Like many institutions in Vienna, the term Künstlerhaus has a double meaning. It refers to both the neo-renaissance building and the prestigious artists association inside.
- Building dates back to 1868
- Features contemporary art exhibitions
- Also home to the Albertina Modern, cinema and opera
- What special exhibitions are on?
- See also:
Of people and places
(You know you’re in the right place)
The Künstlerhaus artists association traces its history back to 1861. In that year, two pre-existing groups of artists merged into what would become Austria’s most prominent membership group for the visual arts.
That merger came about in part through efforts by the preceding groups to build a shared “clubhouse” and venue for exhibitions.
Emperor Franz Joseph himself gifted the new organisation the land required for the members’ desired construction project. The Künstlerhaus building then went up between 1865 and 1868 to an Italian-inspired design by architect August Weber.
The monarch actually turned up for the formal opening of the premises at 11am on September 1st, 1868. A choir sang a celebratory ode to artists at the event (I think Mendelssohn’s Festgesang an die Künstler).
(Photo of the Künstlerhaus from around 1875, published by Leopold Theodor Neumann; Wien Museum Inv.-Nr. 106081/25; excerpt reproduced with permission under the terms of the CC0 licence)
A long history followed, though one period has a notable place in Viennese lore…
Klimt & conflict
In its early days, the Künstlerhaus had ties to the monarchy and establishment, and a tendency to follow conservative approaches in art.
(On reflection, it’s probably hard not to be conservative when you’re sitting on top of a present from the emperor.)
As the world headed into the modern era, though, the tension between tradition on the one hand and curious creativity on the other inevitably led to a schism within the membership.
A group led by Gustav Klimt eventually broke off from the Künstlerhaus and went their own way in the late 1890s, helping usher in modernist thinking in the arts.
(Part of the front façade)
Jump forward over 150 years and the fully-renovated monumental building now offers a home to four main occupants:
- That original Künstlerhaus artists association, still going strong today and notably less conservative than in the 19th century. The group uses the building as an exhibition venue, too
- The Albertina Modern arm of the Albertina art museum, with its own modern and contemporary art exhibitions
- The Stadtkino cinema: a mainstay of film festivals
- An outpost of the Staatsoper opera house: the NEST puts on operatic productions, concerts and other events aimed at a younger audience (families, young adults, children)
As noted, the first two continue the building’s original raison d’être with a series of regular exhibitions.
Tickets, exhibitions & tips
You can enter the foyer of the Künstlerhaus without a ticket, but you’ll need one to see any exhibitions. Tickets to those organised by the Künstlerhaus are available on site. The location also sells combination tickets that include the Albertina Modern.
Special exhibitions
With no permanent exhibition, what you see depends on the current event schedule.
The Künstlerhaus association may have smaller or short-term exhibitions and installations on the go at any one time. But the schedule for the main exhibition is:
- Imagine Climate Dignity (until June 9th, 2025): an art exhibition around dignity in its wider sense as it applies beyond individuals and people, particularly in the context of the climate emergency
Next up:
- Imagining Piece (June 26th to October 5th, 2025): imaginative, experimental, participative and interactive works
(See the Albertina Modern page for details of their exhibitions.)
Some extra tips:
- The area around the Künstlerhaus actually forms a little patch of sights and museums. The Musikverein classical concert venue is next door, for example
- Cross the road out front to reach the Baroque Karlskirche church and the Wien Museum art and history museum (both with viewing terraces across to the Künstlerhaus)
- And the striking building of the Secession, whose members split off from the Künstlerhaus with Klimt back in the day, is a short walk away
How to get to the Künstlerhaus
The building is just over the road from the large underground transport hub on Karlsplatz.
Subway: reach Karlsplatz via the U1, U2 or U4 lines
Tram/bus: take tram lines 1, 2, D, 71, or 62 to the Karlsplatz or Oper/Karlsplatz stop
Address: Karlsplatz 5, 1010 Vienna | Website (of the artist association)