Museum Ludwig, Art museum in Altstadt-Nord, Cologne, Germany
Museum Ludwig is an art museum in Altstadt-Nord, Cologne, focusing on modern and contemporary art from the 20th and 21st centuries. The collection holds major holdings in European pop art, Russian avant-garde, and German expressionist painting, alongside a large photography section covering nearly two centuries of work.
The Ludwigs founded the museum in 1976 by donating their private art collection to the city of Cologne. The institution became part of a larger complex near the cathedral and grew into a major center for modern art in Germany.
The institution takes its name from the couple who donated their private holdings to the city, creating a center for modern art. Visitors today encounter works from major movements of the 20th century, from cubist paintings to American pop imagery, making the space a living dialogue with contemporary visual language.
The museum opens Tuesday through Sunday from 10:00 to 18:00, with extended evening hours until 22:00 on the first Thursday of each month. Exhibition rooms spread across several floors, so a full visit typically takes two to three hours.
The photography collection ranks among the largest of its kind worldwide and displays images from the dawn of photography to the present in a dedicated area. Some of the earliest daguerreotypes date back to the 1840s and document the technical evolution of this medium across nearly two centuries.
Location: Altstadt-Nord
Inception: 1976
Founders: Peter Ludwig, Irene Ludwig
Official opening: 1976
Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible
Address: Heinrich-Böll-Platz, 50667 Köln
Opening Hours: Monday off; Tuesday-Sunday 10:00-18:00
Phone: +4922122126165
Email: info@museum-ludwig.de
Website: http://museum-ludwig.de
GPS coordinates: 50.94083,6.96002
Latest update: December 5, 2025 22:25
Cologne, the fourth largest city in Germany, has stood on the banks of the Rhine for over two thousand years. This collection presents the main monuments, museums, and sites that trace the city's history from Roman times to the present day. The Gothic cathedral dominates the city center with its two 157-meter-tall towers, while remnants of medieval fortifications, such as the Hahnen Gate, testify to the defensive past of the city. The museums in Cologne offer a journey through the centuries. The Roman-Germanic Museum displays Dionysus’ mosaic and archaeological remains of the Roman colonia. The Wallraf-Richartz Museum houses seven centuries of European painting, from the Middle Ages to Impressionism. The Museum Ludwig contains one of the largest collections of pop art outside the United States, including major works by Warhol and Lichtenstein. The Nazi Documentation Center, located in the former Gestapo headquarters, documents the period from 1933 to 1945. The Chocolate Museum traces the history of cacao from Central America, while the Farina House remembers that Cologne has given its name to a world-famous fragrance since the 18th century.
Shrine of the Three Kings
88 m
Cathedral Window
131 m
Kölner Philharmonie
32 m
Romano-Germanic Museum
83 m
Crossing tower of Cologne Cathedral
143 m
Dom-Hotel
150 m
Domschatzkammer Cologne
143 m
Dionysosmosaik
96 m
Senftöpfchen
136 m
Art and Museum Library of the City of Cologne
38 m
Organs of Cologne Cathedral
139 m
Tomb of Konrad von Hochstaden
90 m
Bayernfenster
170 m
Statue of St. Christophorus in Cologne Cathedral
134 m
Haus Saaleck
121 m
Jüngeres Bibelfenster
170 m
Wartesaal am Dom
157 m
Ma’alot
90 m
Columne pro Caelo
138 m
Equestrian statue of Wilhelm II
166 m
Gebäudekomplex der Kölner Philharmonie und des Museum Ludwig
20 m
Dionysos-Brunnen
63 m
Frau Nr. 13
37 m
Petrusbrunnen
154 m
Rhine Garden Sculpture
161 m
Kurienhaus
133 m
Nave organ of the Cologne Cathedral (Klais 1998)
157 m
Transept organ of the Cologne Cathedral (Klais 1948/1956)
132 mReviews
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