Red Dot Milestones
& Design on Stage 2026/27
The Red Dot Design Museum has been located in the former boiler house of the Zollverein Coal Mine since 1997. Since 2001, the former mining complex has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In the early 1990s, the building was modernised according to plans by British architect Lord Norman Foster and converted for its new use as a museum. Historic industrial culture and modern design culture come together here. The exhibitions change every year.
Red Dot Milestones
The “Red Dot Milestones” exhibition presents the best products of 2026, selected by the jury of the Red Dot Award: Product Design. The international panel of experts chooses them from thousands of entries. Only the best products in each category receive the Red Dot: Best of the Best distinction. They set new standards – in both function and aesthetics – and show how design can have a lasting impact on the world we live in.
Design on Stage
All exhibits in this exhibition were awarded in the Red Dot Award: Product Design in 2026. The around 2,000 exhibits come from every area of life: from the home to work, leisure and mobility, as well as healthcare.
Through selected design products, visitors can learn more about the principles of good design, including the “Four Qualities of Good Design”. Function and use, appeal and responsibility describe areas of tension that shape our understanding of design. In this section of the exhibition, they are explored through selected examples and illustrated by the products on display.
Red Dot Design Museum
Gelsenkirchener Str. 181
45309 Essen
+49 201 – 30 10 40
museum@red-dot.de
Opening hours
Monday – Sunday · 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
