The European X-ray free electron laser (XFEL) is a new international research installation in the Hamburg area in Germany that is currently under construction, but in part already in user operation. The world-unique feature of this free electron laser is the possibility to provide per second up to 27.000 ultra-short (10 - 100 fs), ultra-high brilliance flashes that makes this facility particular suitable for multidimensional research in the range of moderate and hard X-ray photons. In this presentation, status and selected examples of experiments performed at XFEL will be given and plans for implementation of further dedicated instrumentation will be described.