Skulpturenpark Köln

Perfection, beauty, magic, our nature and environment, moments of isolation, loss, self-reflection, and disappearance or the dependence of humans in an ever-changing world - all these are themes you may encounter as a visitor to the Sculpture Park in Cologne. Every two years, new themes are added, allowing you to continuously engage with and explore contemporary art.

Here, in the 35,000 sqm Sculpture Park at the Konrad-Adenauer-Ufer, curators regularly supplement and alter the existing park collection, giving it a biennial, hybrid character of permanence and changing exhibitions of contemporary outdoor sculptures - in dialogue with the surrounding nature.

Art by Renowned Artists from Around the World

Behind an unassuming gate lies an illustrious world of artistic exhibits that hold their own in the art scene: So far, the Sculpture Park has made the works of more than 150 internationally renowned artists accessible to a broad audience, including Ulrich Rückriem, Rosemarie Trockel, Markus Lüpertz, Markus Kippenberger, Dan Graham, Joel Shapiro, Leiko Ikemura, Marc di Suvero, Günther Förg, Mary Bauermeister, Jörg Immendorff, and many others. The park attracts between 60,000 and 100,000 visitors annually.

For many younger artists, participation in the KölnSkulptur exhibition cycle served as a springboard to an international career, as in the case of Japanese architect Sou Fujimoto, who installed his first international work here in 2011 and in 2012 had already designed the pavilion for the Serpentine Gallery in London's Hyde Park.

A Place for Artistic Dialogues and Reflection

Open daily and accessible free of charge, you can incorporate the Sculpture Park flexibly into your visit to Cologne, spending as much time as you wish. If you desire professional or inspirational background, you will find further QR codes providing texts and audio contributions at many exhibits. Alternatively, you can participate in one of the public guided tours that take place on the first Sunday of each month at 3 pm, with individual tours also available on request.

The KölnSkulptur Exhibition Series

Since its founding in 1997, the biennial exhibition system has run under the name KölnSkulptur, encouraging continuous engagement with contemporary art. Each new "edition" redefines and repositions the Sculpture Park. Curatorial leadership has included Renate Goldmann, Friedrich Meschede, Tobias Berger, Thomas D. Trummer, and Chus Martínez.

Art in Cologne - Near the Zoo, Flora, Cable Car

The Sculpture Park is situated between the Cologne Zoo, the Flora, and the Rhine, making it an ideal cultural add-on if you’ve planned a ride on the Cologne cable car or visits to the local fauna and flora – as well as a single attraction if your interest is focused on the reception of contemporary art.

In the meantime, check what the Museum Ludwig in Cologne, one of Europe's most significant art museums, currently has on display.

Sculpture Park: Origin and Development History

The Sculpture Park was initiated by the collector couple Dr. Michael and Dr. Eleonore Stoffel in 1997, who had been collecting German and American art since the 1960s and acquired the park grounds from the city of Cologne to create a museum for contemporary outdoor sculpture. Since the death of both in 2005 and 2007, the Sculpture Park Cologne Foundation continues their original idea, funded by the Michael and Eleonore Foundation and the city of Cologne.