It’s all about contemporary art at the Kunsthalle Wien. Prepare to dip your toes into exhibitions which tackle and reflect the social issues and developments of the times we live in.
- Contemporary art organisation with two venues
- Larger MQ venue has many artistic neighbours
- What special exhibitions are on?
- Book Kunsthalle tickets* online
- See also:
- Contemporary art exhibitions in Vienna
- The MuseumsQuartier (MQ)
Advocate and art venue
(The imposing background building is the Naturhistorisches Museum)
The Kunsthalle Wien acts as an advocate for contemporary art in Vienna through various activities. These include a constant stream of special exhibitions at the two Kunsthalle locations (see below).
Unlike most of Vienna’s art museums, the Kunsthalle has no permanent display. So don’t think of it as a museum. Consider it more of a forum, a venue, and an instigator of dialogue.
The exhibitions themselves often feature an eclectic mix of styles and forms that act as a counterpoint to the rigid formality of Vienna’s historical surrounds.
You might discover, for example, solo exhibitions for a local or international artist, or a themed group exhibition touching on some sociopolitical issue.
(I’ve listed current and future Kunsthalle exhibitions in the contemporary art section of the Vienna exhibitions page.)
Venue locations
(The Karlsplatz location)
The main Kunsthalle exhibition venue occupies a large building sandwiched between the Leopold and MUMOK museums at the heart of the MuseumsQuartier (MQ) complex.
Inside you’ll find cavernous and tall exhibition spaces but not of the clinical, polished variety: a little rough at the edges that adds to the contemporary feel and impact.
The second exhibition venue is the Kunsthalle on Karlsplatz: a single exhibition room with three sides made entirely of glass and offering views across to the Secession. The interior wall separates the art from the Heuer am Karlsplatz restaurant and bar.
The Karlsplatz venue is bright and airy, whereas the MQ site feels much grittier.
Tickets, exhibitions & tips
The smaller Karlsplatz venue is free to enter at the time of writing, but adults need a ticket for the MuseumsQuartier site.
(Booking service provided by Tiqets.com*, who I am an affiliate of)
A Vienna Pass (my review) also entitles you to one-time free entry.
Special exhibitions
At the MuseumsQuartier:
- JAZZ: joint exhibition by Rene Matić and Oscar Murillo with works in various media (until July 28th, 2024)
- Genossin Sonne: the title translates to Comrade Sun. Various international artists present works and artistic concepts that build a connection between sociopolitics and the celestial spheres (May 16th to September 1st, 2024)
(Summer 2024 brings Genossin Sonne. Pictured here: the August 21st 2017 total solar eclipse; photo courtesy of NASA/GSFC/SDO)
At Karlsplatz:
- Come as you are: works by ten art graduates recognised by the 2023 Kunsthalle Wien awards. All attended Vienna’s Academy of Fine Arts or University of Applied Arts (until September 1st, 2024)
I last visited at the tail end of the restrictions round COVID, so there was no café in operation at the MQ site then, though I at least spotted where the latter should be.
The wider MQ complex also has numerous cafés and restaurants within a wave of a paintbrush of the Kunsthalle building.
Should you wish a coffee or something to eat at the Karlsplatz site, then don’t forget the Heuer restaurant literally the other side of the wall.
The Kunsthalle remains a bastion of contemporary art in Vienna, but not the only one of course.
In particular, pop next door to the MuseumsQuartier site to find Vienna’s modern art museum (MUMOK). And the neighbour on the other side (the Leopold Museum) often has contemporary art exhibitions, too.
The wider MuseumsQuartier itself is full of art installations and similar, like the MQ Art Box or the MQ Freiraum / MQ Studio exhibition spaces.
And for other venues and locations covering current genres of artistic expression, try these suggestions.
How to get to the Kunsthalle
For the main location, find your way to the MuseumsQuartier, first.
As you come out into the courtyard from the main MQ entrance, look across diagonally to the right. You’ll see a set of stairs leading up to the dark grey MUMOK building. Beneath those stairs is a relatively innocent-looking glass doorway: that’s the entrance to the Kunsthalle.
The Karlsplatz location might be the easiest museum to reach on public transport in the entire city. The exhibition hall sits on top of Karlsplatz station (U1, U2 and U4 subways). Look for the Wiedner Hauptstraße exit, which is next to the Ressel Park exit on the main underground concourse.
Reach the exhibition hall from the restaurant side by going through the doors beneath the …ALLE W… bit of the Kunsthalle Wien lettering atop the pavilion.
Address: Museumsplatz 1, 1070 Vienna (MQ location) & Treitlstraße 2, 1040 Vienna (Karlsplatz location) | Website