Offers for art & culture in Kalkar on the Lower Rhine

Popular city walks, landmarks, gardens and museums in the Lower Rhine region

As a visitor to our region who is interested in art and culture, you have a lot on offer. We have compiled hand-picked highlights of the Lower Rhine region around Landhaus Beckmann for you. Tip: Most of the sights can also be reached by bicycle from our hotel. Prepare your cultural trip from the comfort of your own home.

Our recommendations

City tour Kalkar

www.kalkar.de

A cultural and historical city tour through the medieval city center is part of the visit program: for weekend vacationers, cycling and cultural tourists or group travelers. The well-trained city guides convey a vivid picture of the city’s history – and open the doors of the Gothic houses.

Castle Moyland

www.moyland.de

The moated castle Moyland is one of the most important neo-Gothic castles in North Rhine-Westphalia. It has served as a museum since 1997 and shows important works of art from the 19th and 20th centuries from almost all areas of art. The basic holdings are the van der Grinten brothers’ collection with over 60,000 works of art and the world’s largest collection of works by the artist Joseph Beuys, who was a lifelong friend of both collectors. A sculpture park and a herb garden are integrated into the extensive gardens. Temporary exhibitions by renowned artists, numerous concerts, readings and lectures make Museum Schloss Moyland a cultural center.

Archaeological Park Xanten

www.airbornemuseum.com

In the Airborne Museum “Hartenstein” special attention is paid to the Battle of Arnhem in 1944. The building used to be a hotel where the British commanders had their headquarters. An extensive collection of i.a. Weapons and uniforms complete the exhibition.

District town of Kleve

www.kleve.de

As soon as you approach Kleve from afar, you will be greeted by the imposing Schwanenburg, the landmark of Kleve Land. Quite untypical for the Lower Rhine: there is a mountain here! Originated from a terminal moraine from the Ice Age, the Klever Berg is at 99 m the highest point on the entire Lower Rhine. Kleve is a lively city. The many street cafes in the city center are always well occupied and, in addition to large chain stores, there are also many small shops and boutiques. It’s fun to stroll through the city. You can still feel the rich history of the former ducal city in many places and if you make the effort to climb the swan tower, you have a wonderful view over the city and as far as the Netherlands!


Schwanenburg

The historic gardens in Kleve are simply great. They were designed in the 17th century and even garden architects from Versailles took inspiration from them. The amphitheater with the temple, in front of it the Pallas Athene, the fountain and opposite the modern Iron Man – a perfect ensemble! When you climb the mountain, you have a wonderful view and can follow the lines of sight from the 17th century. In the forest garden there are lots of old and exotic trees to marvel at, which are also explained by small signs. You shouldn’t miss the blooming time of the tulip tree in June! In summer concerts are held here every Sunday (free and outside) and at the Festival of Lights in September the whole garden is decorated with lights and lanterns, and there are really nice baroque fireworks.

The Lower Rhine Museum for Folklore and Cultural History e.V.

The Lower Rhine Museum for Folklore and Cultural History is located in the heart of Kevelaer in a charming setting. It is a building complex that shapes the cityscape and, with over 4,500 square meters of exhibition space, is one of the largest museum buildings on the Lower Rhine. Founded in 1910, the house has retained its importance as a folk-cultural “treasure chest” in the region between the Rhine and Maas. In over 20 permanent exhibition areas, the museum documents rural and bourgeois material culture as well as old handicrafts, popular piety, riflemen, regional and local history, presents handicrafts, prints and ceramics and takes on cultural-historical topics, preferably from the Lower Rhine, in continuous changing exhibitions. Outstanding holdings relate to earthenware from the Lower Rhine and a magnificent collection of copper engravings (Hendrick Goltzius 1558 – 1617), as well as the feudal household of a noble family in the region (Burgrave van Aefferden).
The house, which is currently structurally changed by a redesign, has two focal points with the unique Juliane Metzger toy collection (approx. 50,000 individual objects) and the permanent exhibition area “Pilgrimage”, which are given special attention. And art will also be offered a museum forum in the future through special exhibitions and permanent presentations.

