Top 25 Must-See Attractions in Duisburg, Germany

Duisburg, a prominent industrial node in the Ruhr region, remains Germany’s foremost steel-producing city, even as numerous heavy industries in the area have diminished. The city’s extensive tonnage is facilitated by the largest river port globally, located at the junction of the Rhine and the Ruhr.

The inner harbour, which extends toward the heart of Duisburg from the Rhine, has undergone significant regeneration over the past 25 years. Former industrial grain warehouses have been repurposed into museums, offices, and residential spaces. Duisburg also serves as the starting point for a remarkable trail featuring numerous awe-inspiring sites, including a former steelworks transformed into an urban park situated to the north of the city.

Let us examine the top attractions in Duisburg:

1. Lehmbruck Museum

Nestled within Immanuel Kant Park, the Lehmbruck Museum is primarily dedicated to sculpture and showcases the artistic journey of Duisburg native Wilhelm Lehmbruck.

The museum houses approximately 100 of his creations, along with his sketches, drawings, and paintings located in a separate facility.

However, Lehmbruck’s contributions represent only a portion of an extensive collection that undergoes reinstallation each year.

Visitors can admire sculptures by notable artists including Alberto Giacometti, Joseph Beuys, Pablo Picasso, Käthe Kollwitz, Alexander Archipenko, and Christo, among others.

The museum also features 19th and 20th-century artworks, predominantly focusing on Expressionism from the Die Brücke movement, represented by artists like Emil Nolder, Max Pechstein, Kirchner, and August Macke, alongside Bauhaus pieces by Ernst Eilhelm Nay and Max Beckmann.

Within Immanuel Kant Park, a sculpture garden exhibits 40 works by Lehmbruck, Henry Moore, and Meret Oppenheim.

2. Landschaftspark Duisburg Nord

Located in the Meiderich district to the north of Duisburg, a shuttered steelworks has been repurposed into a public park.

The facility ceased operations in 1985, and in the early 1990s, the landscape architect Peter Latz opted to preserve elements such as the blast furnaces, conveyor bridges, and chimney stacks.

The area has been landscaped with vegetation to remediate pollution in the soil, and the existing infrastructure has been creatively repurposed: former sewage canals and railway tracks now serve as walking paths, a gasometer has transitioned into a scuba diving center, concrete bunkers have been transformed into gardens, walls now accommodate climbers, and a blast furnace serves as a viewing tower.

Landschaftspark is part of the Ruhr’s Industrial Heritage Trail and frequently ranks among the world’s premier urban parks.

3. Inner Harbour

For those with an appreciation for industrial architecture, Duisburg’s Inner Harbour warrants exploration, as it served as the lifeline for the city through the 1960s.

Since the 19th century, the harbour was widely recognized as the “bread basket of the Ruhr,” accumulating grain within its immense granaries.

In the aftermath of World War II, the harbour experienced a decline and lay unused for decades until undergoing regeneration in the 1990s.

Architect Norman Foster developed plans to convert Ruhr sites into lively districts for leisure, office spaces, and residential areas.

Today, the area features parks, museums, restaurants, and businesses, many housed within repurposed brick industrial buildings.

4. Museum der Deutschen Binnenschifffahrt

Housed in an elegant Art Nouveau public baths built in the 1910s, this museum details the social and technical history of inland navigation.

Situated by the Rhine’s right bank in the Ruhrort district, which hosts the largest inland river port in the world, the museum showcases a barge from 1913 in the former men’s swimming area, along with a walkthrough replica vessel in the ladies’ hall, illustrating life and work on board.

The museum features three ships docked a ten-minute walk away, two of which welcome visitors: The Minden, a dredger launched in 1882, and the Oscar Huber, a 75-meter-long paddle steamer commissioned in 1922, recognized as the last preserved vessel of its kind on the Rhine.

5. Museum Küppersmühle

This striking seven-story building, overlooking Duisburg’s inner harbour, is as much a part of the attraction as the contemporary art found within.

Originally constructed in 1908 as a granary, it featured 42-meter-high steel grain silos added in 1934. After its decommissioning in the 1970s, a citizens’ initiative advocated for its preservation, and it was repurposed in the 1990s by the Swiss architectural firm Herzog & de Meuron.

The museum hosts four temporary exhibitions annually, showcasing retrospectives or curated exhibitions centered on specific themes.

