100 years - 100 treasures

In 1912, thanks to the generous bequest of Pauline Sels, the wife of Dr. Clemens Sels, the first municipal museum building in the style of an ancient temple was erected on the market square. She also donated her husband's extensive art and cultural history collection to the Municipal Museum, whose name the current museum has borne since 1950.

After the destruction of the first museum building in World War II, the rescued collections found a new presentation site in the medieval Obertor. In the course of the intensive expansion of the collection holdings by Dr. Irmgard Feldhaus, a new building was erected in 1975 according to the designs of the architect Professor Harald Deilmann.

On the occasion of its 100th anniversary, the museum presented 100 high-caliber works from all areas of the collection: Thus, the exhibition "100 Years - 100 Treasures" featured a reunion with famous works of art from the Dutch School, the Nazarenes, the Pre-Raphaelites and the Symbolists, as well as the Rhenish Expressionists, the art of the Naives and color painting. In addition, Roman and medieval archaeological finds were on display, as well as objects that brought the eventful history of Neuss to life. Furthermore, one could also convince oneself of the importance of the folkloric treasures.