Rautenstrauch-Joest-Museum of Ethnography, Cologne

The famous Rautenstrauch-Joest-Museum of Ethnography is a must-visit destination in Cologne. This museum is a rich resource of cultural and ethnological legacy from the Pacific, West Africa, Oceania, Pre-Columbian America, Indo-China, and Indonesia. Constructed in the year 1901, it showcases the unique and extensive collection of its founder Wilhelm Joest who was a frequent world traveler. Restricted space here has limited the display of collections. A total of 65,000 items are presently displayed along with 40,000 publications and 100,000 historical photographs.

You can also find an exhaustive Oceania collection, most of which from Bismark Archipelago islands and New Guinea and over 13,000 African objects that include traditional masks, sculptures and ritual items used during ceremonies by secret society members in Central and West Africa. Do not miss the richly decorated masks and daily life ritual objects. You will also find an exquisite, carved boat that belonged to the late King of New Zealand, a Trobriand Islands Yams storage barn and a Hawaiian feather cloak. This ethnology and cultural museum is one of a kind and is a major landmark in North Rhine-Westphalia. It reflects a deep understanding of non-European cultures and a respect for cross-cultural understanding.

Why You Should Visit:
Quite modern and interactive, with a good selection of different cultures, and the way some things are displayed is interesting (even fun?) for both adults and children.

Tip:
There are plenty of lockers to hold your coats and belongings.