Expressionism and Modernism

Sprengel Museum Hanover

Discover modern art and notable collections at Lake Maschsee

With a focus on German Expressionism and French Modernism, the Sprengel Museum Hannover is one of the most important museums of 20th- and 21st-century art.

Visitors are welcomed into the spacious, open entrance area. The building’s distinctive architecture blends the exterior and interior spaces and extends throughout the entire museum.

The beginning of the Sprengel Museum

The museum’s origins and its current core collection stem from a donation made by Margrit and Bernhard Sprengel in 1969. The couple bequeathed a collection of modern art to the Landesmuseum Hannover, which can still be viewed today in the permanent exhibition at the Sprengelmuseum. The museum’s collection continues to grow through donations and permanent loans.

From classical modernism to contemporary art

Sprengel Museum Sprengelmuseum — Sprengel Museum Exhibition

Major artist groups such as “Die Brücke” and “Der Blaue Reiter,” as well as the Cubist and Surrealist movements, are represented at the Sprengel Museum. Works by Pablo Picasso, Fernand Léger, Max Beckmann, Max Ernst, Paul Klee, Emil Nolde, and Kurt Schwitters round out the impressive collection.

In 2000, Niki de Saint Phalle enriched the Sprengel Museum with over 400 works. This means that all phases of the artist’s career—including assemblages, “shooting pictures,” sculptures, and drawings—are represented.

Particularly fascinating are the spaces designed by the artists themselves, such as James Turrell’s “Light Room” or the reconstruction of Kurt Schwitters’ legendary “Merzbau.”.

Changing special exhibitions

Numerous special exhibitions provide visitors with a wide-ranging overview of art from modernism to the present day. There is also a year-round program for families and children.

A Visit to the Sprengel Museum in Hannover

The Sprengel Museum Hannover is open on Tuesdays from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. and Wednesdays through Sundays from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. The museum is closed on Mondays. Admission is 14 euros for adults and 6 euros for those eligible for reduced rates. Children and teens up to age 18, as well as school groups, are admitted free of charge. On Fridays, admission is free for all visitors.

The museum is located on Kurt-Schwitters-Platz in Hanover. Bus lines 100, 200, and 800 stop directly at the Maschsee/Sprengel Museum stop. It is about a ten-minute walk from the Aegidientorplatz station. Accessible entry is available via the ramp at the main entrance or the elevator on Rudolf-von-Bennigsen-Ufer. You can find current special opening hours and additional information for your visit on the museum’s website.

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