The tour was so long, and it was merely in German. At first, It was a guided tour 17 meters under…read morethe ground that force the group to follow the guide and wait patiently until he finishes. I think giving minute details is part of the German culture. After that we went to the museum which was self-guided. Interesting how this area was once demonstrating the world energy. On June, it was raining and cold inside.

I appreciate the fact that much of what I take for granted is partly due to efforts and…read morecontributions of those I do not see. Just as I work in the back ground, the life of miners is one not seen. Lots of working models of steam engines, mining techniques, and equipment. All very cool in my book, and I can see how most of you would find this dry. Take the underground demonstration mine tour, it is free. Some of the equipment is absolutely unbelievable. Unfortunately, the placards are in German, as is the tour.

Loved it. One of the best attractions in the Ruhr area by far. Would recommend it to anyone looking…read morefor an interesting day out.

Contemporary art isn't modern art. Most of the time, contemporary art goes right over my head but I…read morestill find a few things here and there. Such was the case here with interesting and unique pieces. One was the apple. As near as I can tell, this is titled "*" (yes, just asterisk) by artist Noriyuki Suzuki. It is an apple surrounded by an armillary sphere and it's watching the apple slowly deteriorate from all angles. "Between the Clouds" by artist A.A (no . after the second A) Murakami. It is a machine creating a fog patch and fog rings. Every few seconds, it inhales and blows a ring of fog. If you've ever seen someone smoking and blowing smoke rings, it's that. The toddler who was here at the same time as me seemed to enjoy poking the rings as they made their way across the exhibit room. Other exhibits defy description. You're just going to have to go to the NRW-Forum yourself and check it out. [Review 16377 overall - 182 in Germany - 1884 of 2021.]

Easy exhbition of pictures related to fashion of the 70's and 80's…read more Nice the flashback to the elegance and glamour of those years! Interesting the possibility to download an app for your iPhone to listen to the audioguides for free. Free wifi connection.

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.

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.