Kunstmuseum Liechtenstein

The Kunstmuseum in Vaduz is a black box of polished concrete and basalt, finished so smoothly that the mountains reflect in its walls, built in 2000 to hold the national art collection: modern and contemporary work alongside pieces from the princely collections. The interior is white, top-lit and deliberately plain. The Hilti Art Foundation collection occupies an adjoining wing. The building was designed by the Swiss architects Morger, Degelo and Kerez and won attention well beyond the country.

History

In 1967 the state received a gift of ten paintings, which led to the State Art Collection of Liechtenstein the next year under its first curator, Georg Malin. The museum building, paid for with private donors, was given to the principality in August 2000 as a millennium gift and opened on 12 November that year (Wikipedia, Kunstmuseum Liechtenstein).

What's there

• The black cube - polished concrete and basalt reflecting the mountains.
• The national collection - modern and contemporary work with older princely pieces.
• The top-lit galleries - the plain white interior the building is organised around.
• The Hilti wing - the adjoining private collection on show.

When to go

Year round; the museum is indoors. It keeps set hours and closes on Mondays. Exhibitions change several times a year.

Before you go

The permanent collection is modest and much of the display is temporary exhibitions. It is small and two hours covers it. The princely collection proper is largely in Vienna.

Nearby

Vaduz Castle is above, and the Treasure Chamber is nearby.

Key facts