Exhibitions in Vienna

The city has numerous temporary history, science, and art exhibitions on at any one time. This list covers the major museums and venues split by topic:

• Art history & art around 1900
• Modern and contemporary art
• Design & architecture
• Photography
• History & current affairs
• Science, nature & music

A few notes:

• Most locations have permanent displays too, of course. So you’ll always find Klimt at the Belvedere and Leopold museums, for example, or Picasso at the Albertina

• Many also have small exhibitions and installations or those intended for local audiences, which I often won’t cover here

• Check the event listings for suggested exhibition highlights for each month of the year

• Exhibitions in Vienna almost always present information in at least English and German, but you may find one or two exceptions

• I update this about once a month, but do check locally for any changes

• See also:
  • Museums
  • Contemporary art in Vienna

What art exhibitions are on?

Art history & art around 1900

Kunsthistorisches Museum

• Titian: major old masters art exhibition looking at the depiction of women in work by Titian but also paintings by his Venetian contemporaries (October 5th, 2021 to January 30th, 2022)

• Evil Emperors: illustrates the role of coins in managing identity and image during the time of the Roman emperors (November 12, 2019 to March 31st, 2022)

• Iron Men: the art of Renaissance armour (March 29th to June 26th, 2022)

• In 80 Coins around the World: coins as the traveler’s companion, with anecdotes concerning historical personalities (April 26th, 2022 to April 23rd, 2023)

• Lucas Cranach the Elder: explores the artistic early days of the German Renaissance artist (June 21st to October 16th, 2022)

• Idols and Rivals: the great year-end exhibition which highlights the competitive nature or art and artists, showcasing the Baroque and Renaissance masterpieces that emerged as a result (September 20th, 2022 to January 8th, 2023)

Belvedere

• Art of the World: a close evaluation of three paintings by Raden Saleh, Hakob Hovnatanyan, and Osman Hamdi Bey, all of whom straddled east and west in their art (September 9th, 2021 to March 27th, 2022)

• Better times?: an exhibition of Biedermeier works, particularly those by Ferdinand Georg Waldmüller. Questions whether all was quite so idyllic as supposed (May 12th, 2021 to February 27th, 2022)

• The Age of Dürer: a focus on the Austrian art of the late Gothic and early Renaissance (October 21st, 2021 to January 30th, 2022)

• True to Life: tracing realist painting across 100 years from the mid-19th century onwards (March 18th to November 1st, 2022)

• Viva Venezia!: how Venice inspired (and was represented in) Austrian art, along with the development of the Venetian imagery and myth with a focus on the 19th century (February 17th to September 4th, 2022)

• Joseph Rebell: solo exhibition of the works of this early-19th century landscape painter (June 15th to November 13th, 2022)

• Grow: art exhibition dedicated to the tree in art history (September 23rd, 2022 to January 8th, 2023)

• Klimt: exhibition of his art in the context of those works that inspired and influenced him, so includes numerous paintings etc. from predecessors like van Gogh and contemporaries (January 27th to May 29th, 2023)

• Klimt: a detailed exploration of the techniques, materials and work processes behind his art (January 26th to September 8th, 2024)

MAK

• Showroom Wiener Werkstätte: designer Michael Anastassiades curates a special showcase of the work of the design collective in dialogue with his own products and display concepts (October 6th, 2021 to October 2nd, 2022)

• Teaching Klimt: reveals the influence of his time at the Vienna School of Arts and Crafts on his later work (November 3rd, 2021 to March 13th, 2022)

Leopold Museum

• Alfred Kubin: works of this illustrator and author in dialogue with art of the 19th-century and Moderne (March 25th to July 10th, 2022)

• Klewan Collection: writer portraits through time, illustrating the interconnection between art and literature and featuring such names as Corinth, Kokoschka, Picasso, and Rodin (May 6th to August 29th, 2022)

• Hagenbund: history and works of this radical artist collective from its 1900 establishment to its ending (and persecution of members) by the Nazis (September 16th, 2022 to February 6th, 2023)

Dom Museum

• Poor and rich: follows the skewed distribution of wealth through history using art and installations (November 5th, 2021 to August 28th, 2022)

National Library

• The Emperor’s Most Beautiful Animals: paintings, illustrations, etc. of animals across four centuries from the library’s imperial archives (March 24th to June 26th, 2022 in the State Hall)

Modern art & contemporary art

Albertina

• Paul Flora: comprehensive retrospective that focuses on the drawings of this Austrian illustrator and graphic artist (October 29th, 2021 to January 30th, 2022)

