It is located in a building situated adjacent to the Masch Lake (German: Maschsee) approximately 150 metres (490 ft) south of the state museum.

The museum opened in 1979, and the building, designed by Peter and Ursula Trint (of Cologne) and Dieter Quast (of Heidelberg), was extended in 1992.

Bernhard Sprengel donated his extensive collection of modern art to the city of Hanover in 1969, as well as financially supporting the construction of the museum.

In addition to the works donated by Sprengel, the museum also houses 20th century artworks owned by Lower Saxony and Hanover.

[5] A major objective of the expansion is to allow extensive coverage of Niki de Saint Phalle and the Hanoverian artist Kurt Schwitters.