Museum · Cologne · Updated on 1 November 2026.

Museum Ludwig in Cologne

Museum Ludwig is a museum in Cologne, North Rhine-Westphalia. This place has a story in the app. 42 of the 50 well-known points of interest nearby are within 1 km. Within 630 m you'll find a bench, a water point, a public toilet and a bike pump.

Directions in Google Maps

The story

Wikipedia ↗Official website ↗

Story · Museum Ludwig

You're standing at Museum Ludwig, Cologne's museum of modern art. Have a look around. The cathedral rises right behind you, the Rhine is just around the corner, and the main station is only a few minutes' walk away. The building itself stands out, and that's the point. It has become a familiar part of the city's skyline.

Read the whole story in the Outdoor Pitstop app: check in at this place and it is yours (with Pro; new users are Pro for the first 4 weeks).

Opening hours and admission

Opening hours: Tu-Su 10:00-18:00; Mo off
Admission: Paid
Wheelchair: Accessible
Visitors: 304,942 a year (2017)

Source: OpenStreetMap and Wikidata.

Photos

10 photos from Wikimedia Commons. In the app you add your own photo when you are there.

1 / 10

Photo: Thomas Robbin · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 3.0View the photo on Wikimedia Commons

Museum Ludwig Cologne: a museum for modern art

Museum Ludwig in Cologne is a museum for modern art, known for its collections of pop art, works by Picasso and avant-garde art. In 2017, 304,942 people visited the museum. You will find it at Heinrich-Böll-Platz in Cologne, close to Cologne Cathedral, the Romano-Germanic Museum in Cologne and the ruins of St. Maria ad Gradus. The central station is also just a few minutes' walk away.

What you can see in Museum Ludwig

Inside, you will find plenty of pop art, including work by Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein and Jasper Johns. This is the largest pop art collection outside the Verenigde Staten. There are also around 900 works by Picasso, and only Parijs and Barcelona have more. You will also find the largest collection of Russische avant-garde art outside Rusland, with artists such as Malevitsj and Rodtsjenko. Expressionists such as Kirchner and Macke are represented too. Temporary exhibitions are on show every year. The collection began in 1946, when the lawyer Josef Haubrich gave his collection of expressionists to the city. In 1976, Peter and Irene Ludwig gave around 350 modern works of art to Cologne, on condition that the city build a museum of art from after 1900. Outside, you can walk across the square on top of the concert hall when no concert is taking place. During concerts, you may not walk there, as your footsteps can be heard in the hall below.

Opening hours, tickets and accessibility at Museum Ludwig

You can find the Museum Ludwig opening hours on the official website, museum-ludwig.de. The museum is open from Tuesday to Sunday, 10:00 to 18:00. It is closed on Monday. Entry is paid, so you will need Museum Ludwig tickets to visit. The building is accessible by wheelchair, and there is a toilet inside the museum that is suitable for people using a wheelchair.

Benches, drinking water and toilets near Museum Ludwig

There are 144 benches within 500 metres of the museum. The nearest of these to Museum Ludwig is 73 metres away, at Kurt-Hackenberg-Platz. Drinking water is 92 metres away, also at Kurt-Hackenberg-Platz, and it is the only water tap within a 500-metre radius. There are 7 public toilets in the area. The nearest free toilet to Museum Ludwig is 203 metres away, at Kostgasse. A free bike pump can be found 633 metres away, at Heumarkt.

Walks and other sights around Museum Ludwig

You will find many other places to visit near Museum Ludwig. The Romano-Germanic Museum is 83 metres away, and at 87 metres you will find the ruin of St. Maria ad Gradus. Cologne Cathedral is an attraction with an audio guide, 146 metres away. A little further on, at 409 metres, is the Wallraf-Richartz-Museum & Fondation Corboud. If you walk to St. Gereon's Basilica in Cologne, the distance is 1,031 metres. At 1,034 metres you will find the Schokoladenmuseum.

Facilities near Museum Ludwig

The nearest pitstop of each kind within 1 km, as the crow flies. No honesty box within 1 km.

Well-known points of interest nearby

50 well-known points of interest nearby, those with an audio tour first. 42 of the 50 well-known points of interest nearby are within 1 km.

AttractionAudio story · 2 min

All 162 points of interest in Cologne →

More about Irene Ludwig

i
Photo: Sebastianat · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0View the photo on Wikimedia Commons
Museum · Aachen, Germany
i
Photo: Raimond Spekking · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0View the photo on Wikimedia Commons
Museum · Aachen, Germany
i
Photo: Jean Housen · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 3.0View the photo on Wikimedia Commons
Museum · Koblenz, Germany

More about Peter Ludwig

i
Photo: Sebastianat · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0View the photo on Wikimedia Commons
Museum · Aachen, Germany
i
Photo: Raimond Spekking · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0View the photo on Wikimedia Commons
Museum · Aachen, Germany
i
Photo: Jean Housen · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 3.0View the photo on Wikimedia Commons
Museum · Koblenz, Germany

Walks within 2 km

Map ›

Cycle routes within 5 km

Map ›

Explore further

More points of interest

Frequently asked questions

What are Museum Ludwig opening hours?

The museum is open from Tuesday to Sunday, 10:00 to 18:00; it is closed on Monday.

Where can I buy tickets for Museum Ludwig?

Admission to the museum is charged.

Is there a toilet at Museum Ludwig?

Yes, there is a wheelchair-accessible toilet inside the museum, and the nearest public toilet is 203 metres away at Kostgasse.

Where can I find drinking water at Museum Ludwig?

The nearest water point is 92 metres away at Kurt-Hackenberg-Platz.

Are there benches at Museum Ludwig?

Yes, the nearest bench is 73 metres away at Kurt-Hackenberg-Platz.