K21 is Düsseldorf’s museum of contemporary art and one of the two main exhibition venues of the Kunstsammlung Nordrhein-Westfalen. It occupies the Ständehaus, a grand 19th-century building that once housed the parliament of North Rhine-Westphalia. Its historic galleries and glass-roofed atrium provide a striking setting for art largely made from the 1980s onward.
The collection and changing exhibitions span photography, video, sculpture and ambitious installations, with artists such as Andreas Gursky and Bruce Nauman represented. K21 is also known for Tomás Saraceno’s “in orbit,” a suspended network of nets beneath the glass roof that turns the atrium itself into an artwork. Access to installations can change, so check the museum’s website if there is a particular work you want to experience.
Allow time to explore both the exhibitions and the building, and consider a weekday morning for a quieter visit. If you’re also planning to see K20, the collection’s other Düsseldorf venue, check whether a combined ticket is available. K21 is close to public transport and within walking distance of the city centre; for interactive installations, check access requirements and footwear advice before setting out.