MuseumsQuartier

The MQ occupies the Hofstallungen, the imperial court stables built by Fischer von Erlach from 1713 for six hundred horses, converted between 1998 and 2001 into one of the larger museum complexes in the world. The conversion was fought over for a decade: the plan to put contemporary buildings inside a baroque monument was contested publicly and the final scheme by Ortner and Ortner is a compromise, with the Leopold Museum as a white limestone cube and mumok as a dark basalt one set behind the retained façade so neither rises above it. Around them are the Kunsthalle, the Architekturzentrum, the children's museum, the Tanzquartier and studios. The courtyard is free, furnished with movable Enzi seating, and functions as a public living room in summer.

History

The complex stands on the site of the imperial court stables, which once held up to 600 horses and 200 carriages and were later used for trade fairs and exhibitions. Plans to turn the area into a cultural district were argued over for years, between those who wanted great museums, public space, independent culture or new building, and the renovation of the stables began in April 1998; the MuseumsQuartier opened in stages in June and September 2001 (Wikipedia, MuseumsQuartier).

What to look for

• Imperial stables converted - Fischer von Erlach's 1713 court stables, remade from 1998.
• A white cube and a black one - the Leopold and mumok set behind the retained façade.
• A free courtyard - the Enzi seating and the public living room it became.
• A cluster of institutions - art, architecture, dance, children's museum and studios.

When to go

All year; summer evenings for the courtyard. A day.

Practical notes

Each museum charges separately and a full day here is expensive - combination tickets help. The courtyard is a drinking and hanging-out space in summer and noisy into the night.

Nearby

The Kunsthistorisches and Naturhistorisches Museums are across the road; Spittelberg is behind.

Key facts