Museum Guide Tours with a Twist

Museum tours often come with their own quirks, but the Kunstpalast Museum in Düsseldorf has taken a rather unusual approach. They offer “Grumpy Guide” tours twice a month, where guides intentionally adopt a rude demeanor, making guests feel pretty uncomfortable.

The tour led by Josef Langerink, who operates under the alias of performance artist Carl Brandy, costs about $8 USD. It has reportedly sold out every session since its launch in May, and bookings are already extending into 2026.

During this 70-minute walking tour, Langerink—who, to be clear, is not a real person but an alter ego—points fingers at guests and criticizes everything from phone usage to what he perceives as their ignorance about art.

Brandy, who is 33, emphasizes that his insults are not personal but rather aimed at the group as a whole. He mentions, “My disdain is directed at presumed ignorance that may not even exist. But I try to make them feel as ignorant as possible.” Perhaps it’s this emotional rollercoaster that appeals to attendees.

He believes that while we’re accustomed to certain aggressive styles in comedy or cabaret, it’s not what people usually expect at a museum. Here, there are no barriers between the performer and the audience, which lends a unique atmosphere.

Brandy further fleshes out Langerink’s character, linking him to Johann Wilhelm von der Palatinate, whose artwork fills the museum. It seems Langerink’s disdain reflects a broader societal anxiety about art being seen merely as “entertainment,” with the character’s harshness stemming from a wounded ego.

Recently, Guardian reporter Philip Alterman experienced this challenging atmosphere firsthand. When a group member hesitantly guessed a figure in a sculpture might be Hercules, Langerink pointedly suggested she speak louder for others to hear. He then tested another visitor, 62-year-old Corinna Schroeder, on Hercules’ twelve labors, rolling his eyes at her inability to answer. “Oh, I feel like I’m back to school,” she sighed.

As the tour neared its end, Langerink’s performance intensified, culminating in a moment of fury inside a bell tower created by artist Inge Mahn back in 1971. The Kunstpalast is actively trying to attract younger audiences, with director Felix Kremer taking inspiration from restaurants that employ “rude waitstaff.” This idea seems to resonate well.

Brandy remarks on the inherent power dynamics in museums, where the institution dictates what’s valuable, leaving visitors with little choice but to comply. In a way, he suggests, his tour flips this imbalance, allowing guests to voice the feelings that some may already harbor—that museums don’t always hold all the answers; they simply present everything.