The unspoiled nature, the turbulent Baltic Sea, the special light - for centuries, artists have found wonderful sources of inspiration in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. Caspar David Friedrich and Philipp Otto Runge created their world-famous masterpieces here. The artists' colonies in Ahrenshoop, Schwaan and on the island of Hiddensee show unique works by formative artists of the region as well as contemporary works. Art halls and galleries offer changing exhibitions of nationally and internationally renowned sculptors, photographers and painters.

Exhibition at the Museum Ahrenshoop, © TMV/Roth

Between Baltic Sea and Bodden: Artists' Colony Ahrenshoop

The artists' colony of Ahrenshoop is located on the Fischland-Darß-Zingst peninsula. The extensive landscape between the Baltic Sea and the Bodden, the alternating cliffs and dunes and especially the unique light conditions attracted the first landscape painters to the coast at the end of the 19th century. The painter Paul Müller-Kaempff, who opened the first painting school in the village in 1894, is considered the founder of the colony. He was followed by many other artists as well as their friends and families, whereby the former fishing village simultaneously developed into a Baltic seaside resort.

Even today Ahrenshoop is a meeting place for artists and art lovers. In numerous exhibition houses and studios, the art historical development of the artists' colony can be traced from its founding to the present. These include, for example, the Ahrenshoop Art Museum, which opened in 2013, the Kunstkaten and the Künstlerhaus Lukas.

Peace and seclusion on the artists' island of Hiddensee

Hiddensee has been considered an artists' colony since the beginning of the 20th century. Far from big-city civilization, artists spend the summer months on the island or settle there completely. The foundation stone of the community was laid by the painter Oskar Kruse-Lietzenburg, whose "Lietzenburg", built in 1904, became an artists' meeting place for painters, writers and actors. After his death, the sculptor Max Kruse and his wife, the doll maker Käthe Kruse, continued this tradition. The painters Henni Lehmann and Clara Arnheim founded the Hiddensoer Künstlerinnenbund in 1919. Their studio and exhibition rooms are located in the blue barn, where their works are exhibited again today. Among the many prominent guests of the island are also the actress Asta Nielsen, painter and sculptor Käthe Kollwitz and the writer Gerhart Hauptman.

If you want to get an impression of the cultural development of Hiddensee, it is worth visiting some other galleries and exhibitions besides the blue barn. Open for guests are, for example, the Gerhart Hauptmann House, the Museum of Local History, the Henni Lehmann House and the Asta Nielsen House.

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Nature studies in Schwaan

But it was not only on the coast that artists gathered to immortalize the unique nature of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern in their works. At the end of the 19th century, a colony of artists also emerged in the small farming town of Schwaan, south of Rostock. Local painters came together here to study the natural landscape around the tranquil little town and capture it in their paintings. The founder of the colony is the Schwaan-born painter Franz Bunke, who studied and later taught at the Weimar School of Painting. Rudolf Bartels, Peter Paul Draewing and Alfred Heinsohn also belonged to the core of the artist community.

Today, their works are exhibited in the Kunstmuseum Schwaan in the building of the former watermill. The house where Franz Bunke was born can also be visited. If you would like to see the original locations of the works, the artist trails are the right place to go: Three cycling and hiking trails lead past them starting from the art museum.

Galleries and art studios

Places of art and inspiration in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern

276 results

  • Exhibition and sale, © Dr. Hildegard Brekenfeldt

    Dalwitz ceramics

    • Dalwitz, 17179 Walkendorf

    Ceramics studio and exhibition at Gut Dalwitz in Mecklenburg ParkLand

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  • © Dorf und Kirche Wrodow e.V.

    Davinci3

    • Leonardo-da-Vinci-Weg, 17091 Mölln

    As a gallery, meeting place and new village center, DAVINCI 3 combines digital and rural living culture. A place that invites you to exchange ideas, to pause for a moment - and to create together.

    Read more: "Davinci3"
  • Parchim City Hall

    • Putlitzer Straße, 19370 Parchim

    Concerts, theater, show, entertainment, fairs, congresses, conventions and exhibitions.

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  • © Sabine Maus

    Restaurant café-wunder-bar

    • Am Markt, 18334 Bad Sülze

    East of Rostock, between the Hanseatic Cities of Stralsund and Greifswald, the café-wunder-bar restaurant is located in Bad Sülze, directly at the market, in the oldest spa town in northern Germany. On our outdoor terrace you can enjoy the tranquility of the greenery and the view of the town church from 1362 with coffee and ice cream specialties

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  • © Hiddenseer Hafen- und Kurbetrieb

    Gallery Dwarslöper

    • Kirchweg, 18565 Kloster

    The Dwarslöper Gallery in Kloster has been presenting island-connected artists in its premises for many years.

