If you can plan a trip visit when they have an event going on, there is really so much going on and…read moremuch to see. Their website states that this is the largest private collection in Germany, about 120 pieces of rolling stock. Not all of the pieces are stored and a number are covered by canvas awaiting restoration. The collection includes a few rarities such as the only remaining DB clss 66, 66-002, 1955 by Henschel. One other point, none of the placards are in English. Enjoy the three structures containing the wonderfully preserved rolling stock.

For anyone who has played Civilization 6, Ruhr Valley is a wonder which confers the city in which…read moreit is built 10% increase in production and +1 for every one of its quarries and mines. This UNESCO World Heritage site is categorized as a GeoPark. Hong Kong also has a UNESCO Heritage GeoPark. Both have locations of exposed rock dating all the way back to the Devonian period. However, they're very different in terms of historical, political, industrial, and military impact. According to the Ruhr Museum, Germany had more coal in this region than the rest of Europe combined. As you can imagine, this geological boon was both a gift and a curse. Industrialization made the area an economic powerhouse. Laborers from all over Germany and the region came to work in its mines, processing facilities, and steelworks. This created a diverse community which developed its own dialect, bringing unity to people who have different religions, different cuisines, etc. From the mid-19th century, company housing was built in large tracts, similar to subdivisions in the US, which is very different how other cities developed until then - large around political or religious institutions. Like in the U.S., many of these homes have developed more character as homeowners customize them over time. Since industrial operations ceased in 2018, Germany has done an incredible job mitigating the air, noise and water pollution. It has also planted over 60% of the surface area, more than any former industrial zone. Even the heaps of waste rock generated from mining have been redeveloped into parks and areas for other leisure activities. The Ruhr Museum app guides you through the place in different languages. We wanted to a tour of the former mining and processing facilities, but unfortunately, no English language tours were available today. https://apps.apple.com/us/app/ruhr-museum-audioguide/id1596946739

Very interesting local museum of the Ruhr region housed in an old coal washing complex. There is…read moresomething here to appeal to everyone - panoramic views from the roof of the whole Ruhr valley, thoughtful exhibits highlighting the past and present and captions in both English and German. It's part art exhibit, historical museum, industrial museum and natural history center all together. The best is that the old coal works is largely intact, so you can see all the huge buckets, gears, slides and catwalks. You really get a sense of the industrial past here. I love that the region takes it's heritage seriously and repurposed an old factory as a cultural center. If you are in the Ruhr area doing some sightseeing, it's a nice stop. There's a cafe and many places to have lunch as well as a large park. Very cool!

The Folkwang Museum is an awesome place with a moving history and some unique art on display…read more Perfect for an autumn day.

(my visit was in September 2015)…read more Oh, I am so conflicted about the museum. I appreciate art, I worked in the arts, and I want it to flourish and be shared with as many people as possible, but the curation was so poor. Let's start with the good: there's no admission charge for the permanent collection. Now to the bad: There are some great, fantastic pieces on exhibition, but the low quality displays are so distracting. Artwork is encased in plastic or glass that is slightly opaque and reflects a glare, so it's incredibly difficult to see the pieces in their full glory. The lighting is inconsistent and absolutely awful in some rooms. The museum benefits from beautiful floor-to-ceiling windows that let in so much light, but then you turn a corner and enter a room with fluorescent lights 40 or 60 ft up on the ceiling, casting shadows that shroud the pieces. At the time I went, there was a special exhibit area showcasing a piece of installation art that was fantastic. The staging in the room was done properly: let the artwork be the focus and configure the room and setting around the art. And don't expect too much from the gift shop. I was hoping to pick up a few postcards or souvenirs to send home but was sadly disappointed with just books and knick-knacks. It's no MoMA or Met.

LWL Industrial Museum - Zeche Zollern is the world's most beautiful coal mine. The colliery was…read morebuilt between 1898 and 1904 as a prestigious sign to competitors that it was the leading mining company on the market. At first sight, with the palatial redbrick facades stylish Art Nouveau elements, the beautiful buildings dotted around a grassy square are more reminiscent of an aristocratic residence than a coal mine. By 1969, following the crisis in the coal industry, the Zollern colliery was closed for good. Shortly before excavators arrived on the site to demolish the buildings the state conservation officer saved the colliery from destruction by listing it. Thus the Zollern colliery became the first industrial building in Germany to be awarded the status of a monument. In 1981 the LWL integrated Zollern into its State Museum of Industrial Heritage. The central machine building, designed by Berlin Jugendstil architect Bruno Möhring, is iconic. The machine hall's original 100-year-old conveyers, converters and compressors are an exhilarating relic of the steam age. The various sections of the exhibition take you into a world of harsh working conditions and the stories of the men and women who worked in coal mining during the 20th century. A subterranean gallery in the machine building features beautiful and creepy art installations.

A unique site in that it was meant to impress rather than only serve a function. Very quiet in…read moreterms of visitors, and on the day I visited the machine house was closed. There are exhibits in a few of the buildings which are interesting concerning history from the life of miners to forced labor during WW2. This is the only site next to the Bergbau Museum in Essen where one can climb to the top of one of the hoists, and boy is it towering. Easy to get to by train and a 10 min walk.