Museum Folkwang, Art museum in Essen, Germany.
The Museum Folkwang is an art museum in Essen, Germany, housed in a modern building at Museumsplatz. The collection includes around 900 paintings, 320 sculptures, 12,000 drawings and 60,000 photographs spread across several exhibition areas.
Karl Ernst Osthaus founded the collection in 1902 and created the first public collection in Germany to acquire works by Cézanne, Gauguin and Van Gogh. After World War II the building was rebuilt and expanded in Essen.
The name Folkwang comes from Norse mythology and refers to the hall of the goddess Freya, a concept the founder chose for his art project. Today visitors connect the place with the idea that different art forms and periods come together in a shared space.
The museum opens Tuesday through Sunday from 10:00 to 18:00, with extended hours until 20:00 on Thursdays and Fridays. The exhibition spaces spread over several floors, so plan around two to three hours for a complete visit.
The museum also preserves 1,800 objects of antique and non-European art and crafts ranging from 4000 BC to the 19th century. This collection includes pieces from different cultures and continents that visitors often overlook.
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