Kröller-Müller Museum

www.kmm.nl

The Kröller-Müller Museum is located in the heart of the 5,400 hectare De Hoge Veluwe National Park, surrounded by heathland, forests and sandy areas. This is where the most beautiful elements from culture and nature come together. Paying a visit to this extraordinary combination guarantees a unique experience. The museum is a real El Dorado for both experienced art lovers and uninhibited newbies. The museum presents the second largest Van Gogh collection in the world. In addition, the collection includes masterpieces by modern artists such as Monet, Seurat, Picasso and Mondriaan. The outside hall of the museum has more than 160 sculptures by prominent masters such as Rodin, Moore and Dubuffet. The Kröller-Müller Museum is the life’s work of Helene Kröller-Müller. In the years from 1907 to 1922, she and her husband Anton Kröller collected almost 11,500 works of art, including 90 paintings and 180 drawings by Vincent van Gogh. The combination of beautiful nature and the works of those world-famous artists make every visit an unforgettable experience.

Muzieum

www.muzieum.nl

In the experience museum you will discover the wonder of seeing and the unknown world of not seeing. See how Braille is written and audio books are created. Feel the colors in the light bath or get on the time machine and discover how blind people lived in the Middle Ages or in Roman times.

Museum Kurhaus Kleve

www.museumkurhaus.de

The Museum Kurhaus Kleve is housed in a three-part ensemble of former spa buildings that date back to the 19th century. In 1946, the so-called Friedrich-Wilhelms-Bad was built in honor of the Prussian King, and a foyer and hotel were added thirty years later. The elongated hall offered guests the opportunity to stroll, with floor-to-ceiling windows allowing a generous view of the surrounding baroque forest garden. The First World War put an abrupt end to the bathing business and the building was subsequently subjected to changing uses. At the end of the eighties the house was acquired by the city of Kleve in order to build a museum for modern art, which was opened in 1997 after extensive renovations. Today the Museum Kurhaus Kleve is one of the leading international art institutions, which has made a name for itself with both contemporary and historical exhibitions and was named “Museum of the Year” in 2004 by the international art critic association AICA. The collection not only houses the studio of Joseph Beuys and important works by his teacher Ewald Mataré, but also works by On Kawara, Richard Long, Richard Serra, Andreas Gursky, Jeff Wall and numerous medieval illuminations and sculptures.

The Rhinemuseum Emmerich

www.rheinmuseum-emmerich.de

The Rhine Museum was created in 1964 from the former local history museum of the city of Emmerich am Rhein. In addition to exhibits and pictures about living and working on Germany’s largest river, the Rhine, the development of shipping on the Rhine is shown using more than 150 model ships. Numerous ship accessories, anchors, bells and ship lamps and an original one-man submarine from the Second World War complete the offer. The urban history collection provides information about life in the past and the development of the Hanseatic city on the Lower Rhine. The offer is supplemented by various themed exhibitions.

Royal Airforce
Museum

Germany’s first and only Royal Air Force Museum invites you to travel back in time through 45 years of British Air Force presence on Laarbruch – Weeze and on the Lower Rhine. Numerous exhibits, including cockpits, anti-aircraft equipment, ejector seats, dioramas with authentic aircraft models, uniforms, pictures and documents document the presence of the British from 1954 – 1999 and thus also bring an important chapter in home and post-war history to life and understandable. The visitor can understand how in more than four decades in the municipality of Weeze and the surrounding region the occupiers and the occupied became friends and allies. Both during the Cold War and in the following decade, the Royal Air Force was a guarantee of security and peace, freedom and friendship. The museum, which opened in June 2007, is located on the premises of the former Anglican Church on the site of the former British military airport Laarbruch, now the Weeze civil airport. A small neighboring building with exhibits from the RAF regiment was opened in June 2010. In the foyer of the former ASTRA cinema, there is also a special exhibition that deals with the first British field airfield B.100, which was located on Laarbruch towards the end of World War II in March / April 1945.

The Kalkar Municipal Museum

www.kalkar.de

The Kalkar Municipal Museum was founded in 1966 and is located behind the town hall (viewed from the market) in a brick house with a stepped gable from 1500. It is followed by other houses, the new building from 1975 and the oldest town house in the city from 1430, which houses the city’s archive, one of the most important in the Rhineland. In addition to information on the history of the city and documents such as the picture of the court and the city scales, the museum houses a collection of paintings by artists from the first half of the 20th century. These are mainly works by the Düsseldorf School and the Rhenish Expressionists: Gerhard Janssen, Max Clarenbach, Heinrich Nauen, Hermann Teuber and Franz Radziwill. Many of the artists exhibited in Kalkar had a close relationship with the city of Kalkar, from which they were born (Janssen) or where they lived for a certain period of time (Teuber, Clarenbach, Nauen).

