make its interior more modern. Since then, it has been used not only for classical music but also for jazz.
The dome of the Philharmonie has been painted a dark metallic blue and fitted with LEDs to create a starry sky effect. In the centre of the dome is a huge crystal chandelier with mirror and lens structures, which is a valuable work of art in itself, as the sketch for it was created by the painter Adolf Luther. Other glass installations by the "artist of light" can also be seen in the Ehrenhof Museum.
Just 600 meters away is the wonderful Hofgarten park
NRW-FORUM gallery
The gallery serves as an exhibition space for contemporary photographers, artists, sculptors and fashion designers, including big names such as Vivienne Westwood and Alexander McQueen. It often hosts group shows of young talent ready to make their mark in the big art world. There's a good café in the lobby and a bookshop in the courtyard, with photos and other materials highlighting technology and young people's interests.
Local history exhibition "People and Economy"
The exhibits in the museum show the development of the town from ancient times to the present day. Most of the artefacts and documents describe the development of agriculture in the Rhine-Westphalia region. The hall is a popular venue for educational excursions for students and schoolchildren.
The concept of the museum complex goes beyond the traditional art canon and is based on an understanding of the need to bring art to a wider international audience. When organising an exhibition, the museum management chooses themes that resonate with our times and open up new perspectives.
Whenever you visit the Ehrenhof in Düsseldorf, amazing exhibitions and events await you. Visit the museum's official website to find out about current exhibitions, concerts and other events.
