Think of FOTO ARSENAL WIEN as a place promoting the joys and artistry of creative photography through exhibitions, events and other activities.
- Opens at its own premises in early 2025
- Expect regular international exhibitions
- Also organises the FOTO WIEN festival
- See also:
Photography hub
(The temporary premises in the MuseumsQuartier)
For a long time, the Kunst Haus Wien carried the official torch for photography in Vienna with its excellent exhibitions (where, rather thrillingly, I got to meet Alec Soth and Susan Meiselas).
But the Kunst Haus was never a dedicated photographic institution, given its wide range of other interests and activities.
That hole in the municipal infrastructure has now been filled by FOTO ARSENAL WIEN, allowing the Kunst Haus to refocus on contemporary art and the environment while also maintaining the legacy of Friedensreich Hundertwasser.
At the time of writing, sometime in early 2025 should see the institution open its new permanent premises and exhibition rooms in the Arsenal complex (hence the name).
This Arsenal is the site of a former military facility (mostly army barracks) completed in the 1850s as one reaction to the civilian population getting ideas above their station in 1848; they had the temerity to demand (gasp!) such things as press freedom and more democratic representation.
The location’s martial past remains, for example, in the form of the Museum of Military History, but the site also hosts various academic and cultural facilities.
One such institution is the state-owned ART for ART complex, which supports opera houses, theatres, film companies and similar though costume and set production and other services.
This complex is set to expand to include both FOTO ARSENAL WIEN and Filmmuseum LAB. The latter forms part of the Austrian Film Museum and will be dedicated to film conservation, archiving, processing, digitalisation, and such like.
So, anyway, consider FOTO ARSENAL WIEN as the institutional centre of photography and lens-based media in Vienna.
Exhibitions & events
(This way for excellent photo exhibitions)
Two aspects of the work of FOTO ARSENAL WIEN should particularly interest visitors to Vienna.
- A series of top international exhibitions
Until now, these were held in the MuseumsQuartier. I enjoyed, for example, the exhibitions for Laia Abril and Karolina Wojtas.
During the transition to the new premises, however, we have various pop-up events instead (check with the website: see below).
- The biannual FOTO WIEN festival previously run by the Kunst Haus
This event takes place over a month and brings us a huge and vibrant mix of photo exhibitions, talks, workshops and other events across the whole of Vienna.
Tickets & visitor tips
Special exhibitions before the transition period needed a ticket…priced at €10 for a standard adult. But I await details of what we can expect once the institution has settled in to its new home.
If your interest is specifically photography, then also consider a visit to Westlicht: a private venture with a camera museum, photo exhibition and more.
How to get there
I’ll add these details once the institution opens in its new location.
Address: Arsenalplatz, Objekt 19, 1030 Vienna (from sometime in early 2025) | Website