Vienna has a recent addition to its roll call of viewing platforms. But the MQ Libelle is more than a lift and a nice view, thanks to its location slap bang in the middle of the MuseumsQuartier cultural complex.
- Views across into the old town
- Free entry
- Expect an artistic surprise or two up top (and a small kiosk café)
- Open from April to October
- See also: The MuseumsQuartier | Best views of Vienna
Viewing platform & art venue
(View from the Libelle across toward the Kunsthistorisches and Naturhistorisches Museums)
Libelle is German for dragonfly, which offers a clue to the inspiration behind the same-named viewing terrace with its airy, slightly ethereal feel.
However, the insect metaphor alone doesn’t explain why the MQ Libelle is not your average panorama platform. But first things first…
The almost 1,000 m2 of open terrace sits on top of the Leopold Museum, which is a rather fine art museum perhaps best known for its permanent exhibition around Vienna modernism (think Klimt and Schiele in particular).
The Leopold Museum resides in the main courtyard of the MuseumsQuartier (MQ), a complex of modern cultural institutions opposite various grand old buildings built by the Austro-Hungarian empire.
So the Libelle’s location fits comfortably into the definition of central, offering fine views east toward the old town and over the square that hosts the venerable art and natural history museums.
I used to tell folk to peek out the windows on Level 4 of the Leopold Museum because of the view. Going up to the roof makes for an even better experience.
(The silk scarf effect on the facade of the Libelle building)
So, apart from the views, what else does the Libelle offer the discerning visitor?
First, being in the MQ gives the whole place a dynamic cultural feel. In summer, for example, you look down on the main courtyard where the young and hip (but also the old and uncool – aka me) sample the outdoor bars and cafés.
Second, the platform itself has its own art installations.
The Libelle building, which serves as an event location, includes a glass façade featuring a special design by Eva Schlegl. Well over two million white dots of various sizes and in different densities create a remarkable impression, as if someone had placed a shimmering silk scarf around the outside.
Out on the terrace, Brigitte Kowanz’s three circles of mounted lighting provide a subtle draw for the eyes, especially when viewed from afar.
(Both designers are renowned Austrian artists.)
Tickets and visitor tips
The Libelle is free to visit; two outside lifts take you up top, so you don’t need to enter the Leopold Museum to reach it. Opening hours at the time of writing are daily from 10am to 10pm during the months April to October.
The terrace has some seating so you can relax a while up top, enjoy the view, and contemplate the many existential questions raised by art, philosophy, literature, and the latest football match.
A small kiosk café should serve snacks and drinks, but there is no obligation to eat or drink anything.
Other parts of the MQ offer small doses of free art, too. For example, look out for the Art Box installation below the Libelle, the passageways between courtyards, and the Q21 exhibition space.
How to get to the Libelle
Follow the travel tips in the Leopold Museum article to find your way to the right building. The lift starts from the west side of the museum, which is opposite to the side with the steps and main entrance.
Address: Museumsplatz 1/5, 1070 Vienna