• Martin Noël: overview of works from the Berlin-born Noël’s major creative phases (December 12th, 2021 to February 20th, 2022)

• Andy Warhol to Cecily Brown: notable works from the Albertina collection from the second half of the 20th century (December 13th, 2021 to February 20th, 2022)

• Michela Ghisetti: what the Albertina describes as a “mid-career” retrospective for this Italian-born artist (December 17th, 2021 to March 20th, 2022)

• Edvard Munch: enjoy around 60 masterpieces by the painter as well as works by those modern artists later influenced by his approach (February 18th to June 19th, 2022)

• Francesco Clemente: solo exhibition with a focus on self-portraits and his associated travels. Draws significantly on the Jablonka collection (July 28th to October 23rd, 2022)

• Tony Cragg: sculptures and drawings from the Liverpool-born artist (July 7th to October 30th, 2022)

Albertina Modern

• Egon Schiele and his legacy: focus on the self-portraiture of the Austrian painter and its influence on later artists (September 10th, 2021 to April 3rd, 2022)

• The 80s: a pot pourri of great art from the 1980s featuring such names as Jeff Koons or Keith Haring (October 10th, 2021 to February 13th, 2022)

• Ai Weiwei: the In Search of Humanity exhibition represents the first such comprehensive exhibition of works by Weiwei in Austria (from March 16th, 2022)

Belvedere

• Volkmar Klien: the latest installation in the Carlone Contemporary series features Klien’s seminal pendulum clock and peacock feathers (September 29th, 2021 to February 6th, 2022)

• Dalí – Freud: examines the association between the two and how the father of psychoanalysis influenced the surrealist’s work (January 28th to May 29th, 2022)

• Lena Henke: the next one in the Carlone Contemporary series featuring Aldo Rossi’s Sleeping Elephant (February 17th to August 28th, 2022)

• Face to Face: juxtaposition of Messerschmidt’s famous 18th-century busts with the Emotional Detox sculpture series by Marc Quinn (February 24th to July 3rd, 2022)

• True to Life: tracing realist painting from 1850 to 1950 (March 18th to November 1st, 2022)

• George Eisler: a “behind the scenes” look at the thoughts and working processes of this Viennese artist (April 8th to September 25th, 2022)

• Grow: the role of the tree through art history until the current day (September 23rd, 2022 to January 8th, 2023)

• Rona Pondick: the year-end Carlone Contemporary piece featuring the Monkeys installation (September 23rd, 2022 to January 8th, 2023)

Bank Austria Kunstforum Wien

• David Hockney: major retrospective with many important works from the UK’s Tate collection (February 10th, 2022 to June 19th, 2022)

• Kiki Kogelnik: the largest solo exhibition to date for this multifaceted Austrian artist, perhaps best-known internationally for her contributions to pop art (February 2nd to June 25th, 2023)

The MAK

• 100 Best Posters 20: the 16th iteration of this competition showcasing the hundred best works from the world of artistic poster design in Germany, Switzerland, and Austria (November 17th, 2021 to March 6th, 2022)

Leopold Museum

• Franz Hagenauer: solo exhibition for this notable Austrian sculptor, perhaps best known for his head and bust designs (May 20th to September 12th, 2022)

• Tilla Durieux: tracing the story of this star of film and theatre, who was portrayed in various artistic media by a host of contemporary artists, including Renoir, Kokoschka, and Oppenheimer (October 14th, 2022 to February 27th, 2023)

Weltmuseum Wien

• Dark Pairing: images of plants and yarn that invite us to reflect critically on the continuing influence and issues of colonialism (May 20th, 2021 to March 29th, 2022)

• Re:Present: collaboration with the Calle Libre street art festival combatting some of the perceived persistent representations of imperialism (August 8th, 2021 to March 1st, 2022)

• George Nuku: the exhibition Oceans. Collections. Reflections. features the work of the New Zealand artist and carver (June 23rd, 2022 to January 31st, 2023)

The Kunsthalle

• Exhibitions for the works of:
  • Ana Hoffner ex-Prvulovic (October 22nd, 2021 to March 6th, 2022)
  • Belinda Kazeem-Kaminski (October 22nd, 2021 to March 6th, 2022)
  • Katrina Daschner (June 28th to October 23rd, 2022)
  • Sanja Iveković (October 4th, 2022 to February 1st, 2023)
  • Rajkamal Kahlon (November 24th, 2022 to February 1st, 2023)