The permanent collection includes works by esteemed German contemporary artists such as Sigmar Polke, Georg Baselitz, Candida Höfer, and Abraham David Christian.

6. Tiger and Turtle – Magic Mountain

Located a short distance south of Duisburg along the Rhine, this interactive art installation was unveiled in 2010, coinciding with the Ruhr’s designation as Europe’s cultural capital.

The Tiger and Turtle is essentially a hilltop rollercoaster that features twisting stairways instead of tracks, designed by Heike Mutter and Ulrich Genth.

Constructed from galvanized steel, this structure can be traversed on foot, except for the loop, which is inaccessible.

The Tiger and Turtle’s 35-meter hill is entirely manmade, composed of waste from a zinc smelting factory and several tons of rubble from demolished industrial sites.

7. Duisburg Rathaus

During the Industrial Revolution, Duisburg experienced a population surge, growing from 4,500 at the beginning of the 19th century to 100,000 by its conclusion.

The town hall underwent reconstruction twice during the century to accommodate its burgeoning population.

The current structure was established on Burgplatz at the turn of the 20th century, designed in a Historicist style by architect Friedrich Ratzel from Karlsruhe.

His design was selected from among 80 entries, necessitating the demolition of 20 houses to make way for this authoritative edifice.

Visitors should take note of the main façade, which features elegant traceried windows on the first floor and a tower that reaches 67 meters in height.

8. Mercatorbrunnen

The renowned Flemish-German cartographer Gerardus Mercator resided in Duisburg for the final 30 years of his life after departing from Leuven due to his Lutheran beliefs.

Mercator is celebrated for his 1569 World Map, which utilized his projection method, applying a grid of straight lines for mapping.

This innovative approach significantly advanced the field of cartography.

Visitors can honor Mercator at a sandstone fountain on Burgplatz, erected in 1878, featuring a two-meter statue depicting the esteemed cartographer in Renaissance attire, overlooking the globe.

Four child figures adorning the corners of the pedestal symbolize trade, industry, science, and navigation.

9. Archäologische Zone Alter Markt

During excavations for Duisburg’s U-Bahn in the early 1980s, remnants of the city’s medieval market were unearthed on Burgplatz, situated in front of the town hall.

This market square has served as the main marketplace since the 900s, with a permanent market hall constructed in the 1300s.

Steps lead down two meters from street level to the excavated foundations of the hall and a house dating from the 1600s, allowing visitors to descend through various historical periods, from the 1800s to the 1500s and 1300s.

Informational boards in German are available to illustrate the evolution of Burgplatz throughout its history.

10. Duisburg Zoo

Situated at the northern edge of Duisburg Urban Forest, Duisburg Zoo spans 16 hectares and accommodates nearly 300 animal species.

The facility expanded in the years following World War II, particularly around its water enclosures.

The largest of these is the dolphinarium, which is also Germany’s largest, containing three million liters of seawater and hosting nine bottlenose dolphins.

Additionally, the Rio Negro exhibit features Baby, the last surviving Amazon dolphin in Europe.

As for terrestrial animals, the zoo is recognized for breeding fossas, which are Madagascar’s endemic, cougar-like mammals.

Duisburg Zoo also houses koalas in their designated “Koala House,” where visitors can observe these marsupials up close behind glass barriers.

11. Salvatorkirche

Constructed from light grey tuff in the 1300s and situated on Burgplatz, this church is a prime example of Late Gothic architecture on the right bank of the Lower Rhine.

The distinctive truncated tower is a result of damage sustained during World War II, following a bomb strike that caused the spire to collapse into the nave.

Inside, one can find a Renaissance pulpit from 1664 and a baptismal font created in the 1500s.

The church is also home to 18 tomb monuments, one of which commemorates Gerardus Mercator.

Following the war, the stained-glass windows were reconstructed, including the Gedenkfenster (memorial window), designed by Israeli artist Naftali Bezem, which depicts Duisburg’s November Pogrom in 1938.

12. Kultur- und Stadthistorisches Museum Duisburg

Located along the Inner Harbour, this museum occupies another beautifully designed grain mill from the early 20th century.

The museum’s exhibits have been gradually assembled from archaeological excavations and city archives over the last 200 years.

If you’re tracing the legacy of Gerardus Mercator, be sure to visit the first floor to see his “Schatzkammer” (treasury), which displays original maps, atlases, and two globes crafted by Mercator that depict the heavens and the earth.

