Things to Do at Sprengel Museum

Sprengel Museum houses one of Europe's most important 20th-century art collections on Maschsee's north shore, with adult admission 7 EUR (7.50 USD) and students 4 EUR (4.25 USD), free entry on Fridays after 2 PM for visitors under 18. The museum building completed in 1979 features 5,000 square meters of exhibition space across four floors, displaying over 300,000 artworks including the world's largest collection of Kurt Schwitters Merz art and Pablo Picasso graphics spanning five decades. Climate-controlled galleries maintain precisely 21°C temperature and 50% humidity, creating a subtle background hum from ventilation systems while footsteps echo softly on polished concrete floors designed to minimize artwork vibration. Natural light filters through carefully positioned skylights creating ever-changing illumination patterns on white gallery walls, while the museum cafe overlooks Maschsee through floor-to-ceiling windows where you can watch sailboats gliding silently across the water 20 meters below. The permanent collection includes works by Max Ernst, Paul Klee, and Wassily Kandinsky displayed in rotation, with approximately 800 pieces exhibited simultaneously from the 300,000-piece archive. Pro tip: Start with the Schwitters collection on the second floor during opening hour (10 AM Tuesday-Sunday) when gallery lighting is optimized for morning viewing, then finish at the lakeside cafe where local fish dishes cost 14-18 EUR while watching afternoon sailing lessons on Maschsee.

Sprengel Museum houses one of Europe's most important 20th-century art collections on Maschsee's north shore, with adult admission 7 EUR (7.50 USD) and students 4 EUR (4.25 USD), free entry on Fridays after 2 PM for visitors under 18. The museum building completed in 1979 features 5,000 square meters of exhibition space across four floors, displaying over 300,000 artworks including the world's largest collection of Kurt Schwitters Merz art and Pablo Picasso graphics spanning five decades. Climate-controlled galleries maintain precisely 21°C temperature and 50% humidity, creating a subtle background hum from ventilation systems while footsteps echo softly on polished concrete floors designed to minimize artwork vibration. Natural light filters through carefully positioned skylights creating ever-changing illumination patterns on white gallery walls, while the museum cafe overlooks Maschsee through floor-to-ceiling windows where you can watch sailboats gliding silently across the water 20 meters below. The permanent collection includes works by Max Ernst, Paul Klee, and Wassily Kandinsky displayed in rotation, with approximately 800 pieces exhibited simultaneously from the 300,000-piece archive. Pro tip: Start with the Schwitters collection on the second floor during opening hour (10 AM Tuesday-Sunday) when gallery lighting is optimized for morning viewing, then finish at the lakeside cafe where local fish dishes cost 14-18 EUR while watching afternoon sailing lessons on Maschsee.