• Do Nothing. Feel Everything: group exhibition dealing with madness in various senses (cultural, medical etc.) of the word (November 18th, 2021 to April 24th, 2022)

• Kunsthalle Wien prize: group exhibition in cooperation with Vienna’s two art universities (February 24th to May 22nd, 2022)

• Defiant muses: feminist history through the lens of Delphine Seyrig and those around her (April 7th to September 4th, 2022)

• Space for Kids: interactive exhibition for young and old around the changing nature of our environment (June 14th to October 9th, 2022)

• On Work and its Absence: group exhibition around work and unemployment and their role along the political spectrum (November 10th, 2022 to February 12th, 2023)

MUMOK

• Enjoy: a best-of exhibition drawn from the acquisitions of recent years (June 19th, 2021 to April 18th, 2022)

• Wolfgang Tillmans: exhibition of work by the photographer and Turner Prize winner (November 27th, 2021 to April 24th, 2022)

• Huang Po-Chih: focuses on his Production Line – Made in China & Made in Taiwan (2014–20) series (November 27th, 2021 to February 27th, 2022)

Belvedere 21

• Avant-Garde and the Contemporary: a themed presentation of the treasures among the more recent works in the Belvedere collection (September 15th, 2021 to February 19th, 2023)

• Ugo Rondinone: the nude in the landscape exhibition features new works from both genres in Rondinone’s inimitable style (December 12th, 2021 to May 1st, 2022)

• Shaping Time: various artists use photographic techniques to explore our perception of time (March 24th to September 4th, 2022)

• Rebecca Warren: first solo exhibition in Austria for the British sculptor and visual artist. Includes works made specifically for Belvedere 21 (July 15th to October 16th, 2022)

• Stanislava Kovalcikova: and another first solo exhibition in Austria, this time for the Düsseldorf-based painter (September 16th, 2022 to February 5th, 2023)

• Gerwald Rockenschaub: exhibition of works by this radical minimalist and long-time Berlin resident (November 25th, 2022 to March 12th, 2023)

• Walter Pichler < > Friedrich Kiesler: a dialogue between these two artists (June 28th to October 6th, 2024)

Academy of Fine Arts Vienna

• Hungry for Time: historical collections im dialogue with contemporary art (October 9th, 2021 to January 30th, 2022)

Dom Museum

• Poor and rich: highlights economic inequality across history through art and installations (November 5th, 2021 to August 28th, 2022)

Theseus Temple

• George Nuku installation (June 23rd to October 9th)

Design & architecture

The MAK

• Josef Hoffmann: full retrospective in honour of this renowned architect and designer, giving due attention to his wide reach and numerous fields of activity beyond those typically associated with his name (December 14th, 2021 to June 19th, 2022)

Leopold Museum

• The Schedlmayer Collection: first public viewing of private collection highlights mainly featuring some of the key figures in turn-of-the-century design in Vienna; most notably Otto Prutscher (September 10th, 2021 to April 18th, 2022)

Vienna Furniture Museum

• Home Stories: key moments in the previous 100 years of interior design (October 20th, 2021 to May 29th, 2022)

Architekturzentrum Wien

• Tatiana Bilbao Estudio: a look at the approach and work of Mexican architect Tatiana Bilbao and her studio (August 19th, 2021 to February 7th, 2022)

• Serious Fun. Architecture & Gaming: as the title suggests, this explores architecture in games and toys (March 17th to September 5th, 2022)

Belvedere 21

• WOTRUBA. Heavenwards: looks at the Church of the Most Holy Trinity, designed by the Austrian sculptor, Fritz Wotruba. Somewhat controversial at the time of its construction, people now call it the Wotruba church (May 6th, 2021 to January 30th, 2022)

Photography

Kunst Haus Wien

• Susan Meiselas: the legendary US photographer presents various documentary photo projects from her work (September 16th, 2021 to February 13th, 2022)

• When the Wind Blows: around 20 international and Austrian artists use photography to reveal the presence and impact of the invisible phenomena that are wind, air and breath (March 12th to August 28th, 2022)

• Unseen Places: showcases the photography of Gregor Sailer with a focus on architecture rarely seen due to its inaccessibility to the casual visitor (September 15th, 2022 to February 12th, 2023)

Albertina

• Michael Schmidt: retrospective covering the evolution of Schmidt’s photos across the decades (April 1st to June 26th, 2022)

Albertina Modern

• Valie Export: although perhaps best-known for her performance art and wide use of diverse media, this exhibition focuses on the Austrian artist’s photography (October 26th, 2022 to January 22nd, 2023)

