Today, the Messe Düsseldorf, with exhibition grounds of 315,000 m2, 17 exhibition halls and 1.6 million visitors annually, ranks among the top ten largest and highest-grossing exhibition venues worldwide. Connoisseurs are certain that the exhibition, set amid greenery on the banks of the Rhine, is one of the most beautifully situated and most liveable trade fairs in the world. The green bank of the Rhine is the ideal place for a symphony for the senses.
The Five Fields of Expertise at Messe Düsseldorf
The trade fair, organised by Messe Düsseldorf GmbH and partners such as VDI Verlag GmbH, Reed Exhibitions Deutschland GmbH and Martin Schäfer Agentur LIVETIME e. K., has its roots in the post-war period, when the predecessor of Messe Düsseldorf GmbH, the Nordwestdeutsche Ausstellungs-Gesellschaft mbH (NOWEA), was founded in 1947 under the watchful eyes of the British military administration.
The philosophy was a departure from thematically narrowly defined monumental events such as the GESOLEI (Great Düsseldorf Exhibition for Health Care, Social Welfare and Physical Exercise) of 1926, as well as “Schaffendes Volk” in 1937 during the Nazi era. Both large-scale events were world events in their own right, each drawing around seven million visitors to Düsseldorf’s Rhine embankment.
From then on, diversity rather than megalomania was to reign on the Düsseldorf exhibition grounds, so that as many exhibitors as possible from a wide range of industries could take part. True to this motto, Messe Düsseldorf today is oriented horizontally rather than vertically and divided into five thematic focus areas, with these fields of expertise being the following:
- Machinery, plants and equipment
- Trade, crafts and services
- Medicine and health
- Lifestyle and beauty
- Leisure
Entering the Affluent Society
Remarkably, the individual specialist trade fairs quickly established themselves with resounding success, and almost all of the world-leading trade fairs – including their international offshoots – have held their own to this day. Messe Düsseldorf thus symbolises the Federal Republic’s transformation from the austere post-war years to a modern affluent society, whose economy got back up to speed surprisingly quickly thanks to the Marshall Plan and the economic miracle.
26 World-Leading Trade Fairs and an Internationally Oriented Organiser
The fact that the 26 world-leading trade fairs account for around half of all exhibitions on the Düsseldorf exhibition grounds is certainly unprecedented and underlines the importance of the Düsseldorf trade fair. With 77 foreign representative offices serving 141 countries, Messe Düsseldorf maintains close ties abroad, earning Messe Düsseldorf the number-one spot worldwide when it comes to international networking.
This positive track record is owed to shrewd urban policy, Düsseldorf’s importance as a flourishing commercial metropolis, and Düsseldorf’s location in the Rhine-Ruhr metropolitan region of 10.2 million inhabitants, at the heart of the international economic corridor known as the Blue Banana, with the closest of ties to trading partners in the surrounding area. These factors ensure that the Düsseldorf trade fair remains a powerful magnet.
Messe Düsseldorf in Figures
- Location: Stockumer Kirchstraße 61
- Organiser: Messe Düsseldorf GmbH et. al.
- Trade fair founded: 1947
- Exhibition grounds: 315,000 m2
- Outdoor area: 43,000 m2
- Exhibition halls: 17
- Event rooms: 41
- Visitors: 1.6 million
- Exhibitors: 25,000
- Events: 50
- World-leading trade fairs: 26
- Parking spaces: 12,000
- Revenue: 350 million euros
The Exhibition Grounds
Despite their proximity to Düsseldorf city centre (4 km), the 315,000 m2 exhibition grounds are set amid greenery on the banks of the Rhine. Structured into the five centres of expertise, the modern exhibition grounds, which always appear neat and tidy, stand for clarity, orientation and order, so visitors should find their way around the exhibition site quickly.
The exhibition grounds are dominated by the 17 spacious, single-storey halls with their clean lines, which extend outwards rather than upwards. As a result, trade fair visitors spend most of their time indoors, as the outdoor area of 43,000 m2 seems modest in relation to the trade fair as a whole.
Particularly outstanding are the two congress centres at the heart of the trade fair, which are used for major events, among other things. The multifunctional stadium of Fortuna Düsseldorf, the MERKUR SPIEL-ARENA, which is part of the exhibition grounds, is likewise used during trade fair periods for concerts, shows and exhibition space, boasting a capacity of 66,000 spectators.
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Getting to the Trade Fair
The trade fair is well connected to the city of Düsseldorf’s transport network. As it is located not far from Düsseldorf Central Station, visitors can reach the trade fair from there in just 15 to 20 minutes. The U78 and U79 light rail lines as well as bus routes 896 and 722 serve the trade fair’s stations. From DUS Airport, visitors take bus route 722 towards Gothaer Weg, get off at Birkhahnweg and take bus 722, which takes them directly to the trade fair. Alternatively, taxis and shuttle buses run between the airport and the exhibition grounds.
Drivers reach the trade fair via the A96, and thanks to an intelligent guidance system they cannot miss the exhibition grounds. Depending on the location of the events, they can choose the north entrance with car parks P1 and P2, the south entrance with car parks P3 and P5, or the east entrance with car parks P4 and P9.
Selected Exhibitions at Messe Düsseldorf
BEAUTY
At the BEAUTY exhibition, visitors gain fascinating insights into the world of beauty. They discover the latest innovations in the field of personal care and wellness, along with new trends and new ideas for feeling completely at ease in their own skin.
- The next BEAUTY will take place from 9 to 11 April 2027.
PSI
Promotional products have many faces. They serve to raise brand awareness, win new customers and nurture existing ones, while incentives strengthen team building and keep employees motivated. Incentives in particular are becoming increasingly important in the global battle for the brightest minds. Here, entrepreneurs can find inspiration and discover the latest opportunities for intelligently placed promotional products.
- The next PSI will take place from 12 to 14 January 2027 in Cologne.
Medica
Life expectancy is rising steadily, which is remarkable in an age in which we move less and less. This is thanks to good doctors and tireless researchers who will not rest until the last disease has been eradicated. At MEDICA, visitors can find out what is happening in the field of medicine and which innovations in healing and therapy are giving hope to the sick. With around 5,300 exhibitors from almost 70 countries and 83,000 visitors, MEDICA is one of the largest medical trade fairs in the world.
- The next Medica will take place from 16 to 19 November 2026.
EuroShop
Shop till you drop. For many people, whether on the Kö or not, that is a great slice of quality of life. With around 80,000 visitors, EuroShop is the world-leading trade fair for retail. The world of merchandise has never been so colourful and diverse.
- The next EuroShop will take place from 18 to 22 February 2029.
ProWein
In vinum veritas, as the ancient Romans already said, and the Greeks even dedicated Dionysus, the god of joie de vivre, to wine. The drink of the gods retains its timeless fascination even in the postmodern age. The most complex beverage in the world is also a science in itself. At ProWein, whose 2026 edition was held under the motto “The Taste of Tomorrow”, there is much to explore in the world of wine, champagne and other spirits.
- The next ProWein will take place from 7 to 9 March 2027
