Exhibitions A space for dialogue, interaction and new perspectives

We take turns presenting exhibitions on current topics, artistic perspectives and global viewpoints.

till June 27, 2027 Bilderechos aus Peru

Intimate portraits, scenes of everyday life and documentary images – the historical photographs and audio recordings of Hans Heinrich Brünings (1848–1928) continue to resonate deeply in Peru to this day and offer new perspectives on identity, memory and cultural self-determination.

till November 29, 2026 CATS!

Cats rule the internet — and our hearts, too. From the Egyptian goddess Bastet to today’s meme stars, from domestic cuddly cats to majestic big cats, the exhibition traces what is perhaps the most versatile animal in cultural history.

till June 27, 2027 Pippi's Papa and a Totally True Story from the Pacific

The stories about Pippi Longstocking and her father Efraim, who rules as king over a Pacific island, figure among the most popular works of European children’s literature. But did a Swedish “South Sea king” truly exist? The biography of the Swede Carl Pettersson (1875 – 1937) shows astonishing parallels to the tales in the Pippi books

till June 27, 2027 Benin. Looted History

The colonial occupation of the Kingdom of Benin by British troops in February 1897 marked the end of one of the most powerful West African kingdoms. In consequence thousands of works of art made of bronze, ivory and wood were looted from the royal palace and dispersed worldwide. In view of the restitution, the MARKK’s Benin collection will now be presented in its entirety.

Permanent exhibitions Our collections tell the story of cultural diversity and global connections.

Uri Korea Serenity in the Fast Lane

The long-term cooperation between the Museum am Rothenbaum and the National Folk Museum of Korea has generated a jointly conceived exhibition project. It traces the significance of traditions in the modern age of the East Asian country, which is characterized by pop culture and high-tech.

The Inca Gallery and its Treasure Chambers

In the treasure chambers and the Inca Gallery there are archaeological treasures from 4000 years of cultural history of the pre-Hispanic Andean regions. The exhibition reveals which materials and objects were of particularly high value for the different cultures from Colombia to Argentina and what significance they had.

RAURU Māori Meeting House Masterpiece of the Māori

Wharenui meeting houses play a central role in Māori life. They serve the community as a place of gathering and as a venue for teaching, learning and debate. Religious rituals may take place in front of or inside the house. At the same time, they also fulfil a symbolic function. For example, they are seen as a metaphorical representation of the body and serve as a model of the Māori cosmos and systems of knowledge. The house at MARKK is named after Rauru, who is regarded by the major carving guilds of Te Arawa, Tanui and Mātaatua as the inventor of the art of carving.

Masks of the South Seas Masks from New Guinea, the Bismarck Archipelago and neighboring island states

On the islands of the South Pacific, mask performances were a central feature of social life in the late 19th and early 20th centuries – in many places they still are today.

First Things Looking Back to Look Forward

The museum takes a look back in order to look forward and presents a selection of the things that were first listed in an index in 1867. For the first time, objects from the museum’s early history are shown, hence illuminating an important but still largely unknown chapter in the history of the city of Hamburg.

A Touch of Eternity The Culture of Ancient Egypt

The Ancient Egyptian Collection comprises 800 objects. Excavations by the Deutsche Orient-Gesellschaft (German Oriental Society) around the Pyramids of Abusir in Egypt, which were acquired by the Museum am Rothenbaum from 1903 onwards, laid the foundation of the collection. Until 1933, the Ancient Egyptian Collection was continuously expanded by acquisitions and donations. Alongside art objects, everyday objects from the period between 3700 B.C. and 400 A.D. are particularly represented.