Museum of Applied Arts (MAKK)

Overview

The Museum of Applied Arts (Museum für Angewandte Kunst Köln — MAKK) presents design and decorative arts from the Middle Ages to the present. The building itself, designed by Rudolf Schwarz in 1957, is a notable example of postwar modernist architecture.

Highlights

• Design Collection: Bauhaus furniture, Art Nouveau jewelry, and contemporary product design.
• Medieval Treasury: Liturgical objects and Rhineland metalwork.
• Overstolzenhaus Rooms: Reconstructed interiors from one of Cologne's oldest surviving Romanesque houses.

History

Founded in 1888 as the Kunstgewerbemuseum, the collection moved into Rudolf Schwarz's modernist building in 1957. It was renamed MAKK in 1989 and has since expanded its contemporary design holdings.

Visitor Tips

• Quiet gem — far less crowded than Ludwig or Wallraf-Richartz.
• Inner courtyard is a peaceful spot for a break.
• Duration: 45–60 minutes.