The RuhrArtMuseums form a unique landscape of modern art museums. Several of them date back to over 100 years and were forced to start from scratch after 1945. None of the collections have aristocratic or religious roots. The majority of the collections arose through the work of museum directors and, in most cases, enriched by gifts from private collectors. Others were enlarged thanks to the commitment of renowned collectors. Hagen and Essen have the patron Karl Ernst Osthaus to thank for the origin of their collections. Other museums have benefitted from the Osthaus concept with directors who have looked for connections between art and everyday life, who have remained contemporary in their approach and who have built bridges between art and design, art, architecture and urban development as well as between European and non-European art. The differences between the collections are the result of, among other things, each city’s desire to remain independent (up until now); funding; the influence of well-known local art personalities; artists’ associations; collectors; historical events or the individual director’s specialism.

The expansion of existing museum collections has been curtailed by the different municipalities’ financial situations and by the art market. Some of the museums have already had to shift their focus to exhibitions and art education at the expense of enlarging their collections.

In the context of the metropolitan concept European Capital of Culture RUHR.2010, the Ruhr Art Museums see their challenge as enhancing as well as developing and displaying their collections collectively. For the first time, they have produced a joint collection catalogue, which is available since mid March 2010.