The architecture of the Neanderthal Museum has been awarded on several occasions. The closed concrete construction is fronted by Japanese glass, generating an impression of spatial depth and standing in marked contrast to the bare concrete on the inside of the building. A Key element of the building is its spiral ramp, ascending from ground level. The ramp gradually winds its way upwards through four levels of the exhibition, thereby granting access to the floor area of the permanent exhibition itself but also shaping the interior and exterior of the building.

The spiral ramp, interface between the architecture and the exhibition, is the ultimate symbol of evolution and its infinity. The ramp leads to a glass section of the facade looking out over the River Düssel and the discovery site, and calls to mind the open outcome of evolution.