COLOGNE, 5th September 2014 (WAM) --- H.H. Dr. Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah on Thursday visited Museum Ludwig in Cologne City which houses an extensive collection of modern art, as part of his interest in enhancing cultural relations between Sharjah and cultural institutions around the world.

H.H. Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qassimi toured the museum which houses an extensive collection of Russian avant-garde paintings from early twentieth century and large collections representing the most contemporary art trends. These include the most compre?hen?sive col?lec?tion of Amer?i?can Pop Art out?side of the US, as well as the third largest Pablo Pi?cas?so col?lec?tion world?wide, af?ter Barcelo?na and Paris.

H.H. Sheikh Sultan was accompanied during the tour by Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi, Chairwoman of the Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq), U.A.E. Ambassador to Germany, Juma Mubarak Al Jenaibi, sheikhs and officials.

Briefing the ruler of Sharjah and his companions on the history of one of the lead?ing mu?se?ums of mod?ern and con?tem?po?rary art in Eu?rope, the curators explained that in 1976 Peter and Irene Lud?wig (the in?sti?tu?tion?s name?sakes) and the Ci?ty of Cologne signed a do?na?tion con?tract found?ing the Mu?se?um Lud?wig whereby the cou?ple do?nated 350 works of mod?ern art while the Ci?ty of Cologne in turn erected an in?de?pen?dent "Mu?se?um Lud?wig" for th?ese ob?jects cre?at?ed af?ter 1900.

Con?ceived by the Cologne ar?chi?tects Peter Bus?mann and God?frid Haber?er, the "dou?ble mu?se?um," which housed both the Wall?raf-Richartz Mu?se?um and the Mu?se?um Lud?wig, opened in 1986. In 1994 it was de?cid?ed to di?vide the two in?sti?tu?tions. Since then, the build?ing on the Bis?chof?garten?s?trasse has housed sole?ly the Mu?se?um Lud?wig.

Cologne (Koln in German) is a major cultural centre for the Rhineland and an internationally renowned cultural metropolis boasting 36 museums and more than 100 art galleries. Whether municipal, ecclesiastical, company-owned, or private museum, the wide array of exhibits ranges from Roman, medieval, non-European to contemporary art.

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