The 4 Museums of the Worpswede Museum Alliance

A Partnership that Preserves and Transforms the Legacy

From Germany's most significant artists’ colony to an internationally renowned artist village – the Worpswede Museum Alliance stands for the preservation and development of a unique artistic tradition. This alliance unites four museums that collectively present the diverse heritage of the Worpswede artist generations and bring it into a lively dialogue with contemporary art.

The Worpswede artist colony was founded in 1889 by Fritz Mackensen, Hans am Ende, and Otto Modersohn. They attracted a community of artists who sought an alternative to established studio painting and focused their work on the power of nature and the utopian possibilities of communal living. In this community, art was not the only focus; there was also the question of alternative lifestyles, as Heinrich Vogeler impressively demonstrated in his politicization and vision of a socialist society. Women played a significant role: Paula Modersohn-Becker and her contemporaries were often more modern and radical than their male colleagues. They challenged artistic conventions and broadened perspectives. Worpswede owes its enduring international significance, not least, to these pioneers of modernism.

In the Worpswede museums, visitors can experience the unique heritage of Worpswede and explore the contemporary cultural significance of the place. The museums invite guests to view the ideas and questions that have inspired artists here for over a century in a new light. Through engaging with these concepts, Worpswede transforms from a place of remembrance into a site of rediscovery and creative participation.