Another highlight includes a facsimile of the Corputius Plan, featuring a bird’s eye view of Duisburg drawn by the Dutch cartographer Johannes Corputius in 1566.

Additionally, the Köhler-Osbahr collection consists of an intriguing selection of coins and various objects that served as currency in ancient civilizations.

13. Königstraße

Duisburg’s primary pedestrian thoroughfare connects the Hauptbahnhof with Kuhtor, the historic site of one of the city gates.

For 600 meters, the street is lined with international chains, three shopping malls, and a branch of the well-known German department store Karstadt.

The K Königsgalerie, which opened in 2011, is a shopping center that adjoins the street; the Forum mall will be discussed later.

While strolling along Königstraße, visitors can pass the time by enjoying the various monuments located along the Brunnenmeile (Fountain Mile).

An initiative introduced in the 1990s resulted in the installation of 11 fountains, all designed by prominent sculptors.

One notable piece, Lifesaverbrunnen, is among Duisburg’s most iconic and debated works of public art, a colorful birdlike figure that resulted from a collaboration between Niki de Saint Phalle and Swiss kinetic artist Jean Tinguely.

14. Sechs-Seen-Platte

Duisburg’s industrial landscape feels worlds away at this picturesque recreational area featuring six interconnected lakes.

While enjoying a long stroll, a refreshing morning run, or a swim at the public bathing area, it might be difficult to believe that Sechs-Seen-Platte is entirely artificial.

These lakes originated from a gravel pit excavated by Count Spee for his ancestral estate, Schloss Heltorf, near Düsseldorf.

During the summer months, the area attracts visitors with its 25 kilometers of scenic trails, a golf course, equestrian paths, and a 450-meter-long beach, complemented by barbecue areas and dining establishments.

15. Aussichtsturm Wolfssee

On the eastern shore of Wolfsee, one of the lakes at Sechs-Seen-Platte, the Wolfsberg stands as the second-highest publicly accessible location in Duisburg.

Much like the hill where Tiger and Turtle is located, Wolfsberg is entirely artificial.

It was formed using excavated soil, gravel, landfill, industrial debris, and even remnants from a WWII-era gun emplacement and Luftwaffe ammunition depot.

At the summit, a wooden observation tower was erected; after its destruction by fire in 2002, a new steel tower was constructed in its place and inaugurated in 2006. From the upper platform, visitors can take in panoramic views of the recreational area, the industrial landscape of the Ruhr, and distant landmarks such as Dortmund’s television tower.

16. Museum DKM

This museum showcases art from various eras and regions, founded upon two private collections.

Museum DKM spans five levels featuring 51 spacious rooms displaying over 1000 artworks.

The collection primarily consists of “New Art” from the 21st century and the late 20th century, featuring a diverse array of artists from Ai Weiwei to Blinky Palermo.

Moreover, the “Old Art” section encompasses artifacts dating back 5,000 years, originating from countries such as Pakistan, India, Iran, Thailand, Cambodia, Egypt, and Japan.

Chinese pieces, including burial figurines, paintings, and Buddhas, date back to the Han Dynasty in the 3rd century and the Qi Dynasty around the 6th century.

17. Forum Duisburg

Opened in 2008, Forum Duisburg ranks among Germany’s largest urban shopping centres, situated on Königstraße. Its establishment was prompted by the decline of retail activity in Duisburg as consumers flocked to nearby Essen, located just 20 kilometers to the east.

The mall features 80 stores, attracting tens of thousands of shoppers daily from across the Ruhr region and even from neighboring countries.

Most of the shops cater to the mid-market segment, offering retailers like C&A, H&M, and German chains such as Saturn, all housed within a bright interior beneath a substantial glass structure.

For dining options, visitors can choose from various eateries in the Forum or explore the CityPalais nearby, which offers international cuisine options like sushi, Italian, Indian, and Chinese.

18. Aquarius Wassermuseum

Situated a few kilometers up the Ruhr and past the zoo is an intriguing industrial remnant, a 50-meter Neo-Gothic water tower transformed into a museum.

This tower was constructed in 1892-93 to supply water to the nearby rolling mills owned by industrialist August Thyssen.

Acquired by the Rhine-Westphalia Waterworks in 1912, it served as a vital component of the region’s water supply network until 1982. Following renovations, an elevator was added within the water tank, which previously held over 500,000 liters of water.

