K21

K21 is a contemporary art museum in Düsseldorf, Germany. It is part of the Kunstsammlung Nordrhein-Westfalen (Kunstsammlung NRW), alongside the K20 collection, and serves as a venue for postwar and contemporary art within the state collection. The museum sits in the Ständehaus complex near the Rhine, occupying a historic building that has been adapted to host modern exhibition spaces.

Opened in the early 2000s as an expansion of NRW’s public collection, K21 blends a historic setting with a modern extension designed to accommodate large-scale installations and changing exhibitions. The architecture combines preserved rooms from the original Ständehaus with contemporary gallery spaces, creating a setting for a wide range of media, including painting, sculpture, video, and installations.

The program at K21 emphasizes contemporary practice and site-specific presentations. It hosts rotating exhibitions, commissions, and installations by international artists, alongside curatorial projects that reflect current trends in contemporary art. The museum aims to engage diverse audiences through education programs, talks, and events that accompany exhibitions.

Governance and access are provided through Kunstsammlung NRW, a state-supported cultural foundation. Visitors can typically expect standard museum hours and ticketing, with the possibility of combined admissions with other NRW collections. K21 is commonly referenced as K21 Ständehaus and is a notable component of Düsseldorf’s cultural landscape and its contemporary art offerings.