The Städtische Galerie Karlsruhe is one of the most vibrant art institutions in the southwest - a house that preserves history and at the same time deals with the present. Housed in one of Germany's largest industrial monuments, the museum unfolds its exhibitions in spacious areas that impressively showcase the special architecture of the former munitions factory. Modern and contemporary art meet here in an open dialog that is both locally anchored and internationally oriented.
In 2025, the Städtische Galerie receives special recognition: the Baden-Württemberg Lotto Museum Prize, endowed with 30,000 euros.
The prize, which has been recognizing the quality and innovative strength of non-state museums for a decade, confirms the gallery's continuous curatorial work. The jury particularly praised the clear program, the combination of collection and communication as well as the variety of formats that appeal to a wide range of visitor groups. Director Stefanie Patruno sees the award as both a confirmation and an obligation: "Art only remains relevant if it is conceived as an open space - accessible, diverse and socially connected."
Elsa & Johanna, Vertigo, from the series The Timeless Story of Moormerland, 2021, Courtesy Galerie La Forest Divonne
Update! A new look at the collection - change of scene 3
The re-presentation of the collection is one of the major projects of recent years and is considered the core of the Museum Prize award. Under the title "Update! Rethinking the Collection", the Städtische Galerie is opening up new perspectives on around 200 works from 120 years of art history. Painting, sculpture, graphic art, photography and video enter into a cross-media exchange for the first time in thematic rooms.
Central contemporary issues structure the tour: identity and diversity, ecological responsibility, social cohesion or experiences of home and foreignness. These themes lend new relevance to the historical holdings. The presentation is complemented by specially designed artists' rooms, a display depot and a research archive - a transparent look behind the institutional structures.
Since May 24, 2025
Özlem Günyol & Mustafa Kunt - RATATATAA
With RATATATAA, the Städtische Galerie is presenting the first major institutional solo exhibition in Germany by the international artist duo Günyol & Kunt. Their works oscillate between poetic reduction and political acuity, unfolding precise questions of power, belonging and public space in the charged architecture of the former munitions factory. Language becomes form, symbols become sound, monuments become movement: a finely balanced interplay of meaning and emptiness. The eponymous sound RATATATAA also refers to violence, rhythm and ambivalence - and thus to the fragility of social order.
September 27, 2025 to April 12, 2026
Özlem Günyol & Mustafa Kunt, Self Defense, 2015 Photo: Işık Kaya
Marleine Chedraoui - Hanna Nagel Prize 2025
With the award of the Hanna Nagel Prize, artist Marleine Chedraoui is receiving her first major exhibition in Karlsruhe. Her works - installative, sculptural, cinematic and performative - question the norms and structures of exhibiting itself. Through repetitions, recodings and subtle shifts, she exposes institutional mechanisms that determine what becomes visible and what remains invisible. Her presentation thus fits in perfectly with the museum's focus on education and research.
November 28, 2025 to February 22, 2026
With its cleverly interlinked program, the Städtische Galerie Karlsruhe proves why it is one of the region's most distinctive art venues. The museum remains a space that retells art history, opens up social debates - and, with the Lotto Museum Prize 2025, receives an award that powerfully strengthens its future.
