Rautenstrauch-Joest Museum

Cologne's ethnology museum ‘Cultures of the World', with over 65,000 objects from Africa, Asia, Oceania and the Americas at the Kulturquartier on Neumarkt.

Ethnology World cultures Indoor Rainy day

The Rautenstrauch-Joest Museum – Cultures of the World is Cologne's ethnology museum and the only municipal one of its kind in North Rhine-Westphalia. Since 2010 it has occupied the Kulturquartier on Neumarkt, alongside the Schnütgen Museum.

Source: Wikipedia · retrieved 2026-06-23

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At a glance

Collection: over 65,000 objects from Oceania, Africa, Asia and the Americas
New building opened: 2010 at the Kulturquartier on Neumarkt
Concept: arranged by theme rather than by region
Guiding theme: "People in their worlds"

Collection & history

The collection began with the estate of Cologne geographer and ethnologist Wilhelm Joest. After his early death his sister Adele Rautenstrauch and her husband donated it to the city and funded the first museum building, opened in 1906. Today it ranks among the ten largest ethnographic holdings in Germany.

A different perspective

Instead of the classic division by continent, the exhibition arranges objects thematically – around prejudice, clothing and adornment, or dwelling. The museum invites visitors to question their own view of other cultures.