In spring 1993, more than 130 architects from both Germany and around the world took part in a contest to find the design for the new Neanderthal Museum. The winning design, chosen by the Neanderthal Foundation, came from Professor Günter Zamp Kelp, Julius Krauss, and Arno Brandlhuber, whose singular and striking design embodies the significance of the location.

The architecture of the Neanderthal Museum has won multiple awards. The closed concrete construction is fronted by Japanese glass, creating an impression of spatial depth and contrasting with the exposed concrete of the interior. The central element is the spiral ramp rising from ground level. It winds upward through the museum's four levels providing access to the exhibition space, and shapes the museum inside and out.