Sights and Attractions

The Von der Heydt Museum

With world-famous works of Dutch painting and the 19th century, with paintings by Claude Monet, Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, Otto Dix, Pablo Picasso and Francis Bacon, the Von der Heydt Museum is one of Germany's important, internationally renowned art institutes. The collection of the Wuppertal museum includes art from the 16th century to the present. Impressionism, Expressionism and the 1920s are the focal points. Around 3000 paintings, 500 sculptures and 30,000 graphic sheets are part of the collection, which is presented in changing exhibitions. The museum is located in the former town hall in the center of Wuppertal-Elberfeld. Contemporary art can be seen in the Von der Heydt-Kunsthalle in Barmen. (© Stadt Wuppertal, Tourismus & Freizeit: https://www.wuppertal.de/tourismus-freizeit/wuppertal_erleben/wmg_kultur.php)

Museum for Industrial Culture Wuppertal

Wuppertal's special significance as a pioneering region of industrialization in Germany is evident in the authentic sites of the Museum for Industrial Culture Wuppertal. The museum is located in the birthplace of the famous philosopher and communist revolutionary Friedrich Engels (1820–1895). There, the early industrial cultural heritage is conveyed in all its social, technical, economic and cultural historical breadth. The museum brings Wuppertal's rich industrial culture closer to the public through guided tours of the city, industrial-cultural routes and maps, as well as through numerous events, lectures, etc. As extracurricular places of learning, the City Archive and the Museum of Industrial Culture open up the city and industrial history for children and young people through a variety of dimensions of learning, thinking and feeling. These educational offers arouse enthusiasm for the unique history of the industrial pioneer city of Wuppertal. (© Stadt Wuppertal, Tourismus & Freizeit: https://www.wuppertal.de/tourismus-freizeit/wuppertal_erleben/wmg_kultur.php)

Further information: https://www.mi-wuppertal.de/en/

Pina Bausch Dance Theater

The beginnings were controversial when Pina Bausch took over as director of the dance department at the Wuppertal theaters in 1973/74. A revolution emanated from Wuppertal that influenced artists worldwide. Today, Pina Bausch is one of the most important choreographers of the 20th century. She created a total of 46 pieces until her death in 2009, the majority of which are part of the repertoire of the international ensemble, which, in addition to performances in Wuppertal, has made numerous guest appearances in other European countries, Asia, South America, the USA, Canada and Australia. For Wuppertal and the dance state of North Rhine-Westphalia, the dance theater is considered an important cultural ambassador. (© Stadt Wuppertal, Tourismus & Freizeit: https://www.wuppertal.de/tourismus-freizeit/wuppertal_erleben/wmg_kultur.php)

Further information: https://www.pina-bausch.de/en/

Opera & Theater at the Engelsgarten

A mixture of neo-baroque and art nouveau characterizes the exterior of the opera house, which was built in 1905 as the Barmer city theater. Inside, guests are welcomed by the charming ambience of the 1950s. The house offers a particularly beautiful sight at dusk, when the foyer is filled with the golden glow of its sparkling chandelier. The opera house also hosts performances by the world-famous Wuppertal Pina Bausch Dance Theater. The opera house, which was renovated from 2006 to 2009, is part of the Wuppertal stages, which also include the symphony orchestra and the theater in the Theater at the Engelsgarten.

The Theater at the Engelsgarten is the second permanent venue of the Wuppertal stages alongside the opera house. 155 guests can be seated in the performance space, which is located in the neighborhood of Engels-Haus and the Museum for Early Industrialization at Engelsstraße 18. The Theater is firmly established with audiences – from Shakespeare to Williams to Gogol, many classics and newcomers to the theater scene have already been staged here.

Further information: https://www.oper-wuppertal.de/

Visiodrome in the old gas boiler

In the early 1950s, the gas boiler was built by the MAN plant in Gustavsburg. The 66-meter-high boiler was filled with 60,000 cubic meters of long-distance gas for the first time in February 1952. Because over time pipeline technology made storing gas unnecessary, the gas boiler was taken off the grid in 1997. A year later, it was listed as a landmark for Wuppertal's industrial history. In the summer of 2016, Wuppertal-based architecture studio GKM revived the gas boiler as Visiodrom. Today, it is the only building of its kind that houses a modern concrete new building inside. Those who go up to the roof of the former industrial building can enjoy a fantastic view over Wuppertal. In the gas boiler's projection room, which is unique in the world, 33 high-performance beamers create breathtaking illusions on the 6,500 square meter screen (larger than a football field). An impressive little universe that invites you to marvel and wonder. The skywalk on the 65-meter-high roof of the steel giant, is also open to visitors with a ticket. Enjoy the impressive 360-degree panorama. The restaurant Aposto serves Mediterranean cuisine in a unique setting. (The exhibitions, light show and skywalk are included in the admission price to the gas boiler. The gas boiler is barrier-free accessible, the elevator takes you directly to the roof to the Skywalk).