City tour Kalkar

www.kalkar.de

A cultural and historical city tour through the medieval city center is part of the visit program: for weekend vacationers, cycling and cultural tourists or group travelers. The well-trained city guides convey a vivid picture of the city’s history – and open the doors of the Gothic houses.

Castle Moyland

www.moyland.de

The moated castle Moyland is one of the most important neo-Gothic castles in North Rhine-Westphalia. It has served as a museum since 1997 and shows important works of art from the 19th and 20th centuries from almost all areas of art. The basic holdings are the van der Grinten brothers’ collection with over 60,000 works of art and the world’s largest collection of works by the artist Joseph Beuys, who was a lifelong friend of both collectors. A sculpture park and a herb garden are integrated into the extensive gardens. Temporary exhibitions by renowned artists, numerous concerts, readings and lectures make Museum Schloss Moyland a cultural center.

Archaeological Park Xanten

www.airbornemuseum.com

In the Airborne Museum “Hartenstein” special attention is paid to the Battle of Arnhem in 1944. The building used to be a hotel where the British commanders had their headquarters. An extensive collection of i.a. Weapons and uniforms complete the exhibition.

District town of Kleve

www.kleve.de

As soon as you approach Kleve from afar, you will be greeted by the imposing Schwanenburg, the landmark of Kleve Land. Quite untypical for the Lower Rhine: there is a mountain here! Originated from a terminal moraine from the Ice Age, the Klever Berg is at 99 m the highest point on the entire Lower Rhine. Kleve is a lively city. The many street cafes in the city center are always well occupied and, in addition to large chain stores, there are also many small shops and boutiques. It’s fun to stroll through the city. You can still feel the rich history of the former ducal city in many places and if you make the effort to climb the swan tower, you have a wonderful view over the city and as far as the Netherlands!


Schwanenburg

The historic gardens in Kleve are simply great. They were designed in the 17th century and even garden architects from Versailles took inspiration from them. The amphitheater with the temple, in front of it the Pallas Athene, the fountain and opposite the modern Iron Man – a perfect ensemble! When you climb the mountain, you have a wonderful view and can follow the lines of sight from the 17th century. In the forest garden there are lots of old and exotic trees to marvel at, which are also explained by small signs. You shouldn’t miss the blooming time of the tulip tree in June! In summer concerts are held here every Sunday (free and outside) and at the Festival of Lights in September the whole garden is decorated with lights and lanterns, and there are really nice baroque fireworks.

The Lower Rhine Museum for Folklore and Cultural History e.V.

The Lower Rhine Museum for Folklore and Cultural History is located in the heart of Kevelaer in a charming setting. It is a building complex that shapes the cityscape and, with over 4,500 square meters of exhibition space, is one of the largest museum buildings on the Lower Rhine. Founded in 1910, the house has retained its importance as a folk-cultural “treasure chest” in the region between the Rhine and Maas. In over 20 permanent exhibition areas, the museum documents rural and bourgeois material culture as well as old handicrafts, popular piety, riflemen, regional and local history, presents handicrafts, prints and ceramics and takes on cultural-historical topics, preferably from the Lower Rhine, in continuous changing exhibitions. Outstanding holdings relate to earthenware from the Lower Rhine and a magnificent collection of copper engravings (Hendrick Goltzius 1558 – 1617), as well as the feudal household of a noble family in the region (Burgrave van Aefferden).
The house, which is currently structurally changed by a redesign, has two focal points with the unique Juliane Metzger toy collection (approx. 50,000 individual objects) and the permanent exhibition area “Pilgrimage”, which are given special attention. And art will also be offered a museum forum in the future through special exhibitions and permanent presentations.

