The Osthaus Museum is the most important art museum in South Westphalia. Its collections include works of classical modernism and contemporary art, including paintings by Auguste Renoir, Franz Marc, Gabriele Münter, August Macke, Alexej von Jawlensky, Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, Erich Heckel, Karl Schmidt-Rottluff, Emil Nolde, Otto Dix and Lyonel Feininger.

New impulses to hagen

In 1902, Karl Ernst Osthaus (1874-1921) founded the private Folkwang Museum in the center of the city. His aim was to get new impulses to Hagen and bring beauty back to the industrial city. To this end, he invested in a diverse collection, which was sold to Essen in 1922. 

Christian Rohlfs-Museum

In 1930, the museum was re-established as a municipal art collection and initially bore the name Christian Rohlfs-Museum. Until the National Socialists came to power, it was the first museum in Germany dedicated to a modern artist.

Unique Architecture from the Art Nouveau period

Since 1955, the Osthaus Museum has been housed in the former rooms of the Folkwang Museum, which Karl Ernst Osthaus had designed by the Belgian architect Henry van de Velde. Today, works by George Minne, Ida Gerhardi, Jan Thorn Prikker, Christian Rohlfs and the room-filling installation “Architecture of Memory” by Sigrid Sigurdsson are integrated into the unique architecture from the Art Nouveau period.

Temporary Exhibitions

Art since 1945, temporary exhibitions and contemporary positions are shown in the museum extension built in 1972. From large-format paintings and photographs to sculptures and light art, the museum presents a multifaceted program of modern and contemporary art - in keeping with the spirit of its namesake.