Since then it has housed the city's art collections as well as temporary exhibitions – and up to 1927 those of the local Mannheimer Kunstverein [de] as well as its administration.

The Kunsthalle's own collection comprises around 1,500 works by artists including Édouard Manet, Paul Cézanne, George Grosz and Wassily Kandinsky.

[1] The extension building from 2018 shows a major collection of works by Anselm Kiefer, 38 pieces on long-term loan from the businessman Hans Grothe.

[1] Designed by Hermann Billing, the building was erected as a temporary structure to serve an "International Art Exhibition" of 1907, commemorating the 300th anniversary of the foundation of the city.

In 1983 Heinz Fuchs, Director of the Kunsthalle from 1959, handed over an extension building, designed especially for the sculpture collection by architect Hans Mitzlaff, to his successor Manfred Fath.

[2] A new building, 13,000 sq ft (1,200 m2) in size with seven exhibition halls and a 22m-high glass-roofed atrium designed by the Hamburg-based architects Gerkan, Marg and Partners opened in 2018.

Rolf Lauter (2002–2007) From 2002, new director Rolf Lauter abolished the chronological presentation and developed constellations and groups of works from various media (painting, sculpture, object, drawing, photography, installation, video), historical times and cultural origins on the basis of a cross-over structure.

[3] In the autumn of 2007, Lauter was released from the municipal council[4] for alleged financial irregularities[5] by the management of the Kunsthalle[6] and simultaneously entrusted with the position of Cultural Representative for the Visual Arts of the City of Mannheim (2008–2009).

On 1 June 2018, the reopening of the Kunsthalle took place with a "Grand Opening" and a screening of photographs by Canadian artist Jeff Wall.