Vienna has been called one giant open air museum, and the city reinforced that notion in 2001 when it debuted its new Museum Quarter.
Located near its own metro stop on the southwest edge of the city center ring, the Museum Quarter features such attractions as the highly recommended Museum of Modern Art Ludwig Foundation, the Leopold Museum, the Kunsthalle Wein exhibition space and areas to host the Quarter’s many events, such as the Viennale film festival, an international dance festival and the summer Weiner Festwochen.
Built between 1998 and 2001 at a cost of 150 euros, the Museum Quarter is now one of the world’s 10 largest cultural complexes. Its designs feature a combination of classic baroque and modern architecture, and its exhibits are naturally first rate. While I recommend the modern art museum as the top place to visit, the Quarter also has very specific spots for individualized tastes, such as the TanzQuartier dedicated to dance and the Architektur Zentrum Wein for new media. It’s great to see that Vienna is not limiting its definition of art just to pieces from centuries past.
While this is certainly a museum-lover’s paradise, I have to state that you should not limit yourself to this spot only. Also located nearby, make sure to check out the Hofburg, the Museum of Art History and especially the Museum of Natural History, which started collecting artifacts 250 years ago and currently holds about 20 million items.
Nevertheless, your options are diverse and numerous, and it shows why so many museum and art lovers flock to Vienna every year.
Photo courtesy of Flickr.