    Read more: "Gallery Dwarslöper"
  • © voigt & kranz UG, Prerow

    RACURITIES

    • Freely accessible at any time
    • Bahnhofstraße, 18317 Saal

    RAKURITÄTEN, in this word we have Raku ceramics, rarities and curiosities fused together. Far from classic raku ceramics, we, Regina and Ingo Chinow create good-humored, mostly animal creatures, which we can long no longer accommodate all with us.

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  • © Domenik Jante

    Village studio Jante

    • Lindenallee, 19288 Warlow

    In the courtyard gallery are shown new and old oil paintings and pencil drawings, the everyday scenarios and still lifes.

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  • © Heidrun Klimmey

    Gallery Quadrados

    • Küstergang, 18209 Bad Doberan

    In the heart of downtown Bad Doberan, the gallery shows contemporary art with prints and paintings by Heidrun Klimmey herself and, in thematically changing exhibitions, works by other artists.

    Read more: "Gallery Quadrados"
  • Neues Kunsthaus

    • Bernhard-Seitz-Weg, 18347 Ahrenshoop

    The New Art Museum (“Neues Kunsthaus”) Ahrenshoop is committed to presenting the work of the fellows of the Künstlerhaus Lukas, within the context of Northern Europe.

    Read more: "Neues Kunsthaus"
  • © Klaus Böllhoff

    SUBITOW Gallery - Studio - Life

    • Klempenow, 17089 Bartow

    SUBITOW - Gallery - Studio - Life - is a project that has something surprising to offer the connoisseur and the layman - painting, sculpture, quilt, photography, gARTen, sound. It shows Art-aktuell inter- and regional. Bau&Schauhaus. Art&Life - almost always open - accessible.

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  • © Ute Matthiesen

    seamwork.paperart

    • Kirchstraße, 18528 Bergen auf Rügen

    Fine seams in paper - Ute Matthiesen creates paper in the heart of Bergen auf Rügen. Extraordinary art is created at the sewing machine: sewn watercolors and collages as well as exclusive art cards.

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  • SPEICHER_House for: Culture, © SPEICHER

    Storage at Katharinenberg

    • Katharinenberg, 18439 Stralsund

    The SPEICHER is an eco-sociocultural center in Stralsund's old town.

    Read more: "Storage at Katharinenberg"
  • View into the former cell tract, © Jörn Lehmann

    Documentation and memorial site in the former remand prison of the state security Rostock

    • Grüner Weg, 18055 Rostock

    From place of detention to place of remembrance

    Read more: "Documentation and memorial site in the former remand prison of the state security Rostock"
  • Ernst Moritz Arndt House

    • Dorfstraße, 18574 Groß Schoritz

    The place owes its special fame to the university professor, writer and publicist Ernst Moritz Arndt (1769 - 1860), who was born here.

    Read more: "Ernst Moritz Arndt House"
  • © Andreas Günther, Geschichtswerkstatt Rostock

    Kröpelin Gate

    • Kröpeliner Tor (Kröpeliner Straße 50), 18055 Rostock

    The Kröpelin Gate is one of the former 22 city gates of the medieval city fortification of Rostock.

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  • Rakubrand Kronsberg, © Südliche Boddenküste

    Raku ceramics, Kronsberg

    • Waldstraße, 18314 Lüdershagen OT Kronsberg

    Raku is the charm of chance and subtle asymmetrical rhythm.

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  • © STADTMARKETING GmbH, Catharina Groth

    Schleswig-Holstein House

    • Puschkinstraße, 19055 Schwerin

    Numerous events take place in the charming brick building. Whether concerts, readings or lectures in the historic rooms or open-air cinema and festivals in the enchanting garden. International and regional exhibitions can be seen in the gallery rooms. The listed remise houses a printing workshop. Open Tue - Sun 11 am - 6 pm.

    Read more: "Schleswig-Holstein House"
  • © Irene Sohler

    Studio Irene Sohler

    • OT Fürstenwerder, Blockstr., 17291 Nordwestuckermark

    - Landscape - Interior - Still life - Figure - Please book a visit

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  • © Hafen- und Kurbetrieb

    Museum of local history Hiddensee

    • Kirchweg, 18565 Kloster

    The museum of local history, located in one of the oldest buildings in the village of Kloster, is one of the cultural focal points of the island of Hiddensee.

