The Kunsthalle Osnabrück is located in the premises of the former Dominican church with its appendant monastery in the city center of Osnabrück. [The Dominicans are a religious order. A community of faith.] The “Kloster zum Heiligen Kreuz“ (Monastery of the holy cross) was built in Gothic style for the mendicant order of the Dominicans. [The Gothic style is recognizable by its pointed arches and high vaulted ceilings.] The origins of the building date back to the year 1283.

What followed is an eventful history. Parts of the building have been destroyed multiple times. Through fires, wars, or heist. But the monastery was rebuilt every time. Since 1803, there are no religious services conducted in the Dominican church building anymore. First it was used as a an armory and as a drill hall. [In a drill hall, soldiers are training and exercising.]

During World War II, bombs fell on the city center of Osnabrück. They destroyed 94 percent of the medieval old town – including the Dominican church. During the post war period, theater backdrops were stored in the demolished church. In the 1960s, the old town was redeveloped. As of 1966, the former main room of the church was used for cultural events: concerts, presentations of traditional craftsmanship, or exhibitions of local artists.

The Kunsthalle Osnabrück comprises several buildings. One of them is located at Neue Straße. This part of the Kunsthalle is called “Neubau“ (the new building), because it was added in the 1970s. Before that, there was no fully circumferential cloister. The “Neubau“ has large windows on both sides. With it, the building became more accessible to the city and its residents. This renovation shows the desire for interaction and exchange on both sides.