Exterior view of the Ruhr Museum at the Zollverein Coal Mine Industrial Complex
Thomas Willemsen, Exterior view of the Ruhr Museum at the Zollverein Coal Mine Industrial Complex

Ruhr Museum

Essen

The Ruhr Museum offers a unique overall presentation of the history of the Ruhr region in the former Zollverein colliery complex. The permanent exhibition traces developments over time with the help of 6000 exhibits. Above all, mining and its origins in today's industrial region are vividly presented.

The Ruhr Museum in Essen is one of the most important museums in the Ruhr metropolis. As one of the oldest exhibition venues in the Ruhr region, it can look back on more than a century of history. The current location in the former coal washing plant on the site of the Zollverein colliery was opened in the Ruhr.2010 Capital of Culture year.

The building of the popular knowledge institute is particularly impressive: the old industrial plant of the coal washing plant was converted by renowned architect Rem Koolhaas and fitted with a huge orange-colored external escalator.

Tracing the path of coal

Inside the Ruhr Museum, visitors can learn about the history of the Ruhr region and industrialization and trace the path of coal with the help of around 6,000 exhibits: The permanent exhibition traces the developments over time. A walk through the museum becomes a journey from the present to the past underground.

The Ruhr 360° panorama film in the Portal of Industrial Heritage provides a multimedia introduction to the topic. From here, the path leads past preserved machines and conveyor belts of the former colliery to the viewing platform on the roof of the coal washing plant, which offers an impressive view over the region. In addition to the permanent exhibition, the Ruhr Museum has extensive collections on geology, history, archaeology and photography, which are presented in regular special exhibitions.

Next to the Ruhr Museum is the Red Dot Design Museum, which should also be visited on a day trip. It presents over 2000 everyday and industrial objects in the former boiler house of Zollverein, which have been awarded the Red Dot Design Award. The Phänomania Erfahrungsfeld, a hands-on museum for children, is also worth a visit on the World Heritage site.

Important information at a glance

  • Open today
    Monday10:00 - 18:00
    Tuesday10:00 - 18:00
    Wednesday10:00 - 18:00
    Thursday10:00 - 18:00
    Friday10:00 - 18:00
    Saturday10:00 - 18:00
    Sunday10:00 - 18:00

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