Kröller-Müller Museum

www.kmm.nl

The Kröller-Müller Museum is located in the heart of the 5,400 hectare De Hoge Veluwe National Park, surrounded by heathland, forests and sandy areas. This is where the most beautiful elements from culture and nature come together. Paying a visit to this extraordinary combination guarantees a unique experience. The museum is a real El Dorado for both experienced art lovers and uninhibited newbies. The museum presents the second largest Van Gogh collection in the world. In addition, the collection includes masterpieces by modern artists such as Monet, Seurat, Picasso and Mondriaan. The outside hall of the museum has more than 160 sculptures by prominent masters such as Rodin, Moore and Dubuffet. The Kröller-Müller Museum is the life’s work of Helene Kröller-Müller. In the years from 1907 to 1922, she and her husband Anton Kröller collected almost 11,500 works of art, including 90 paintings and 180 drawings by Vincent van Gogh. The combination of beautiful nature and the works of those world-famous artists make every visit an unforgettable experience.

Muzieum

www.muzieum.nl

In the experience museum you will discover the wonder of seeing and the unknown world of not seeing. See how Braille is written and audio books are created. Feel the colors in the light bath or get on the time machine and discover how blind people lived in the Middle Ages or in Roman times.

Museum Kurhaus Kleve

www.museumkurhaus.de

The Museum Kurhaus Kleve is housed in a three-part ensemble of former spa buildings that date back to the 19th century. In 1946, the so-called Friedrich-Wilhelms-Bad was built in honor of the Prussian King, and a foyer and hotel were added thirty years later. The elongated hall offered guests the opportunity to stroll, with floor-to-ceiling windows allowing a generous view of the surrounding baroque forest garden. The First World War put an abrupt end to the bathing business and the building was subsequently subjected to changing uses. At the end of the eighties the house was acquired by the city of Kleve in order to build a museum for modern art, which was opened in 1997 after extensive renovations. Today the Museum Kurhaus Kleve is one of the leading international art institutions, which has made a name for itself with both contemporary and historical exhibitions and was named “Museum of the Year” in 2004 by the international art critic association AICA. The collection not only houses the studio of Joseph Beuys and important works by his teacher Ewald Mataré, but also works by On Kawara, Richard Long, Richard Serra, Andreas Gursky, Jeff Wall and numerous medieval illuminations and sculptures.

The Rhinemuseum Emmerich

www.rheinmuseum-emmerich.de

The Rhine Museum was created in 1964 from the former local history museum of the city of Emmerich am Rhein. In addition to exhibits and pictures about living and working on Germany’s largest river, the Rhine, the development of shipping on the Rhine is shown using more than 150 model ships. Numerous ship accessories, anchors, bells and ship lamps and an original one-man submarine from the Second World War complete the offer. The urban history collection provides information about life in the past and the development of the Hanseatic city on the Lower Rhine. The offer is supplemented by various themed exhibitions.

Royal Airforce
Museum

Germany’s first and only Royal Air Force Museum invites you to travel back in time through 45 years of British Air Force presence on Laarbruch – Weeze and on the Lower Rhine. Numerous exhibits, including cockpits, anti-aircraft equipment, ejector seats, dioramas with authentic aircraft models, uniforms, pictures and documents document the presence of the British from 1954 – 1999 and thus also bring an important chapter in home and post-war history to life and understandable. The visitor can understand how in more than four decades in the municipality of Weeze and the surrounding region the occupiers and the occupied became friends and allies. Both during the Cold War and in the following decade, the Royal Air Force was a guarantee of security and peace, freedom and friendship. The museum, which opened in June 2007, is located on the premises of the former Anglican Church on the site of the former British military airport Laarbruch, now the Weeze civil airport. A small neighboring building with exhibits from the RAF regiment was opened in June 2010. In the foyer of the former ASTRA cinema, there is also a special exhibition that deals with the first British field airfield B.100, which was located on Laarbruch towards the end of World War II in March / April 1945.

The Kalkar Municipal Museum

www.kalkar.de

The Kalkar Municipal Museum was founded in 1966 and is located behind the town hall (viewed from the market) in a brick house with a stepped gable from 1500. It is followed by other houses, the new building from 1975 and the oldest town house in the city from 1430, which houses the city’s archive, one of the most important in the Rhineland. In addition to information on the history of the city and documents such as the picture of the court and the city scales, the museum houses a collection of paintings by artists from the first half of the 20th century. These are mainly works by the Düsseldorf School and the Rhenish Expressionists: Gerhard Janssen, Max Clarenbach, Heinrich Nauen, Hermann Teuber and Franz Radziwill. Many of the artists exhibited in Kalkar had a close relationship with the city of Kalkar, from which they were born (Janssen) or where they lived for a certain period of time (Teuber, Clarenbach, Nauen).