The tour commences at the observation platform atop the building, offering expansive views of the Ruhr area.

The exhibits center on water, featuring interactive stations that cover topics such as sewage treatment, the mechanics of water towers, water content in everyday foods, and the industrial uses of water.

19. Explorado

Located at the Inner Harbour, Explorado is an educational museum designed for children aged four to twelve, emphasizing learning through interaction, exercise, and hands-on activities.

The facility spans three floors and hosts over 100 interactive stations aimed at assisting children in solving everyday challenges, understanding natural phenomena, and exploring various professions.

Children may communicate in Morse code, climb into a tree canopy, earn a driver’s license, witness movie special effects, navigate an extensive marble run, and participate in engaging chemistry experiments.

20. Kaiserberg

Distinct from other elevations in the predominantly flat Duisburg landscape, Kaiserberg is entirely natural and stands as the highest point within the city limits.

As it was the only prominent feature in the vicinity, the 75-meter hill has been fortified from the Stone Age and remains significant up until approximately 1,000 years ago.

At the hill’s base is a small botanical garden, while its slopes are landscaped as an English park interspersed with intriguing, often forgotten monuments.

Among these is a memorial dedicated to the Battle of Sedan in the Franco-Prussian War, where Prussia captured Napoleon III. Other notable landmarks include a monument honoring Kaiser Wilhelm I and the remnants of a water tower.

21. Radiomuseum Duisburg

This museum, located in Duisburg’s Ruhrort district, serves as a treasure trove for enthusiasts of communication technology, specifically radios.

Housing the largest collection of radios in Germany, with more than 350 devices dating back to 1923, many still operational, the museum is a haven for historical technology aficionados.

The exhibitions include early tape recorders, both domestic and international, all presented with a sense of affection.

Visitors can gain insight into the evolution of broadcasting in Germany, covering the development of radio technology as well as the origins of shortwave radio following World War II.

22. Kamp Abbey

Located just west of Duisburg is Germany’s oldest Cistercian monastery.

Kamp Abbey was founded in 1123 and rapidly acquired wealth, inspiring the establishment of numerous religious houses throughout Germany and the Netherlands during the Middle Ages.

Though secularized in 1802, a small Carmelite community resided at Kamp Abbey after World War II until 2010. Today, the abbey’s allure lies in its monastic gardens, meticulously redesigned in the 1980s based on a copper engraving illustrating the grounds from the mid-18th century.

The gardens feature four unique sections: a terraced garden complete with a grand staircase, a Baroque formal garden, the “Old Garden” (also Baroque), and an orchard cultivated with plums, apples, and cherries.

23. Industrial Heritage Trail

In Duisburg, one reaches the western terminus of a 400-kilometer trail that traverses the Ruhr Valley, showcasing the region’s finest preserved industrial architecture.

An extensive network of signposted cycling routes has been developed, allowing visitors to select several destinations on the map and utilize Duisburg as a launch point for journeys through a landscape that has undergone remarkable transformations over the past century.

The countryside is dotted with gasometers, collieries, coking plants, steelworks, breweries, and railway depots, most of which are steam-powered and established over a century ago.

Perhaps the most notable site is the UNESCO-listed Zeche Zollverein mine complex, located only 30 minutes by road from Duisburg.

24. Botanischer Garten Duisburg-Hamborn

For those seeking ideas for a summer excursion, there exists a small yet well-maintained botanical garden in Hamborn, located north of the city center.

The gardens have undergone recent redesigns, showcasing perennials, rhododendrons, herbs, vegetable patches, and greenhouses nurturing Mediterranean species such as citrus and olive trees.

The park is also home to an aquarium complete with 11 display tanks.

Families visiting Duisburg can partake in activities such as an Easter egg hunt, and an annual fuchsia exhibition held every June, which is now in its third decade.

25. Harbour Boat Tours

It is somewhat surprising that Duisburg is home to the largest inland port in Europe, despite being located 250 kilometers from the nearest coastline.

While some may find Duisburg’s industrial history more captivating than others, those interested can take pleasure in the boat tours provided by the Weisse Flotte company, available from April to October.

Passengers can encounter unique sights, including ocean-going freight vessels, warehouses larger than football fields, docks stretching up to a kilometer long, and massive container cranes typically found in sea ports.