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  • © Foto: von Levetzow

    Lelkendorf Castle

    • Schlossweg, 17168 Lelkendorf

    Stylishly furnished vacation apartment in the castle with antiques, magnificent view of the castle park, regular cultural events, cozy barbecue area in the park with permanently installed barbecue, spacious entrance hall furnished with seating areas and works of art.

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  • © Schloss Bröllin

    Bröllin Castle

    • Bröllin, 17309 Fahrenwalde

    Schloss Bröllin is a historic estate in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern that is now used as an international production center for the performing arts. Artists from all over the world work here on projects, residencies and workshops in a unique atmosphere.

    Read more: "Bröllin Castle"
  • © Anja Weyer

    Studio Anja Weyer

    • Open today
    • Bliedenstraße, 23966 Wismar

    New works on canvas and paper by Anja Weyer

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  • The Forsthof ensemble with fountain., © Gabriele Skorupski

    Jasnitz forestry farm

    • Lange Straße, 19230 Jasnitz

    In the middle of one of the largest closed forest areas in the south of West Mecklenburg, on the edge of the "Griesen Gegend", lies the Jasnitz forestry office with its historic forestry farm. This is a popular destination for vacationers and recreation seekers and offers space for exhibitions and seasonal markets several times a year.

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  • minimare discovery park at the Baltic Sea

    • Neue Reihe, 23942 Kalkhorst

    The minimare makes Mecklenburg-Vorpommern's history tangible and invites you on a family-friendly and adventurous journey through time.

    Read more: "minimare discovery park at the Baltic Sea"
  • © J. Lippke

    Visitor information centre of the Nature Park “Sternberger Seenland“

    • Am Markt, 19417 Warin

    The visitor information centre in Warin is the ideal starting point in order to inform oneself about the different destinations and experiences the nature park offers. One can learn something about the landscape’s formation and the way the human’s occupation influenced its development. The unique flora and fauna of the nature park greatly fascinate the visitors. Borrow a backpack at the visitor centre and discover the nature park in your own way.

    Read more: "Visitor information centre of the Nature Park “Sternberger Seenland“"
  • © Literaturhaus „Uwe Johnson“, Silke Winkler

    House of Literature "Uwe Johnson

    • Open today
    • Im Thurow, 23948 Klütz

    The "Uwe Johnson" House of Literature is located in a former granary built around 1890 near Klützer Marktplatz. Over two floors, the exhibition provides a multifaceted insight into the life and work of Uwe Johnson and thus presents the writer who has always remained closely associated with Mecklenburg.

    Read more: "House of Literature "Uwe Johnson"
  • © Foto: J. Lehmmann, Stiftung Mecklenburg

    Permanent exhibition "Mecklenburg - so far, so near" of the Mecklenburg Foundation

    • Open today
    • Puschkinstraße, 19055 Schwerin

    The Mecklenburg Foundation preserves and tells the history and culture of Mecklenburg!

    Read more: "Permanent exhibition "Mecklenburg - so far, so near" of the Mecklenburg Foundation"
  • © Kurverwaltung Ahrenshoop/voigt & kranz UG, Prerow

    Kunstkaten Ahrenshoop

    • Strandweg, 18347 Ostseebad Ahrenshoop

    The Ahrenshoop Kunstkaten is an exhibition and events house managed by the Ahrenshoop tourist office and is one of the oldest galleries in Northern Germany. Throughout the year, visitors enjoy the changing exhibitions about the artists’ colony of Ahrenshoop, the subsequent generations of artists, all the way to the art of the present day.

    Read more: "Kunstkaten Ahrenshoop"
  • © Kultur- und Sportring e.V.

    Malchow city windmill

    • Friedrich-Ebert-Str., 17213 Malchow

    Of the former seven windmills, two are still preserved in the town area: The so-called Stadtmühle and the Achtkant. Both are owned by the island town of Malchow, which is committed to preserving the monuments that characterize the townscape.

    Read more: "Malchow city windmill"
  • Boek Manor House / National Park Information

    • Temporarily closed
    • Boeker Straße, 17248 Boek

    Accessible exhibition "The fishermen of Boek

    Read more: "Boek Manor House / National Park Information"

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