Part of Harry Kramer’s estate is preserved, cared for and presented at Kunsthalle Lingen. Kramer was born in Lingen in 1925 and took part in documenta III in Kassel in 1964. This connection links a specific place with a moment in art history. The Emslandmuseum, meanwhile, leads from the city’s history to insights into historic domestic life. Together, they offer different ways to enjoy a culture-focused stay.
City History, Domestic Life and Collections
If you would like to place Lingen’s history in context, the Emslandmuseum’s permanent exhibition covers the history of the city and the southern Emsland region from the Middle Ages to the Second World War. A notable individual collection is the throne treasure of the Lingener Kivelinge, including royal chains spanning five centuries. The exhibition provides the historical context, while the chains focus attention on a specific treasure with a long history.
In the former coach house of Palais Danckelmann, the Emslandmuseum presents the building and domestic culture of the Emsland region. The half-timbered house, dating from 1728, contains, among other things, a typical bedroom with an original Butze, or bed cupboard, a Baroque room, an 18th-century bourgeois room and a Biedermeier-era living room. The different rooms bring domestic styles and their historical contexts to life; the house itself anchors the exhibition in a building dating from 1728.
The Kunst- und Kulturvilla offers a different kind of collection: it is an exhibition venue for the city of Lingen’s historical and cultural collections. These include paintings from the municipal art collection, books from the Georgianum Baroque library, old photographs, a work of art by Harry Kramer and historic toys from the former Adelmann shop. The collection thus ranges from art and book history to everyday objects. Alongside the Emslandmuseum’s permanent exhibition, it offers a different perspective on the city’s collections than a chronological account of the city’s history.
Guided City Tours and Independent Discoveries
The 2026 guided city tour programme from Lingen Wirtschaft + Tourismus GmbH offers a wide variety of tours with insights into Lingen’s history. The starting point for all the tours described is the Tourist Information Office at Neue Straße 3a. Tickets for the guided city tours in the 2026 programme are available there, at Neue Str. 3a, 49808 Lingen. If you plan to join a tour, check the current programme and ticket information.
Another option is the Emslandmuseum’s city game for children aged eight and over, in which they decipher secret codes that reveal the next destination in the city centre. The 2026 Lingen City Experience programme also includes a Kids Safari, where children can explore the city centre on their own. The activities differ in what they involve: in the city game, coded clues lead to the next destination; the safari focuses on independent exploration. For plans beyond 2026, check whether the Kids Safari is offered again.
Another Activity: The Leisure Pool
The Linus Lingen leisure pool offers a different focus from museums and city games. Its water area covers more than 1,000 square metres; attractions include Brodelberg, a lazy river and the more than 100-metre-long Black Hole slide. This means that, alongside historic collections and city-centre discovery activities, water attractions are another option for your itinerary. If you plan to visit the pool, check the latest operating information before you go.
Discover more destinations: Fresenburg, Walchum, Werlte, HaselĂĽnne, Rastdorf, Holte, Renkenberge, Kluse.
Go to the main travel overview: Emsland.
