The award-winning Ostfriesisches Landesmuseum has an interesting and varied collection illustrating themes of local history and life in the region. Not surprisingly, its picture gallery has a strong focus on Dutch artists. In the late 16th century a large number of Protestant Dutch fled to Emden to escape religious persecution in the Spanish-ruled low countries. Glass painting established itself here then. Later, the Emden-born painter Ludolf Backhuysen returned to work here. His work forms the backbone of the gallery.
Other sections of the museum cover the Frisian coast and cartography, prehistory and 20th-century landscape painting; a highlight is a stunning collection of armour.
