Museum Wilhelm Morgner with RAUM SCHROTH

The Wilhelm Morgner Museum with RAUM SCHROTH is housed in a listed building erected in 1961/62 according to Rainer Schell's plans. This multi-purpose building is an outstanding example of the architecture of the early 1960s. The reinforced concrete construction and the modular grid characterize the cubist structure, whose simple design and clear lines are consistently reflected in the interior and exterior.

Following a refurbishment and extension in line with listed building requirements, RAUM SCHROTH was created in 2016 by glazing the atrium. The Conceptual Art Foundation uses this area for the presentation of national and international works of concrete, constructive and conceptual art.

A permanent exhibition in the Morgnersaal is dedicated to the work of Wilhelm Morgner. The artist, who was born in Soest in 1891 and died in the First World War in 1917, left behind an extensive oeuvre despite his short creative period. His paintings, which appeared in the almanac "Der Blaue Reiter", among others, were considered "degenerate" under National Socialism. The collection comprises 60 paintings as well as over 400 drawings and graphic works, which exemplify the artistic development from naturalism to abstract composition at the end of the German Empire. Morgner is honored as an important pioneer of modernism in Westfalen.

In addition to Morgner's expressionist work, the museum also houses exhibits by other artists such as Otto Modersohn, Christian Rohlfs and Hans Kaiser. The City of Soest's art collection includes more than 3,500 works by artists who have a connection to Soest or have been exhibited here. Changing exhibitions complement the museum's offering, which shows a broad spectrum of art from the Soest collection and contemporary positions.