The Picasso rooms
A broad holding across different phases of his work, among the largest outside Spain and France.
Thomas Robbin — CC BY-SA 3.0 · CEphoto, Uwe Aranas — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Friedrich Haag — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Dietmar Rabich — CC BY-SA 4.0
Museum Ludwig is Cologne's museum of modern and contemporary art, standing directly beside the cathedral in a modern building with a distinctive wave-shaped roof. The collection is exceptionally strong in three directions: works by Picasso, one of the largest holdings anywhere outside Spain and France; American Pop Art, with names such as Warhol and Lichtenstein; and German Expressionism from the early twentieth century. There is also a large photography department and early twentieth-century Russian avant-garde work. The collection came largely from a gift by the collector Peter Ludwig and his wife Irene. The building itself is comfortable: wide galleries and natural light, with views of the cathedral and the river from its windows. It is large but not exhausting, and two to three hours is enough.
A broad holding across different phases of his work, among the largest outside Spain and France.
Warhol, Lichtenstein and others — one of the museum's strongest and best-known sections.
Strong colour and sharp form from the early twentieth century.
A large photographic collection with displays rotating regularly.
Heinrich-Böll-Platz, 50667 Köln
Cologne PhilharmonieCologne's principal concert hall opened in nineteen eighty-six, sunk into the gr1 minute walk4.7
Romano-Germanic MuseumCologne is a Roman city before it is anything else: the Romans founded it as a c1 minute walk3.9
Shrine of the Three KingsThe Shrine of the Three Kings is a large golden casket set behind the high altar1 minute walk4.7
The Roman Harbour StreetThe Roman harbour street is the remains of a paved road that connected Roman Col1 minute walk4.7
The Artothek — art lending libraryA municipal art institution in central Cologne working on an unusual principle: 2 minutes walk4.6The museum stands right beside it, so it costs no travel at all. If you like modern art, certainly. If not, do not feel obliged — the cathedral alone justifies the trip.
Two hours for the main sections, three at a slower pace. It is clearly laid out so you will not get lost, and you can pick two sections and leave it there.
They have nothing in common. This is a modern art museum beside the cathedral; that is a museum about chocolate making, on a peninsula in the river ten minutes' walk away.