Bank Austria Kunstforum Wien

• Helmut Newton Legacy: huge retrospective of the legendary photographer, with some works on display for the first time (October 19th, 2022 to January 15th, 2023)

Westlicht

• 100 years of Burgenland: historical photos and contemporary perspectives as part of the official centenary of this Austrian province (December 14th, 2021 to February 20th, 2022)

Wien Museum MUSA

• Instantly!: photographs of street life in Vienna from the 1860s to today, featuring numerous images appearing on public display for the first time (May 19th to October 23rd, 2022)

Wien Museum Karlsplatz

• From on High: outdoor exhibition with aerial photos of the construction sites for large urban public development projects that followed the end of WWII (February 24th to May 22nd, 2022)

Leopold Museum

• Ludwig Wittgenstein: an insight into a rarely-seen side of the great philosopher, namely his interest in (and practice of) photography (November 12th, 2021 to March 6th, 2022)

• Otto Schmidt publishing house: historical and artistic perspectives of the work of this fine art (photographic) publisher (May 20th to August 28th, 2022)

Theatermuseum

• Christine de Grancy: works by this renowned theater photographer, particularly her shots from her time at the Burgtheater (June 3rd to November 7th, 2022)

Jewish Museum

• Ouriel Morgensztern: photographs by this Paris-born photographer, with a focus on images of the Jewish community in Vienna (October 20th, 2021 to March 27th, 2022)

What other major exhibitions are on?

History and current affairs

Wien Museum MUSA

• Vienna Falls in Line: looks at the influence of Nazi art policies on artists, institutions and the kind of works produced in Vienna during national socialism (October 14th, 2021 to April 24th, 2022)

Jewish Museum

• Without a home: the story of the Jewish Kindertransporte children who escaped Vienna between the arrival of the Nazis and the start of World War II (November 10th, 2021 to May 15th, 2022)

• The Viennese Rothschilds: the history of the family and their achievements alongside considerations of the prejudices and myths that (still) surround them (December 12th, 2021 to June 5th, 2022)

• Endlich Espresso!: the history of the famous Café Arabia and businessman Alfred Weiss, who brought Italian espresso culture into the heart of Vienna (from May 25th, 2022)

Weltmuseum Wien

• …from Afghanistan: collection of items from the archives selected by Afghans living in Vienna (October 1st, 2021 to May 31st, 2022)

• Dust & Silk: explores the people and places along east-west trade routes from both a historical and contemporary perspective (December 16th, 2021 to May 3rd, 2022)

National Library museums

• The Danube: a review of the river and its role from a historical, geopolitical and artistic viewpoint (April 29th, 2021 to January 30th, 2022 in the State Hall)

• Stefan Zweig: traces his biographical journey and tackles his global appeal (June 11th, 2021 to September 4th, 2022 in the Literature Museum)

• Ingeborg Bachmann: a hommage to the acclaimed Austrian writer featuring, for example, items from her estate and letters, photos, recordings, drafts, and more (from November 17th)

Imperial Carriage Museum

• Corona’s Ancestors: experiences with major epidemics of the past, including the wider role of masks in Viennese history (December 18th, 2020 to April 24th, 2022)

Sigmund Freud Museum

• Organized Escape: explores the fates of the psychoanalysts who managed to flee Austria after the arrival of the Nazis. (November 12th, 2021 to April 20th, 2022)

House of Austrian History

• The Home of Great Daughters: highlights important examples of historical activism with a feminist or emancipation background (October 22nd, 2021 to March 13th, 2022)

• Disposing of Hitler: addresses the issues surrounding the treatment of relics from the time of the Nazis (December 12th, 2021 to October 9th, 2022)

Theatermuseum

• Admired … desired …: a journey through mementoes and souvenirs of theatres and those who perform in them, as collected by lovers of the art form (September 8th, 2021 to April 18th, 2022)

Science, nature & music

Technical Museum

• Artificial intelligence?: the science, technology and socioculture of AI and robots (December 17th, 2020 to summer, 2022)

• Foodprints: the history, present and future of technology and nutrition (from December 16th, 2021)

Natural History Museum

• Kinosaurier: dinosaurs and their representation in the movies (October 20th, 2021 to April 18th, 2022)

Mozarthaus Vienna

• Haydn – Mozart – Beethoven: the relationships and parallels between the three composers and their role in the Wiener Klassik (February 19th, 2020 to January 30th, 2022)